San Sebastian Church

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The Basilica Minore de San Sebastian or, more known as San Sebastian Church, is a fine example of the revival of Gothic architecture in the Philippines. It prides itself as the only all-steel basilica in the world.[1] The church is under the care of The Order of the Augustinian Recollects and is located at Legarda St. Quiapo, Manila.

1 History
2 Minor Basilica
3 Preservation
4 External link

[edit] History

In 1621, Don Bernardino Castillo, a generous patron and a well-known devotee of St. Sebastian, Patron of Archers, donated his lot, which is now the present site of the San Sebastian Church. The original church, which was made of wood, was burned in 1651 during a Chinese uprising. The succeeding structures were destroyed by fire and an earthquake in 1859, 1863, and 1880 destroyed the imposing stone of the church.[2]

Fr. Esteban Martinez, the parish priest at that time, approached the Spanish Architect Genero Palacios with a plan to build a fire and earthquake-resistant church made entirely of steel. Ambeth Ocampo states that the present San Sebastian church was ordered knockdown in steel parts from the Societe Anonyme des Enterprises de Travaux Publiques in Brussels, Belgium.[3]

Two Belgian engineers supervised the construction of the church. On June 12, 1888, the first shipment of steel parts were brought to the Philippines. For two years, the church was assembled with local artists and craftsmen joining the Belgian firm in applying the final finishing touches on this new church of steel. The stained glass windows were imported from the Henri Oidtmann Company, a German stained glass firm. The engineering technique used in the construction of the church, including metal fixtures and the overall structure were designed by no less than the designer of the Eiffel Tower, Gustave Eiffel. This was confirmed when Chinese-American architect, I. M. Pei, visited the Philippines in the late 70’s. He came to confirm what he heard that Gustave Eiffel designed a steel church in Asia.[4]

[edit] Minor Basilica

The Church of San Sebastian was raised into the status of a minor basilica by Pope Leo XIII on June 24, 1890. The following year, on August 15, 1891, the all-steel church of San Sebastian was inaugurated and blessed. The interior of the church displays groined vaults just like what a Gothic architecture should be, the steel parts of columns, walls and ceiling were painted to resemble marble and jasper by Filipino artist Lorenzo Rocha and his students. True to the Gothic revival spirit of the church are its confessionals, pulpit and altars as designed by Filipino artist Lorenzo Guerrero. He, with fellow artist Eulogio Garcia, carved the statues of holy men and women. Trompe l'oeil paintings was used to decorate the interiors of the church.[5]

[edit] Preservation

The San Sebastian Church is a declared National Historical Landmark per Presidential Decree No. 260.[6] State funding was accorded to the church through the National Historical Institute which undertook restoration of the church in 1982. The Recollect community has likewise expended funds for the church's maintenance and restoration.

In addition, the church was listed among the 1998 World's Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Watch.[7] On May 16, 2006, San Sebastian Church was included in the Tentative list of the World Heritage Site citing its architectural and historical heritage.[8]