Malolos Cathedral

Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (Malolos Cathedral)
Basic information
Location	Malolos City, Bulacan,  Philippines
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Year consecrated	1630
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Basilica Minore or Minor Basilica
Status	active
Leadership	Diocesan Bishop
Architectural description
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Neo-Classic

Malolos Cathedral, also known as the Basilica Minore dela Nuestra Señora de Inmaculada Concepcion (in Spanish) or Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (in English), is the ecclesiastical seat of the Diocese of Malolos in the Philippines. Note: Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception or the Manila Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Manila.

Beginnings

The image can not be described separated from its dwelling, the Cathedral-Minor Basilica of Malolos. With the endless throng of devotees who flock for novena and masses, this is the story of this historical and beautiful edifice. The Augustinian missionaries arrived at barrio Canalate in 1580. From a small chapel, a bigger one was built which was recognized in the records of the Augustinian chapter of 1580. Placed under the mantle of the Immaculate Conception, Malolos was made a parish in 1673 with Fr. Francisco Lopez as its curate. Built initially of light materials in 1591, the church and convent were enlarged by Fr. Roque Barrionuevo in 1691. In 1734, the church was built with stronger materials by Fr. Fernando Sanchez. Fr. Juan Meseguer finished this project in 1740 and Fr. Jose de Vivar applied the finishing touches in 1753. However, both the church and the convent were destroyed by fire in 1813. The construction of the present church begun in 1819 with Fr. Melchor Fernandez. This prolific builder was also responsible for the addition of arches to the convent; the fortification of the belfry ( so as to accommodate the installation of a clock); and the construction of the bridge connecting Malolos with Barasoin. However, the buildings were destroyed by a strong earthquake in 1863. Fr. Ezekiel Merino undertook the reconstruction of the collapsed structures which lasted until 1872. Another severe earthquake took place in 1880 which destroyed the convent. Fr. Juan Tombo began the restoration of the convent in 1883. It was completed in 1884 by Fr. Felipe Garcia.

As Palacio Presidential

At noon on September 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo and his men arrived at Malolos. Until 29 March 1898, General Aguinaldo used the Malolos convent as the presidential palace (Palacio Presidential) of the First Philippine Republic. He had to flee from the Americans, and he ordered General Antonio Luna to set the church and convent on fire. This 'scorched-earth policy' was intended to make everything in Malolos useless should it fall to American hands.

Contemporary times

From these ashes of war the church was rebuilt from 1902 to 1936. Under Msgr. Pedro Abad, the baptistery was built and blessed by the late Rufino Cardinal Santos on 28 February 1954. The pews were acquired in 1957 by Msgr. Marcelino Montemayor and the roof was replaced during the time of Msgr. Francisco Domingo. The Malolos church became a Cathedral with the installation of first diocesan bishop, Most Reverend Manuel del Rosario D.D., on March 1962. With the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, Msgr. Virgilio Soriano commissioned a new altar in 1967. Mrs. Amparo Bautista-Julian donated a statue of the Immaculate Conception which was placed on top of the bell tower. When the cathedral was consecrated by Bishop Cirilo Almario, Jr. D.D. on 4 December 1976, the communion rail was dismantled and the sanctuary was renovated with stained glass windows. The old convent was reconstructed and expanded to accommodate the Bishop's residence, chancery office and parish convent. During the incumbency of Msgr. Macario Manahan, the St. Joseph Social Hall was built; the old baptistery was transformed into a mortuary chapel; and a crypt was constructed below the main altar. When Rolando Tria-Tirona O.C.D., D.D. became Bishop and Moderator of the Team Ministry, renovations and repairs were undertaken like the diocesan hall being refurbished into the Mary Magdalene Hall. It was under the tenure of Bishop Tirona that the Cathedral was elevated into the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on 4 December 1999. The present bishop, Jose Oliveros D.D. continues to make improvements especially with the Church patio and its environs. The statues under the Kalayaan tree, the memorial cross fronting the Basilica and the Presidential Gale constituted different phases which are connected with the Patio Development Plan.

Style and design

The predominant feature of the Cathedral-Basilica is the semi- circular arch in its lower part that. The ornamentation is moderate; the massing is well balanced and the symmetrical movement of the columns and openings are almost Neo-Classic. The facade is divided by single and coupled Doric columns in three segments, and is dominated by large semi-circular arches of the openings in the first level, and the smaller ones superimposed on the second level which are alternately semicircular and segmented. The triangular pediment strongly outlined by heavily projecting broken cornices is topped by a sort of acroteria in the center and torch-like finials. A statued niche flanked by fluted pilasters topped by a segmented canopy crowns the silted frame of the center window. Triglypha decorate the frieze and a stylized Augustinian emblem decorates the center of pediment. The over-all impression is one of the neatness of line, counter balanced by the dramatic circular of the openings.

Marian Statue at the bell tower

According to reliable information, the statue of the Immaculate Concepcion was made before the Second World war (1941–1945). The opus is attributed to Donding Ople, a gifted artist who was orphaned at a very tender age. The original work is kept in an undisclosed place but the statue at the high enclosure behind the main altar is the perfect replication of the original. Many of the devotees flock to the image of the Immaculate Concepcion.

The Miraculous Statue

The statue of the Immaculate Conception at the Sanctuary of the Cathedral was replicated a number of times with fiberglass. An elite replica of the said statue was first displayed at the right of the Sanctuary, at the middle, beside the statues of Saint Joachim at Saint Peter patriarch at nearly its feast around December 8 2007.

The said image was then reported to miraculous, so to enrich the faith of the Malolenos, a set of stairs was attached to the altar, that the people may go and touch the statue. This action was made under the time of service of the previous rector, Msgr. Jojo Galvez and Fathers Ron Cristobal and Francis Cortez III as members. On this time also, the statue was later named "Virgen Inmaculada Concepcion de Malolos."

On the time of Msgr. Jaime Garcia and Fathers Conrado "Badong" Santos, Jr. and Renato "R.J." Brion, [2007-present] the statue was displaced. It is now in front of the Altar of the Blessed Sacrament at the Chapel of Saints. The statue is elevated high and is connected down with a set of stairs. Beside the entrance stairs is a book entitled "Prayer Requests" where devotees are expected to write their prayers, on the middle at the highest elevation is the statue of the Virgin. Beside the exit stairs is a book entitled "Answered prayers." Devotees were expected to write their own experiences of divine intervention through the said statue. The main reason of putting it apparently below the image, just after seeing the statue is that, reported incidents state that "just touching the image of the Virgin already performed the miracle."

The Kalayaan Tree

Maloleno natives beside the historical Kalayaan Tree (Siar)

The Kalayaan Tree (Siar) is located in the patio of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception in the historic city of Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines. It was planted by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo during a lull in the Malolos Convention. Aguinaldo is said to have conducted many political discussions here. Under the tree is a monument that symbolizes the meeting of Filipino revolutionaries represented by Gregorio del Pilar and Gen. Isidoro Torres; Don Pablo Tecson, an erudite legislator; Padre Mariano Sevilla, a nationalist leader of the church and Doña Basilia Tantoco, portraying a woman freedom fighter.

External links

• Official Website of the Malolos Cathedral