Imus Cathedral

Last updated

Imus Cathedral
Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of the Pillar
Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Cathedral
Parroquia de la Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Spanish)
Imus Cathedral, Cavite (July 2022).jpg
Cathedral facade in 2022
Philippines location map (Luzon mainland).svg
Red pog.svg
Imus Cathedral
Location in Luzon
Philippines location map (square).svg
Red pog.svg
Imus Cathedral
Location in the Philippines
14°25′47″N120°56′10″E / 14.4297°N 120.9361°E / 14.4297; 120.9361
Location Imus, Cavite
Country Philippines
Denomination Roman Catholic
Tradition Roman Rite
Website imusdiocese.net
History
Former name(s)Imus Parish Church, Imus Catholic Church, Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral Parish
Status Cathedral Parish Diocesan Shrine
Founded1795 (1795) [1]
Dedication Our Lady of the Pillar and Saint John the Baptist [1]
Other dedicationNovember 25, 1961
Past bishop(s)Artemio Casas
Felix Perez
Manuel C. Sobreviñas
Cardinal Luís Antonio Tagle
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationMarked Structure (of Historical Significance) by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines
DesignatedNovember 13, 2006
Architect(s) Nicolas Becerra
Architectural type Church building
Style Baroque architecture
Groundbreaking 1823 [1]
Completed1853
Specifications
Length200 ft (61 m)
Width130 ft (40 m)
Nave width90 ft (27 m)
Height100 ft (30 m) est.
Number of domes None
Number of spires One
Materials Bricks and tuff stone
Administration
DivisionEpiscopal District of St. Matthew
SubdivisionVicariate of Our Lady of the Pillar
Province Manila
Archdiocese Manila
Diocese Imus
Parish Parish of Our Lady of the Pillar
Clergy
Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula
Bishop(s) Reynaldo G. Evangelista
Rector Rev Msgr. Reuel D. Castañeda
Assistant priest(s) Rev Fr. Ashpaul Castillo
Rev.Fr. Knoriel Alvarez
Laity
Reader(s) Lectors and Commentators Guild
Youth ministry coordinator Parish Youth Ministry
Music group(s)Himig Batingaw Choir Tinig ng Katedral
Saint Thérèse Choir
Cathedral Choir of Our Lady of the Pillar [2]
Imusicapella
Servers' guildMinistry of Altar Servers
Imus Cathedral Logo.png

The Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of the Pillar, commonly known as the Imus Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral church in the city of Imus, in the province of Cavite, Philippines. The church serves as the seat of the bishop of the Diocese of Imus, the diocese that has jurisdiction over the entire Civil Province of Cavite.

Contents

Enshrined inside the cathedral is the original, miraculous and canonically crowned image of Nuestra Senora del Pilar de Imus (Our Lady of the Pillar). The said title of the Blessed Virgin Mary serves as the titular patroness of the Diocese of Imus, Province of Cavite, as implied by then pope, now a saint, John XXIII. John the Baptist is also considered the secondary patron saint of the city. The current parish priest and rector of the cathedral is Reuel Castañeda, vicar general of the diocese.

The church itself features the longest Holy Week procession in the province of Cavite, with at least 70 floats and the country's 5th longest overall (the other four being the St Augustine Parish, Baliuag, and San Isidro Labrador, Pulilan, both located in the province of Bulacan, with at least 110 floats per parish, The Our Lady Of the Abandoned in Marikina, with 82 floats, and The Our Lady of Aranzazu San Mateo, Rizal with 76 floats). Currently, the cathedral is being elevated into Cathedral Shrine. [3]

History

Establishment

In 1616, the Augustinian Recollects arrived in Imus and established a convent. The parish of Imus started as a chapel-of-ease in Brgy. Toclong, a sub-parish (visita) of Cavite Viejo (now Kawit, Cavite). Recollect Father Pedro de San Buenaventura petitioned the government to convert Imus into an independent municipality in 1774. Imus, though, did not become a separate town and parish until October 3, 1795. [4] Its poblacion (town center) and a provisional church was first established in an area currently known as Brgy. Bayan Luma (Tagalog for 'Old Town'). The parish was under the order of the Augustinian Recollects with Francisco de Santiago, O.A.R., its first assigned priest. [1]

Construction of the present church

The facade of Imus Cathedral was probably designed after the fifth incarnation of the Manila Cathedral (above) by Uguccioni Manila Cathedral (1792) by Brambila.jpg
The façade of Imus Cathedral was probably designed after the fifth incarnation of the Manila Cathedral (above) by Uguccioni

During the leadership of Fr. Nicolas Becerra, who served from 1821 to 1840, he advocated the move of the town center to Brgy. Balangon, its present location. The construction of the parish church of Imus on the new location was started in 1823 using forced labor. The structure was made from stone and bricks. [1] Its facade was patterned after the fifth Manila Cathedral by Fr. Juan de Uguccioni, which existed from 1760 to 1852. [5]

Hacienda de San Juan de Imus

The early fathers were preoccupied with not just religious matters but also of economic concerns. The friars gradually bought parcels of land while some of these lands were donated by rich families. The Recollects were the first ones to buy parcels of land beginning in 1666 and their haciendas came to being in 1812. These areas, comprising the Hacienda de San Juan de Imus or the Hacienda de Imus (Imus Estate), grew to include the whole towns of Imus, Dasmariñas, and Brgy. Binakayan in Kawit. The estate house of the hacienda, or the house of the friars, was located along Imus River (at the present day Cuartel) at the southern end of the Bridge of Isabel II, a Spanish bridge built by the priest-engineers of the Recollects. [6] Citizens of Imus were required to pay rent to live and tilled the lands of Imus.

Secularization

The Hacienda de Imus was sold by the Recollect Corporation on March 31, 1894, to the Fomento de la Agricultura de Filipinas (Promotion of Agriculture in the Philippines), a corporation in Madrid, for 4,000,000 pesetas. It was later sold to the British Manila Estates Company, which eventually sold it to the U.S. controlled Philippine government for $1,045,000 in U.S. currency for distribution to the Filipinos, to win their favor, and to pacify the revolutionaries. [6] [7] The Church of Imus became secular in 1897. [1]

Diocese of Imus

Cathedral interior in 2013 ImusCathedraljf0362 09.JPG
Cathedral interior in 2013

By virtue of the Apostolic Constitution Christi fidelium promulgated by Pope John XXIII on November 25, 1961, Cavite was created a separate bishopric from Manila after more than three hundred years. On April 26, 1962, the Diocese of Imus was formally erected and established. The then parish church of Imus was chosen to become the cathedral of the diocese, the seat of the bishop of Cavite, with the Virgin Mary under her title Our Lady of the Pillar, its titular patroness. The first leader of the diocese and bishop of Cavite is Artemio Casas, originally from Meycauayan, Bulacan. [6]

Bishop of Imus

The current bishop of Imus is Reynaldo G. Evangelista, previously bishop of the Diocese of Boac and a native of Batangas, who was appointed by Pope Francis on April 8, 2013, his first pontifical appointment in the Philippines. He replaced Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle (whose paternal ancestry is from Imus) after his installation as the Archbishop of Manila in December 12, 2011. Evangelista was installed as the fifth bishop of Imus on June 5, 2013. [8]

Historical marker

Church NHI historical marker installed in 2006 Katedral ng Imus historical marker.jpg
Church NHI historical marker installed in 2006

The cathedral was declared a structure of historical significance with the placing of a historical marker by then National Historical Institute of the Philippines on November 13, 2006.

Coronation of the patroness of the Diocese of Imus

The image of Our Lady of the Pillar of Imus ImusCathedraljf0351 01.JPG
The image of Our Lady of the Pillar of Imus

The image of the patroness of the Imus Cathedral, Our Lady of the Pillar of Imus , was canonically crowned on December 3, 2012, by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. It was originally scheduled for November 26 but the elevation of Tagle into a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI necessitated the move. [9]

Vicariate of Our Lady of the Pillar

Vicariate of Our Lady of the Pillar (City of Imus) Vicar Forane: Rev Fr. Antonio Laureta

Parishes

Our Lady of the Pillar Parish

Chapels

Activities

Ministries

Radio station

89.5 FM frequency is used by the Parish to broadcast Parish activities such as the recitation of the Rosary for the traditional Good Friday procession. [10] Daily Mass, Vigil and Sunday Masses, as well as Masses for holy days of obligation celebrated in the Cathedral are also transmitted live through the same frequency, broadcasting on a very low power output.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our Lady of the Pillar</span> Title of the Virgin Mary

Our Lady of the Pillar is the name given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the context of the traditional belief that Mary, while living in Jerusalem, supernaturally appeared to the Apostle James the Greater in AD 40 while he was preaching in what is now Spain. Those who adhere to this belief consider this appearance to be the only recorded instance of Mary exhibiting the mystical phenomenon of bilocation. Among Catholics, it is also considered the first Marian apparition, and unique because it happened while Mary was still living on Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imus</span> Capital (de jure) of Cavite, Philippines

Imus, officially the City of Imus, is a 1st class component city and de jure capital of the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 496,794 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila</span> Archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines

The Archdiocese of Manila is the archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in Metro Manila, Philippines, encompassing the cities of Manila, Makati, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Pasay, and Taguig. Its cathedral is the Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Manila Cathedral, located in Intramuros, which comprises the old city of Manila. The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title Immaculate Conception, is the principal patroness of the archdiocese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in the Philippines</span>

As part of the worldwide Catholic Church, the Catholic Church in the Philippines, or the Philippine Catholic Church, is under the spiritual direction of the Pope in Rome. The Philippines is one of the two nations in Asia having a substantial portion of the population professing the Catholic faith, along with East Timor, and has the third largest Catholic population in the world after Brazil and Mexico. The episcopal conference responsible in governing the faith is the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Imus</span> Roman Catholic diocese in the Philippines

The Diocese of Imus is a Roman Catholic diocese in the Philippines that comprises the entire province of Cavite. By the virtue of the apostolic constitution "Christi Fidelium," promulgated by Pope John XXIII, the diocese was canonically erected on November 25, 1961, when it was excised from the Archdiocese of Manila and the then-diocese, now Archdiocese of Lipa. The diocese was formally inaugurated on April 26, 1962 and its first bishop, Artemio Gabriel Casas, took canonical possession of its administration. Imus Cathedral, located along General Castañeda Street in the poblacion of Imus, serves as the see of the diocese. It is one of twelve cathedrals founded by the Order of Augustinian Recollects in the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Balanga</span> Catholic diocese in the Philippines

The Diocese of Balanga is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines, established on March 17, 1975, by Pope Paul VI. The diocese has jurisdiction over the whole province of Bataan, with 38 parishes, 5 diocesan shrines, one minor basilica, chaplaincy, quasi-parish, national shrine and chapel, and 4 vicariates. The Cathedral-Shrine Parish of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary in Aguire Street, Poblacion, Balanga, serves as the seat of the diocese. It is part of the Ecclesiastical Province of San Fernando, Pampanga. The titular patron of the diocese is Saint Joseph, whose feast day falls on March 19. The city fiesta is celebrated on April 28.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando</span> Archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines

The Archdiocese of San Fernando is the archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in Pampanga, Philippines which has territorial jurisdiction over the whole province of Pampanga and Angeles City. The archdiocese is also the metropolitan see of the ecclesiastical province of the same name, which also include three dioceses of its surrounding provinces of Bataan, Zambales, and Tarlac. The cathedral church and seat of the archdiocese is the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando (Pampanga). The Virgin Mary, under the title Virgen de los Remedios, is the principal patroness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Pasig</span> Roman Catholic diocese in the Philippines

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pasig is the diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the Philippines that comprises the cities of Pasig and Taguig, and the municipality of Pateros, in Metro Manila, Philippines. It was established by Pope John Paul II on June 28, 2003, by virtue of the papal bull Dei Caritas. It was formally and canonically erected on August 21, 2003, with the installation of Francisco C. San Diego as its first bishop. The Immaculate Conception Cathedral-Parish, located in the central vicinity of Pasig, was made the cathedral or the seat of the diocese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Novaliches</span> Roman Catholic diocese in the Philippines

The Diocese of Novaliches is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. The diocese was created by Pope John Paul II on December 7, 2002, by virtue of his Apostolic Constitution Animarum Utilitati, and was canonically erected on January 16, 2003, from the Archdiocese of Manila. The diocese previously existed as the Ecclesiastical District of Quezon City-North, which was renamed the District of Novaliches in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Malolos</span> Latin Catholic diocese in the Philippines

The Diocese of Malolos is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines, encompassing the whole Province of Bulacan and Valenzuela City in metropolitan Manila and is a suffragan to the metropolitan Archdiocese of Manila. The mother church of the Diocese is the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception located in Malolos City, Bulacan. The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Immaculate Conception is the principal patroness of the diocese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao</span> Roman Catholic diocese in the Philippines

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao is a diocese of the western Latin Church of the Catholic Church in district of Cubao in Quezon City, in northern Metro Manila, Philippines. The diocese was created by Pope John Paul II on June 28, 2003 from the ecclesiastical district of Cubao of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. It was canonically erected on August 28, 2003, with the installation of Honesto Flores Ongtioco as the first Bishop of Cubao. The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title Immaculate Conception, is the principal patroness of the diocese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pasig Cathedral</span> Roman Catholic church in Pasig, Philippines

The Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Pasig, commonly known as the Pasig Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located in Plaza Rizal, Barangay Malinao, Pasig in Metro Manila, Philippines. It is the mother church, and serves as the episcopal seat of the Bishop of Pasig and one of the oldest structures in the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augustinian Recollect Province of Saint Ezequiél Moreno</span>

The Augustinian Recollect Province of Saint Ezequiél Moreno is a division of the Order of Augustinian Recollects that has jurisdiction over the Philippines, Taiwan and Sierra Leone. It officially separated from the Province of Saint Nicholas de Tolentine on 28 November 1998. Today, the Provincialate House is located at the San Nicolas De Tolentino Parish Church on Neptune Street, Congressional Subdivision, Project 6, Quezon City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luis Antonio Tagle</span> Filipino Cardinal of the Catholic Church (born 1957)

Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle is a Filipino prelate of the Catholic Church currently serving as the Pro-Prefect for the Section of Evangelization of Dicastery for Evangelization since June 5, 2022, and as the President of Interdicasterial Commission for Consecrated Religious since December 8, 2019. He was the 32nd Archbishop of Manila from 2011 to 2020. Tagle is the Cardinal-Bishop of San Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle and also serves as the President of the Catholic Biblical Federation, Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Urbaniana University, and as a member of various departments and dicasteries in the Roman Curia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manuel C. Sobreviñas</span>

Manuel Cruz Sobreviñas was a Filipino bishop of the Catholic Church. He served as the third Bishop of Imus from 1993 to 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reynaldo Evangelista</span> 21st-century Bishop of Imus

Reynaldo Gonda Evangelista is a Filipino prelate and a professed member of the Franciscan Order who is the current bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Imus appointed by Pope Francis on April 8, 2013, his first appointment in the Philippines. He replaced Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle after he was installed as the Archbishop of Manila in December 2011. Evangelista was installed as the fifth Bishop of Imus on June 5, 2013. He previously served as the third Bishop of Boac in Marinduque province from December 11, 2004, until his appointment to Imus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immaculate Conception Parish Church (Dasmariñas)</span> Roman Catholic church in Cavite, Philippines

The Immaculate Conception Parish Church, also known as the Dasmariñas Church, is the first Roman Catholic parish church in the city of Dasmariñas, province of Cavite, Philippines. It is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Imus. The stone church was constructed right after the establishment of Dasmariñas as a separate parish in 1866. The church and convent was the site of bloodshed during the Battle of Perez Dasmari ñas of the Philippine revolution against Spain. It was declared as an important historical structure by the National Historical Institute with the placing of a historical marker in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our Lady of the Pillar of Imus</span> Patroness of the Diocese of Imus and Imus, Cavite

Our Lady of the Pillar of Imus is a Roman Catholic Marian title of the Blessed Virgin Mary and venerated Marian image of the Madonna and Child atop of a pillar. The town of Imus in the province of Cavite and the Diocese of Imus, considers her as its patroness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Cruz Church (Manila)</span> Roman Catholic church in Manila, Philippines

The Archdiocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament, also known as the Our Lady of the Pillar Church or simply the Santa Cruz Parish, is a Mission Revival Roman Catholic parish church in the district of Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines. It was built when the arrabal (suburb) of Santa Cruz was established by the Jesuits in the early 17th century. The church had undergone many repairs and reconstruction, with the last reconstruction done in the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Villarojo</span> Filipino prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1967)

Dennis Cabanada Villarojo is a Filipino catholic prelate currently serving as the fifth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Malolos in the Philippines. Prior to his current role, Villarojo served as an auxiliary bishop of Cebu from 2015 until his installation to Malolos. He was the secretary-general for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress which took place in Cebu in 2016.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Katedral ng Imus". National Registry of Historic Sites and Structures in the Philippines. Retrieved on May 3, 2012.
  2. "THE CATHEDRAL > The Cathedral Choir". Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral Choir. Retrieved on May 6, 2013.
  3. Declaration as Diocesan Shrine OLP Cathedral , retrieved December 3, 2020
  4. "City of Imus – Brief History" Archived June 8, 2013, at the Wayback Machine . Official Website of the Provincial Government of Cavite. Retrieved on May 6, 2013.
  5. "The Fifth Cathedral, 1760 – 1852". Manila Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica. Retrieved on May 6, 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 Bureau of Insular Affairs, War Dept. (1905). "History of the Diocese of Imus". Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral Choir. Retrieved on May 6, 2013.
  7. "Fifth Annual Report of the Philippine Commission, 1904, Part 1 of 3", pp. 782–783. Government Printing Office, Washington.
  8. (2013-04-08). "Pontifical Acts – 8 April" Archived April 14, 2013, at the Wayback Machine . The Vatican Today. Retrieved on June 11, 2013.
  9. The Servants and Handmaids of Our Lady of the Pillar/Discuss. "100 days Countdown for the Canonical Coronation of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Imus". Flickr.com. Retrieved on May 17, 2013.
  10. "Calabarzon Region, Philippines, Philippines: Radio Station Listings -- RadioStationWorld.com". radiostationworld.com. Retrieved October 6, 2023.