Binondo Church
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Binondo Church, also known as the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and formerly known as Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish ( es, Basílica Menor de San Lorenzo Ruiz y Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario), is located in the District of
Binondo, Manila Binondo () is a district in Manila and is referred to as the city's Chinatown. Its influence extends beyond to the places of Quiapo, Manila, Quiapo, Santa Cruz, Manila, Santa Cruz, San Nicolas, Manila, San Nicolas and Tondo, Manila, Tondo. I ...
fronting
Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz or Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz () is a major public square in Binondo, Manila, bounded by Quintin Paredes Street (formerly ''Calle Rosario'') to the east and Juan Luna Street (formerly ''Calle Anloague'') to the west, parallel to the ...
, in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. This church was founded by Dominican priests in 1596 to serve their Chinese converts to Christianity. The original building was destroyed in 1762 by British bombardment. A new granite church was completed on the same site in 1852 however it was greatly damaged during the Second World War, with only the western façade and the octagonal belfry surviving. Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, who was born of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother, trained in this church and afterwards went as a missionary to Japan, where he and his companions were martyred for refusing to renounce Christianity. Lorenzo is the Philippines' first saint, and was canonized by Pope
John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
in 1987. A large statue of the saint stands in front of the church. Masses are held in Filipino, Mandarin,
Hokkien The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages ...
, and
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
. As of 2021, the parish priest and rector is Rev. Fr. Andy O. Lim.


Historical background

Even before the arrival of the Spanish to the Philippines there was already a community of Chinese traders living in Manila. The population of Chinese traders increased with the advent of Spanish colonization of the Philippines, due to increased trade between the islands. The upsurge in their population prompted the Catholic Missionaries to manage the conversion of the Chinese population to the Christian faith. In 1596, Dominican priests founded Binondo church to serve their Chinese converts to Christianity as well as to the native Filipinos.


Architecture

It was built by the Dominicans. Founded in 1596, a church had been constructed before 1614. When transferred to its present site in the 18th century, a new church was built to accommodate new churchgoers. In 1778, the roof was replaced with nipa as the wood was destroyed by termites. In 1863, the church was slightly damaged by earthquake. The original structure has sustained damages during wars and various natural disasters. Domingo Cruz y Gonzales supervised the construction of the dome in 1781. The current granite church was completed on the same site in 1852 and features an octagonal pagoda-like bell tower which suggests the Chinese culture of the parishioners. The church was burned during the British invasion of 1762. Another one was quickly built following the occupation. Improvements were made in the 18th century but the edifice was again destroyed in the 1863 earthquake. It was rebuilt in the grandeur the remains on which we see today. Before the war, it was considered as one of the most beautiful churches in the country. Its bell tower was composed of five stories, octagonal in shape. At its top was a mirador (viewing window). This roof was destroyed during the 1863 earthquake. American bombing on September 22, 1944, destroyed the structure. Everything including the archives of the parish were burned. Nothing was left behind except the stone walls of the church and the fire-tiered octagonal belltower. After the war, Binondo parishioners had to make do with a roofless church for several years until it was rebuilt in the 1950s. The roof behind the pediment and the walls at the left of the façade are additions in the past years. The original façade, with some few renovations, is similar to that of the Italian High Renaissance churches. The façade is buttressed on the sides by pilaster mass terminated by urn-like decorations. A tower is found at the apex of the pediment. At the base of the pediment, along its central axis, is a small circular window framed by smaller columns and pediment which are framed by a foliated scroll. At the right is the huge, octagonal tower characterized by cantons at its angles and pedimented window openings. The present church and convent was renovated between 1946 and 1971.


Trivia

*The current main altar of the church is loosely modeled after the façade of
St. Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal e ...
in
Vatican City Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Città del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),—' * german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '—' (in Austria: ') * pl, Miasto Watykańskie, cf. '—' * pt, Cidade do Vati ...
. *The basilica has been reconstructed many times due to natural calamities and only the belfry is what remains of the original 16th century structure. *
Andrés Bonifacio Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (, ; November 30, 1863May 10, 1897) was a Filipino Freemason and revolutionary leader. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine Revolution", and considered one of the national heroes of the Philippines ...
and his second wife,
Gregoria de Jesús Gregoria de Jesús y Álvarez (9 May 1875 – 15 March 1943), also known by her nickname Oriang, was the founder and vice-president of the women's chapter of the Katipunan of the Philippines. She was also the custodian of the documents and s ...
were wed in Catholic rites in the church in March 1893 or 1894. The couple had also undergone a marriage ceremony under the
Katipunan The Katipunan, officially known as the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK; en, Supreme and Honorable Association of the Children of the Nation ...
, the secret society that Bonifacio headed as part of the Philippine Revolution against the
Spanish Empire The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...
.


Gallery

File:Minor Basilica of St Lorenzo Ruiz.jpg, Statue of a Dominican saint on the eastern flank File:Binondo Church Dome.jpg, View of the dome of Binondo Church, surmounted by a papal tiara and keys to denote its status as a basilica. File:Binondo Church Sidewalk.jpg, Sidewalk pn the eastern flank of the church File:Binondo Church False Window.jpg, False window on the base of the belfry File:Binondo Church Main Facade.jpg, Main façade File:Binondo Church Marker.jpg, Marble plaque in front of the building File:Interior of Binondo Church.jpg, Viewing the nave from the narthex File:Binondo Church Balcony.jpg, Choir loft and narthex, viewed from the nave File:Binondo Church Altar.jpg, View of the apse and main altar, modelled after the façade of Saint Peter's Basilica File:Binondo Church Circular Configuration.jpg, Arches, pendentives and inner dome File:Binondo Church Dome and Pendentives.jpg, Close up of the dome with the Holy Ghost and angels, and small medallions of the Four Evangelists in the pendentives.


References

{{coord, 14.599967, N, 120.974439, E, type:landmark_region:PH, display=title Roman Catholic churches in Manila Buildings and structures in Binondo Cultural Properties of the Philippines in Metro Manila Basilica churches in the Philippines Roman Catholic national shrines in the Philippines Churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila