By Arch. Carlos Cucueco III
The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, or Quiapo Church, is one of the most famous churches in the Philippines. Quiapo Church is also one of the most visited because of the popular devotion to the Black Nazarene that has been in the church since the 18th century. The church is famous for the annual Traslacion, a procession which commemorates the transfer of the copy of the image of the Black Nazarene from Bagumbayan to Quiapo back in 1787. The procession, held every 9th of January is a massive affair that draws millions of devotees right into the heart of Manila.
Last year, the annual Traslacion was modified due to the ongoing pandemic, thus the change of activities into hourly masses in Quiapo Church while promoting social distancing. This year, 2022, stricter measures were implemented due to continuing spread of COVID-19. Measures this year included a police blockade that effectively locked down several blocks around the church, dissuading devotees who would attempt to gather near the basilica.
While many of us could not attend the Traslacion in Quiapo due to these extraordinary times, we would like to showcase how the Black Nazarene’s shrine – Quiapo Church – evolved from a simple chapel into a basilica that houses the King of Quiapo who is venerated by millions of Filipinos throughout generations. For the church itself is as storied and as important as the image that is venerated within its scared walls.
Image courtesy of Biblioteca Nacional de España
In 1586, the district of Quiapo was founded, and a visita was established under the care of the parish in the district of Sta. Ana. The chapel was made of bamboo and thatch. Two years later, the chapel became the parish church of Quiapo under the patronage of St. John the Baptist. During the Spanish Era, the church was destroyed either by fires or by earthquakes, but it was always rebuilt. In 1787, Quiapo Church became the recipient of a gift offered by the Agustinian Recollects: an image of the Black Nazarene. Since then, the ecclesiastical edifice became popularly affiliated with the Black Nazarene.
Courtesy of Robert S. Gardner via aenet.org
After being flattened by an earthquake in 1863, Fr. Eusebio de Leon rebuilt the church again in 1879 and it was completed in 1889 with the help of Fr. Manuel Roxas. With this reconstruction, stone was already employed as the main construction material. The neoclassical façade featured Tuscan columns on top of which was a simple pediment. The single bell tower hints of aesthetics similar to that of a pagoda. For the interiors, a combination of neoclassical and baroque elements were used on the walls, ceiling, pulpit, and the retablo.
Courtesy of UC Riverside, California Museum of Photography
Tragedy struck Quiapo Church in 1929 when a fire, caused by electrical overloading, gutted the building. The image of the Black Nazarene was saved just in time before the church was destroyed. A committee was formed for the reconstruction of the Quiapo Church and commissioned Juan Nakpil, an architect native to Quiapo, to rebuild and enlarge the church. Taking into consideration the walls that were left after the great fire, as well as the scarcity of funds for the project, Arch. Nakpil decided to rebuild Quiapo Church in the Baroque style using reinforced concrete for the structural components and precast concrete for the decorative components. The use of concrete instead of working with stone helped lessen the cost of construction. In 1935, Nakpil’s Quiapo Church was completed. It was one of the first religious structures in the country to be built using reinforced concrete.
The façade of Nakpil’s church is undeniably baroque, noting the decorative ornamentation found on its façade. Underneath these ornamentation, we can see the resemblance of Nakpil’s façade with the one before the Great Fire of 1929 by looking at the proportion of the façade wall. On the other hand, another bell tower was added and was made symmetrical to provide balance to the façade. A prominent baroque dome was also added. It was an impressive addition to the Quiapo skyline, one that proudly indicates the church’s location. The interior of the church was as magnificently baroque as the church’s exterior. This is evident with the decorative ornamentation attached to the walls and columns, the intricate wooden trusses exposed to the churchgoers, and the magnificent altar that housed the image of the Black Nazarene which was flanked with two large stained-glass windows.
The Second World War would be another crisis for the city. During the Battle of Manila in 1945, the parts of Quiapo west of Quezon Boulevard were reduced to ash and rubble – except Quiapo Church.
Courtesy of John Tewell via Flickr.
Due to the popularity of Quiapo Church as a place of worship to many Filipino Catholics, the increase of churchgoers through the years became a problem with Nakpil’s Quiapo Church. In response, renovations were made from 1984 to 1986 with the design of Jose Ma. Zaragoza, another native of Quiapo and a student of Juan Nakpil. To double the capacity of the church, the interior columns and the intricate wood trusses were removed. The exterior side walls were also removed, and new side walls were placed at the fence line of the church. The side walls extended up to the ceiling, thus employing the construction using concrete shells. To better illuminate the interiors, large windows were placed at both sidewalls of the church. Even though Arch. Zaragoza did not tamper with the façade and the altar area according to the design of his mentor, his renovation received criticisms like comparing the modern interiors of the church with a basketball court. Despite the criticisms, the design did not affect the popularity of Quiapo Church. In 1987, Cardinal Sin rededicated the modern Quiapo Church, and in the following year, it was bestowed the honor of being a minor basilica during the pontificate of Pope St. John Paul II.
Today, Quiapo Church remains witness to evolution brought by adapting to ever-changing needs, brought by nature and man-made factors alike. There may have been notable structural and aesthetic compromises which can be highlighted by tracing the history of the church, and these allow for a centuries-old tradition to flourish today. The two architects who built Quiapo as we know today are now National Artists for Architecture. Despite the destruction of heritage that is still happening in Quiapo and nearby districts, the church is an example of how culture and heritage is truly intertwined with the people.
References
- Quiapo Church website. Archived at web.archive.org
- Pintakasi via Blogspot
- Docu Lico via Facebook
Article written by Arch. Carlos Cucueco III. Cover art by Diego Torres.
Renacimiento Manila. All rights reserved.
The Renacimiento Movement. What, then, is the Renacimiento Movement? The movement is the core philosophy of the organization. It is founded on the reality that heritage is a cornerstone of holistic development and that it is indispensable in ensuring the quality of life. As such, cultural revival is necessary for the promotion of heritage on the national agenda. Heritage should be driven by the people, regardless of race, gender, creed, or religion. This cultural revival can be achieved through the following ways: government support, the advancement of private initiatives, and the engagement of the people.
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