Iglesia ni Cristo to mark 95th year with 19 big gatherings worldwide

MANILA, Philippines - The Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ) will celebrate its 95th anniversary on Monday by holding huge religious assemblies in 14 venues in the Philippines and in five sites in four other countries.

Last month, Malacañang announced July 27 of every year as a special working holiday as provided for in Republic Act 9645, which decrees the commemoration of the founding of the Iglesia ni Cristo.

From Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao, tens of thousands of delegates will congregate at each designated venue in 12 regions in the country to celebrate “Iglesia ni Cristo Day.”

The five-hour special gatherings nationwide are set to begin at 4:30 p.m.

In Metro Manila, the gatherings will be held at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City and at the Rizal Memorial Complex in Manila.

Local authorities have issued traffic advisories to avoid possible congestion in major roads on that day, especially from afternoon to evening.

In the provinces, the delegates will assemble in the following venues: Butuan City Sports Complex in Agusan del Norte; Bicol University Sports Complex and Commencement grounds in Legaspi City, Albay; Cebu Sports Center in Cebu City; General Santos City Oval Plaza, South Cotabato; Davao Agro-Industrial Institute Football Field in Davao City; Quirino Stadium in Bantay, Ilocos Sur; Central Integrated Terminal in Santiago City, Isabela; Ashton Field Subdivision grounds in Calamba City, Laguna; Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental; Villa del Sol Subdivision-Olongapo-Gapan Road in San Fernando City, Pampanga; Narciso Ramos Sports Center in Lingayen, Pangasinan; and Ipil Sports Complex in Zamboanga City, Zamboanga-Sibugay.

There will also be large gatherings of member-delegates at the Washington Convention Center in Washington and HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, USA; Central Hall Westminster in London, UK; Parco Esposizioni Novegro in Milan, Italy; and Hills Center in Sydney, Australia.

The rest of the local congregations in the Philippines which are too far from the venues, as well as those in other countries, will also hold celebratory gatherings in their respective houses of worship simultaneous with the big assemblies.

Today and tomorrow, thanksgiving worship services will also be conducted by all the local congregations of the Iglesia ni Cristo around the world.

Last Saturday, July 18, the INC through its “Lingap sa Mamamayan” socio-civic program, conducted a health service mission in Barangay Maharlika, Taguig City as part of its anniversary celebration.

Around 20,000 residents benefited from the free medical and dental service.

Vitamins, medicine and a package of rice and canned goods were also handed out.   

The Iglesia ni Cristo is an independent Christian religious organization registered with the Philippine government on July 27, 1914.

It was established by the late Brother Felix Manalo, its foremost executive minister, who hailed from Tipas, Taguig City.

Under the present executive minister, Brother Eraño Manalo, who assumed overall leadership of the Church during its 49th year of establishment, the Iglesia ni Cristo has become global.

Its first local congregation outside the Philippines was organized in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 27, 1968. 

At 95, the Iglesia ni Cristo has over 5,400 local congregations (roughly equivalent to parishes) in 90 countries and territories, with a membership composed of 102 nationalities.