Baclaran Church

Built in 1906, Baclaran Church, is a Roman Catholic parish church under the vicariate of the parish of Santa Rita de Cascia in the Diocese of Parañaque. The edifice is on Roxas Boulevard in the barangay of Baclaran in Parañaque City, Metro Manila. It is one of the most widely known churches in Metro Manila, unlike the two previous churches that i've posted about Baclaran Church is quiet young even considering it to be 101 years old.

Yet like anyother vintaged structure, it holds a vast colorful heritage of history one has unlocked when visiting such a place. Baclaran Church is a site recommended not to be missed when visiting and discovering Metro Manila. Any old church that you may visit anywhere in the world would also tell you great stories of it's origin and country's past, the people and culture..for this matter comes the main reason why i love old churches and not that i'm pius or pray in them for that sort.

The Filipinos were under the Spanish rule for 400 years. The execution of Dr. Jose Rizal (an optometrist, linguist, poet and author who wrote and spoke against Spanish injustices and depravities) sparked the Revolution led by Andres Bonifacio. On June 12, 1898, after toppling the Spanish conquistadores, the Republic of the Philippines was proclaimed independent.

The Philippines is the only predominantly Catholic country in Asia. The Spaniards brought Christianity to the country when Ferdinand Magellan accidentally discovered Cebu on March 15,1621 while carrying out the mandates of the King and Queen of Spain: to find and acquire spice in the Indies, to further the Christian missions and conversions into the Catholic faith.
The Redemptorists brought the devotion to the Philippines in 1906. The Novena in Baclaran Church began on the 23rd of June, 1948. Devotees multiplied to hundreds then thousands each year. On January, 1958, Baclaran Church was declared as the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help and was consecrated by Archbishop Rufino Card. Santos of Manila on Dec. 1, 1958. Since the day the Shrine was opened, it has never been closed, either day or night.

At current, there are 120,000 devotees who come to Baclaran to pray the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help from 4:00 a.m. to midnight. Every Wednesday, there are 7 sessions of the Novena with Benedictions, 3 sessions of Novena-Masses; and 2 sung Masses. Hundreds of Petition and Thanksgiving letters are delivered to the Redemptorists each week. Many letters come even from foreign countires wherever Filipinos happen to live. Confessions are heard daily in the Shrine at almost every hour.

Agreeably facinating for me finding this time capsules around us that often than not, are left for granted as ancient monoliths exisiting in this modern day, hoping that treasures of their rich past are not then forgotten.

Remember next time you travel and you come accross some church, take a pause from your regular itinerary and stop by, you'll never get to know what story old churches holds for you until you get to visit them..

YAH! YAH! YAH! i know the post aint about food again!!!