Cebu's second oldest church gets makeover

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu's second oldest church, the St. Catherine of Alexandria Church in Carcar City, is undergoing repair in order to preserve its historical, cultural and religious value.

Fr. Brian Chavez Brigoli, the parish priest who is leading the retablo restoration, said the purpose of renovation is "to bring back the original fabric elements of the old church and to stop the retardation that may cause further deterioration of  the elements." 

The church's retablo, admired for its Greco-Roman design, consists of three elements. These include the niches, the tabernacle and the iconographies.

The niches refer to the semi-arch places where the statues of the saints are enshrined. The tabernacle is the repository of the blessed sacrament after the mass while the iconographies refer to the signs and symbols of faith.

Some examples of iconographies are the sun and the moon "which portray the sovereignty of the power almighty of God," and the figures placed side by side of the sun and the moon symbolize the authority of the Church.

"It is the altar piece, a backdrop behind the altar table. We are not making new elements of the church but we are restoring the original elements of  it," Brigoli said.

Brigoli said they are expecting to finish the restoration by the end of June. The work started early this year with estimated cost pegged at P1.2 million.

City Information Officer Candice Acuña said the project is being supported by Carcaranon families, including those who are not even living in Carcar. Support comes in the form of monetary donations and pledges.

 However, Acuña said the primary source of funds is parishioners' donations, as well as donations from the chapel base, with each chapel giving their weekly contribution to the church.

"Wala ta mangayo og funding sa laing mga lugar nga dili sakop sa Carcar kay tungod makaya ra nato diri sa Carcar nga suportaan ang maong proyekto," she said.

The church was built by the Augustinians between 1860 to 1875. The architecture of the church features various influences, particularly of Greco-Roman and Islamic cultures.

The ceilings were painted by local artists in the early 1900s. The structures are likewise admired for its Byzantine architecture, Greco-Roman altar and twin-bell towers having a minaret shape.

Its columns are accentuated by life-sized statues of the twelve apostles.

Carcar City celebrates its annual fiesta celebration in honor of St. Catherine every November 25. (FREEMAN)