Lipa Cathedral

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San Sebastian Cathedral
Metropolitan Cathedral of San Sebastian
Lipa Cathedral
  • Kalakhang Katedral ni San Sebastian (Filipino)
  • Catedral Metropolitana de San Sebastián (Spanish)
Lipa Cathedral 2024-03-27.jpg
The cathedral in March 2024
Philippines location map (Luzon mainland).svg
Red pog.svg
San Sebastian Cathedral
Location in Luzon
Philippines location map (square).svg
Red pog.svg
San Sebastian Cathedral
Location in the Philippines
13°56′27″N121°09′48″E / 13.940951°N 121.163254°E / 13.940951; 121.163254
Location Lipa, Batangas
Country Philippines
Denomination Roman Catholic
History
Former name(s)Convento de San Sebastian de Comintang
Authorising papal bull April 10, 1910;114 years ago (1910-04-10)
Status Cathedral
FoundedApril 30, 1605;419 years ago (1605-04-30)
Founder(s) Augustinians
Dedication Saint Sebastian
Past bishop(s)
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architectural type Cathedral
Style Neo-Renaissance
Years built
  • c. 1605 (dst. 1754)
  • 1779–1790, 1865, 1894 (dst. 1944)
  • c. 1950s
CompletedDecember 14, 1957;66 years ago (1957-12-14)
Specifications
Number of domes 1
Number of towers 1
Administration
Province Lipa
Metropolis Lipa
Archdiocese Lipa
Deanery Saint Sebastian [1]
Clergy
Archbishop Gilbert Armea Garcera
Rector Ruben Dimaculangan
Assistant priest(s) Raeson Limbo
Ricardo Adan
Mar Andreen Castillo
Clarence Patag
Jake Coronel

The Metropolitan Cathedral of San Sebastian, commonly known as the Lipa Cathedral, is a Neo-Renaissance cathedral in Lipa, Batangas, Philippines. The cathedral serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of Lipa. The cathedral was chosen as the seat of the then Diocese of the Lipa in 1910. Detached from the Archdiocese of Manila and canonically erected by Pope Pius X, it comprised what are today the provinces of Batangas, Quezon, Aurora, Laguna, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, and part of the Camarines area. [2]

Contents

History

Church PHC historical marker Cathedral of Lipa historical marker.jpg
Church PHC historical marker

Earlier churches

Lipa was originally located close to the Laguna de Bombon, present-day Taal Lake. The Augustinian Chapter accepted Lipa under the name of "Convento de San Sebastian de Comintang" on April 30, 1605, [3] with Gabriel Rodriguez as the first prior. In 1608, it was made a vicariate directly under the father province. In 1610, it was given the right to vote in the provincial chapters.

In 1754, Lipa was submerged after the eruption of Taal Volcano. To avoid a similar occurrence, the town was transferred to its present site. A new church was begun by Ignacio Pallares in 1779 and by Manuel Galiana in 1787, and was completed in 1790. In 1865, Maueal Diez Gonzalez completed the spacious transept.

Present church

Benito Baras completed the construction of the church in 1894 [4] and later built a bridge linking Lipa to Tanauan. On September 17, 1902, shortly after the Philippine Revolution of 1898, Pope Leo XIII issued the apostolic constitution Quae Mari Sinico mandating the reorganization of the church in the Philippines. His successor, Pius X, by papal declaration "Novas Erigere Ecclesias", erected five new ecclesiastical jurisdictions in the Philippines: the Dioceses of Lipa, Calbayog, Tuguegarao, Zamboanga, and the Apostolic Prefecture of Palawan. [2]

During the late 19th century, there was intense competition among the towns of Batangas, Bauan, Lipa, Taal, and Tanauan for the selection of the seat of the new diocese in the Southern Tagalog region (present-day Calabarzon). This competition motivated the people to build big churches in those towns. After the creation of the new diocese on April 10, 1910, Lipa was chosen among the five towns because of its cold climate. For this reason, the church was elevated to a cathedral. [5]

In 1944, the cathedral was heavily damaged during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines as part of the Second World War. It was later rebuilt by Alejandro Olalla and Vergara, adding two side aisles, and completed on December 14, 1957. [6]

Architecture and design

The cathedral was built in the Neo-Renaissance style in a Latin cross (cruciform) layout. The Main Hall is surrounded by a series of arches forming a linear pattern. It also features a large dome. [4]

An octagonal bell tower stands beside the main façade. It originally had five floors, later increased to seven during its post-war reconstruction. [5]

The cathedral also has one high altar with the image of Saint Sebastian on top and four smaller side altars. [5]

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References

  1. "San Sebastian Cathedral, Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines". GCatholic.org. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "History". Archdiocese of Lipa. Archived from the original on December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  3. Galende, Pedro (1987). Angels in Stone: Architecture of the Augustinian Churches in the Philippines (1st ed.). Manila: G. A. Formoso. pp. 92–97.
  4. 1 2 "LIPA CATHEDRAL: The Metropolitan Cathedral of San Sebastian". The Poor Traveler. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Cathedral of San Sebastian de Lipa". Herencia Lipeña. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  6. "Lipa City". Biyahero: Philippines Travel Portal. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2014.