The Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Manila Cathedral, is a minor basilica located in Intramuros, the historic walled city within today's modern city of Manila, Philippines. It is the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Manila, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Patroness of the country.
The cathedral was originally a parish church in Manila under the Archdiocese of Mexico in 1571, until it became a separate diocese on February 6, 1579, upon the issuance of the papal bull by Pope Gregory XIII. The cathedral was damaged and destroyed several times since the original structure was built in 1581 while the eighth and current structure of the cathedral was completed in 1958.
The basilica has merited a papal endorsement from Pope Gregory XIII and three apostolic visits from Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis.
Pope John Paul II raised the shrine to the status of Minor Basilica via his Pontifical decree Quod ipsum Manilensis on April 27, 1981.
History
As a parish church (1571) The cathedral was originally the "church of Manila" officially established in 1571 by a secular priest, Fray Juan de Vivero, who had the honor of baptizing Rajah Matanda; he arrived in Manila Bay in 1566. De Vivero, the chaplain on the galleon of San Gerónimo, was sent by the Archbishop of Mexico, Alonso de Montúfar, to establish Christianity as the spiritual and religious administration in newly colonized Philippines. De Vivero later became the vicar-general and the first ecclesiastical judge of the city of Manila.
The Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi chose the location of the church and placed it under the patronage of Santa Potenciana. The first parish priest of the church was Fray Juan de Villanueva. The other religious who were pillars of the parish were Juan de Vivaneta and Nicolas Riccio.
First cathedral (1581–1583) When the church was elevated to a cathedral in 1579 (coinciding with the canonical erection of the Diocese of Manila), a new structure made from nipa, wood, and bamboo was constructed in 1581 by Domingo de Salazar, the first-ever bishop of Manila. It was consecrated on December 21, 1581; formally becoming a cathedral. The structure was destroyed by fire in 1583, which started during the funeral Mass for Governor-General Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa in San Agustin Church that razed much of the city.
Second cathedral (1592–1600) The second cathedral, which was made of stone, was built in 1592. This incarnation of the cathedral had a central nave and two collateral naves. The cathedral was nearly completed when Bishop Salazar left for Spain. He died on December 4, 1594, and never returned to Manila to reign as its first archbishop.
In 1595, sacred relics from 155 martyrs, 20 popes, Saint Polycarp, and Saint Potenciana were given by the Holy See and were brought to Manila. A side structure was built beside the main cathedral to house the relics. Governor-General Juan Niño de Tabora and his wife Doña Magdalena Saldivar y Medoza built another collateral structure to shelter subsequent relics.
By 1597, the cathedral buildings were not finished, as it lacked a chapter hall, baptistry, bell tower, and cloister. On December 31, 1600, the cathedral was destroyed by an earthquake.
Third cathedral (1614–1645) Archbishop Miguel de Benavides initiated the reconstruction of the cathedral. After his death in 1605, the project was passed on to his successor, Diego Vázquez de Mercado. By 1607, the cathedral was in a miserable state that it was abandoned.
Built largely by donated funds from the fourth dean of the cathedral, Don Francisco Gomez de Arellano, the third cathedral structure consisting of three naves and seven chapels was built in 1614. The seven chapels were built from donations given by patrons of the cathedral.
On August 1, 1621, an earthquake caused serious damage on the cathedral's structure. Between 1641 and 1645, the cathedral was reconstructed, but it was destroyed by a series of earthquakes in November and December 1645.