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The San Fernando de Dilao Parish ( tl, Simbahan ng San Fernando de Dilao ng Paco; es, Iglesia Parroquial de San Fernando de Dilao), also known as Paco Church, is a parish church located in the district of
Paco Paco is a Spanish nickname for Francisco. According to folk etymology, the nickname has its origins in Saint Francis of Assisi, who was the father of the Franciscan order; his name was written in Latin by the order as ''Pater Communitatis'' (fath ...
in the city of Manila, Philippines, honoring the Castillian king saint Fernando III de Castilla y León. From February 7, 2012 to April 9, 2014, the parish was used as the pro-cathedral of Manila, during the structural renovations of the Manila Cathedral. The church inside is notable for its Romanesque-Byzantine interior with recently Italian Baroque styled altar, most notably the Latin inscriptions similar in style to
Saint 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 en ...
in Rome. The church is currently administered by its parish priest, the very Rev. Msgr. Rolando R. de la Cruz, . In addition, the church provides active medical, dental, and
ENT Ents are a species of beings in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy world Middle-earth who closely resemble trees; their leader is Treebeard of Fangorn forest. Their name is derived from an Old English word for giant. The Ents appear in ''The Lord of ...
charitable services for its poor parishioners within the community.


History

In 1580, the first church built was made of nipa and bamboo and was originally dedicated to Our Lady of Purification. ''Fray'' Juan de Garrovillas of the
Franciscan order , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...
rebuilt the church using stone materials from 1599 to 1601. The neighbourhood's name ''Dilao'' refers to a local shrub once used to dye textiles yellow (current Filipino orthography: ''diláw'', "yellow"). On October 3, 1603, the church was attacked and burned by Chinese persons during riots. It was repaired in 1606 and rebuilt with stone materials by ''
Don Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places *County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON *Don (river), a river in European Russia * Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name * Don, Benin, a town in Benin * Don, Dang, a v ...
'' Francisco Gómez de Arellano. Invading troops from the Kingdom of Great Britain burnt down the church in 1762 during their occupation of the city as part of the Seven Years' War. In 1791, a temporary church made of bamboo and nipa was erected. ''Fray'' Joaquín Segui constructed the stone '' convento'' from 1793 to 1794, which was repaired in 1854. In 1880, this convent was ruined by an earthquake. Fr. Bernardo de la Concepción began the construction of a new church in 1809, which was completed in 1814. It was called ''Antigua Iglesia de Paco'' ("Old Paco Church"), while Fr. Miguel Richar built the belfry from 1839 to 1841. Earthquakes again destroyed the church in 1852 and 1880. ''Fray'' Gilberto Martín began the reconstruction of the church in 1881. When this was about to be completed, a typhoon in 1892 partly destroyed the church. In 1896, ''Fray'' Gilberto completed the reconstruction work. On February 5, 1899, the church was bombed and completely burned during the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. Belgian priests of the
Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae The CICM Missionaries officially named as the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ( la, Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae) abbreviated C.I.C.M, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men established in ...
took possession of the burnt church in 1909, and in the following year, Fr. Raymundo Esquinet worked for the construction of a temporary concrete church at a site near the old church's ruins. In 1924, Fr. José Billie proposed a newer and much larger church, and the cornerstone of the present church was laid in August 1931. On February 7, 2012, the church was designated as pro-cathedral of the Manila until structural renovations on the Manila Cathedral were completed on April 9, 2014. A notable longstanding custom of the church today is the
devotion Devotion or Devotions may refer to: Religion * Faith, confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept * Anglican devotions, private prayers and practices used by Anglican Christians * Buddhist devotion, commitment to religious observance * C ...
to ''Nuestro Santo Padre Jesús del Sepulcro''. Also known as ''Santo Entierro'', the image is a statue of the dead
Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...
encased in a special wood and glass casket, and is a common icon in Filipino churches.


Architecture

The church façade, flanked by tall, twin belfries, possess a neoclassical style of architecture. The terraced, arcaded portico provides a transitional entrance to the church. The
Corinthian columns The Corinthian order ( Greek: Κορινθιακός ρυθμός, Latin: ''Ordo Corinthius'') is the last developed of the three principal classical orders of Ancient Greek architecture and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric ord ...
on the first and second levels of the church plus the triangular pediment give the façade the classic character.


Clergy


Diocesan parish priests


Priests


Gallery

File:Paco-DilaoChurchjf9983 05.JPG, Side view File:Paco-DilaoChurchjf9983 10.JPG, Main door of the church. The inscription above it reads ''Hæc est Domus Dei et Porta Cœli'' ("Here is the House of God and the Door to Heaven"). File:Paco Church Marker.jpg,
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
-era black plaque by the Historical Research and Markers Committee (now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines). File:NConsecrationImmaculateHeartMaryjf0166 02.JPG, Retablo of the main altar. File:NationalConsecrationtotheImmaculateHeartofMaryjf0001 02.JPG, ''
Cathedra A ''cathedra'' is the raised throne of a bishop in the early Christian basilica. When used with this meaning, it may also be called the bishop's throne. With time, the related term ''cathedral'' became synonymous with the "seat", or principal ...
'' of the Archbishop of Manila, when the church was used as a pro-cathedral. File:SanFernandodeDilaoChurchjf0729 04.JPG, ''Santo Entierro'' image enshrined inside the church. File:NConsecrationImmaculateHeartMaryjf0166 13.JPG, Image of the church's titular, Saint Ferdinand III of Castile.


See also


► National Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary


References


External links


San Fernando de Dilao Parish ChurchTemplorum – San Fernando de Dilao Parish Church
{{Roman Catholic churches in Manila Roman Catholic churches in Manila Buildings and structures in Paco, Manila Cultural Properties of the Philippines in Metro Manila Churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila