humanities by divine

University of the Philippines Church of the Holy Sacrifice
designed by Leandro Locsin..


History
Initially, Leandro Locsin designed the church for the Ossorio family, who was planning to build a chapel in Negros. Unfortunately, when Frederic Ossorio left for the United States, the plans for the chapel were scrapped.

However, in 1955, then University of the Philippines, Diliman Catholic Chaplain, Fr. John Delaney, S.J. commissioned Locsin to design a chapel that is open and can easily accommodate 1,000 people. The Church of Holy Sacrifice is the first round chapel in the Philippines with the altar in the middle, and the first to have a thin shell concrete dome. The floor of the church was designed by Arturo Luz, the Stations of the Cross by Vicente Manansala and Ang Kiukok, and the double-sided crucifix and altar base by Napoleon Abueva, all of whom are now National Artists.

Being a pioneering building, it almost suffered a setback during the construction of the dome when the weather suddenly changed as the concrete was being poured. If it had rained, the concrete would have not settled, and the whole project would have been in jeopardy.

The first mass in the church was celebrated on December 20, 1955. Since then, there have been modifications to the church and its surroundings. The gigantic dome, which used to be white, is now green. The altar base was also changed from wood to marble, still by Napoleon Abueva. Perhaps the most significant change is that the church is now fenced off, and the once open grounds that surrounded the church are now landscaped.

On January 12, 2005, the church was recognized as a National Historical Landmark and a Cultural Treasure by the National Historical Institute and the National Museum, respectively. During the recognition ceremony, National Historical Institute Chairman Ambeth R. Ocampo lauded the church as a “masterpiece of Filipino artistry and ingenuity”. Currently, the parish is spearheading a project that aims to restore the dome of the historic church


Architecture
The dome of the church is supported by pillars located at the sides of the church, so that there are no supports to block the space inside. The unique design of the dome allows natural lighting and ventilation. At the middle of the dome is a circular skylight, which supports the triangular bell tower. The bell tower, then extends to the interior, supporting the crucifix. The arrangement of the interior of the church is concentric, with the altar in the middle.

COLEGIO DE SAN JUAN DE LETRAN






Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL) (also as San Juan de Letran College (SJLC), Letran College (LC) or simply Letran), was founded in 1620. Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of higher learning located in Intramuros, Manila, Philippines.

The Colegio is owned and administered by priests of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) of the Philippine Dominican Province. The school has a rich and proud history and holds the distinction of having produced Philippine presidents, revolutionary heroes, poets, legislators, members of the clergy, jurists, and is the only Philippine school that has produced a Catholic Saint that actually lived and studied inside its original campus. The campus contains two statues, representing the two foremost alumni in the fields of secular and religious service: Manuel L. Quezon and St. Vicente Liem de la Paz.

Originally founded by Don Juan Geromino Guerrero in 1620, a retired Spanish officer, in Intramuros as Colegio de Niños Huerfanos de San Juan de Letran. The school was designed to educate and mold orphans to good Christian citizens.

Around the same time, Diego de Santa Maria, O.P. established Colegio de Huerfanos de San Pedro y San Pablo. As Don Guerrero grew old, the two schools were fused together, taking the name of Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

After 60 years, Letran was declared an ecclesiastical college. A royal decree on May 1865 pronounced Letran as a "College of the First Class". Around this time, Letran became a school exclusively for boys.

During World War II, Letran suspended classes, and the school was changed into a Japanese garrison. After the war, Letran resumed operations. Several new construction projects were inaugurated to replace the old structures wrecked by the war.

The school began accepting female students in its college department in the 1970s while the grade school and high school departments started accepting female enrollees in June 2005.


ANTIPOLO CHURCH






Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage
In the year 1521, the Jesuit replaced by the Fraciscan in Antipolo and organizes the village into a parish. Fr. Pedro Chirino and Fr. Francisco Almarique (missionaries) were few of them who built a chapel in Sitio Sta. Cruz. The first Homily in tagalong was delivered in a mass, celebrated at what is now known as the PINAGMISAHAN
By the year 1601, in attendance, 3,000 Christian inhabits in Antipolo. At the same period, Aetas or Negritos the aborigines of the Philippines significally dwindled, they move deeper into the mountains to escape. To try to bring them back to the village, the missionaries offered them the fertile lands to till. Father Almarique gave them all the services the church can provide. The congregations known as the La Anunciata that composes of the students and villagers continued their cohesive devotion to the Blessed Virgen by consistently celebrating the Feast of Anunciata.
Don Juan Niño de Tabora left the coast of Acapulco Mexico, aboard the galleon “El Almirante” to makes its voyage to the Philippines on March 25, 1626. On his trip, The Governor brought on board the brown image of the Blessed Virgin Mother. For three months of journey, the El Almirante safely sailed and bravely faced the dangers of the stormy seas, and a fired aboard the ship. On July 18, 1626 the El Almirante arrived in the ports of Manila. Governor Tabora realizing that the galleon’s safe and successful journey was due to the presence of the image of the Blessed Virgin. Amidst pageantry and fireworks, the religious procession started from the Church of San Ignacio, the Jesuit Church in Intramuros, up to the Minster of Manila Cathedral, which become the first residence of the Blessed Virgin’s image. Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buenviaje was named to the image for the events of the safe voyage of the El Almirante.

The Blessed Virgin
Before Governor Tabora died in 1632, he bequeaths the image at Sitio Sta. Cruz at Antipolo City and turned over the care to Jesuit fathers who were then constructing a church of Antipolo. The Church was specifically built for the Blessed Virgin. But the attempts of the Jesuit Fathers to move the image to the Church of Antipolo were futile, because the image lost several times and always found on the trunk of the Tipolo Tree, which grew in the original site of the old church. Because of these unusual incidents, it was decided to erect the church at that place under the administration of Fr. Juan de Salazar in 1632. The rebels burned the church in 1639, miraculously, the image was unharmed
During the occupation of the Japanese, the Blessed Image of the Virgin was evacuated to the mountains of Angono, then to Santolan. The five hundred people who journeyed with the Brown Virgin all felt safe through their trips along steep mountain trails. Upon the orders of the Governor General the Virgin was brought to Cavite and stayed for 14 years.
Ten years from the said incident the Blessed Virgin was renamed to “Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage” after it’s five times travel to Acapulco, Mexico before it rested permanently in the town When the Blessed Virgin, was finally transferred to its original and permanent sanctuary, the Church of Antipolo. The devotees commemorate the transfer every year, as they join the “Alay Lakad” from Quiapo Church to the Antipolo Minster starting 8:00 p.m. every 30th of April until dawn of the following day 1st of May.