Cainta Church
Cainta Church | |
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Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Light | |
Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Lumen ( Diocese of Antipolo | |
Parish | Our Lady of Light |
Clergy | |
Priest in charge | Aly A. Barcinal |
Laity | |
Servers' guild | Cofradia de la Madre Santissima del Lumen |
The Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Light, popularly known as Cainta Church (
On 6 December 2017,
History
The original church of Cainta was first constructed in stone by Father Gaspar Marco, a
In 1727, a painting of Our Lady of Light was brought in from the Kingdom of Sicily and was chosen as the new patroness of the church. By 1760, the church was officially declared a separate parish.[2]
On 23 February 1853, an earthquake damaged the church building. Both its roof and one wall collapsed while the walls of the parish
By 1884 the parish had been named Our Lady of Light (Virgen ng Caliuanagan or Madre Santissima del Lumen in
Filipino-American War
During the
Reconstruction
By the mid-1960s,
The reconstruction was halted when one of the beams collapsed. Further study was conducted to determine if it could withstand earthquakes. The reconstruction resumed on 15 June 1967 and completed after one year.[1]
Filipino
In 1975, the administration of the parish was turned over by the
The church was the sole parish in the entire municipality of Cainta until 1998, when the community of Brookside Subdivision was granted a parish, Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 2002, three new independent parishes were erected in villages along Imelda Avenue. Parts of Barangay San Andres were later given to newly established parishes, namely San Andres Apostol in Greenwoods Executive Village (2009) and Saint Francis of Assisi in Cambridge, Floodway (2011). More parishes were canonically established: the Parish of St. Joseph the Worker (2015) in Greenland, and recently St. Oscar Romero Quasi-Parish (2019) in Marick Subdivision.
In 2007, the Cainta Church was declared a historical site by the National Historical Institute (NHI) – now the
Architectural features
The original church, including the
The sacristy measured approximately 27 feet (8.2 m) long, 24 feet (7.3 m) wide and 18 feet (5.5 m) high. On the other hand, the parish rectory measured approximately 120 feet (37 m) long, 48 feet (15 m) wide and 24 feet (7.3 m) high. The rectory had a kitchen, two brick chimneys, four rooms and offices.[1]
The larger reconstructed church measures 223 feet (68 m) long, with transept width 138 feet (42 m) wide, and with walls 34.4 feet (10.50 m) high. It has a main door and four lateral doors. There are separate chapels for the Blessed Sacrament and for Our Lady of Light and
Marian image
The devotion to Our Lady of Light was introduced in Cainta in 1727. The original picture brought by the Jesuits had a gilded frame and crest and was enshrined in one of the side altars (colacerales). It was transferred to the main altar (retablo mayor) before 1853. Two faithful copies of the original picture exist. The first was an 1801 print given to those who gave donations to the Virgin Mary with bottom inscription:
Verdadero retrato de Nuestra Señora Reina del Universo – María Santísima – Madre de Lumen que se venera en la Iglesia de Cainta en su propia capilla a solicitud y expensa de ciertos devotos de esta gran Señora en el año de 1801. (English: True image of Our Lady Mary, Queen of the Universe, Most Holy Mother of Light that is venerated in the Church of Cainta in her own chapel, upon the commission and expense of certain devotees of this Great Lady in the year 1801).[6]
The second faithful copy is a charcoal painting by Mariano Javier of Cainta, painted in 1857. Presently, it is under the care of the family of Flora Javier-Buenviaje.[6]
The present painting of the Our Lady of Light was painted using oil on canvas by the renowned National Artist Fernando Amorsolo. Over time, the painting had developed some discolorations and acquired dirt and insect excrement. Specialists were consulted who recommended conservation. Conservation procedures were done in four months by Carmina Silverio, a conservator and restorer of painting and sculptures.
The feast day of the venerated image is celebrated annually on December 1, after the feast of Saint Andrew. Her secondary feast is observed on Thursday after Pentecost Sunday.
Clergy
Name | Years serving | Present assignment |
---|---|---|
Alfredo M. Sta. Ana | 1975 – 1987 | Deceased |
Mariano T. Balbago Jr. | 1987 – 1997 | St. Joseph Catholic Church, Beltsville, Maryland |
Generoso A. Mediarito | 1997 – 2006 | Diocesan shrine and parish of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Antipolo |
Arnel F. Lagarejos | 2006 – 2013 | relieved |
Neil Vincent M. Tacbas | 2013 – 2016 | St. John Paul II Minor Seminary, Antipolo |
Nolly C. Buco | 2016 – 2019 | Auxiliary bishop and vicar general of the Diocese of Antipolo, parish priest, diocesan shrine and parish of Our Lady of the Abandoned, Marikina
|
Aly A. Barcinal | 2019 – present |
Gallery
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Side wall
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Church transept
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Apex of the transept pediment
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Inside the church, showing the bays (right portion)
See also
- John Paul II Minor Seminary
- Nuestra Señora de la Luz (disambiguation)
- Our Lady of Light (disambiguation)
- Our Lady of Zeitoun
- Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Delos Reyes, Michael (2007). Parroquia de Cainta.
- ^ "Cainta to hold episcopal coronation of Our Lady of Light; Pasig to inaugurate diocesan museum". Inquirer.net. 24 November 2012.
- ^ Darang, Josephine (2012-11-25). "Cainta to hold episcopal coronation of Our Lady of Light; Pasig to inaugurate diocesan museum". Sto. Rosario de Pasig Parish. Inquirer.net. Retrieved 2014-10-28.
- ^ "Cainta Church 01.jpg (historical marker). Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved on 2014-10-26.
- ISBN 971-506-040-4.
- ^ a b Delos Reyes, Michael (2007). Devotion to Our Lady of Light.
Other sources
- The Official Website of the Municipality of Cainta
- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Antipolo
- Cainta Catholic College
- "Our Lady of Light", The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute, University of Dayton.
External links
- Media related to Our Lady of Light Parish Church (Cainta, Rizal) at Wikimedia Commons
- Cainta Church on Facebook