St. Andrew Cathedral, officially The Cathedral Parish of St. Andrew and commonly referred to as the Parañaque Cathedral, is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. It was established in 1580 by Spanish Augustinian friars. The story of the Parish of St. Andrew started when Augustinian missionaries set foot on a fishing village near the sea, more than four hundred years ago.
The missionaries' purpose was to convert the natives to Roman Catholicism. This would also help facilitate the conquest of islands for the King of Spain. The town was called "Palanyag", the contraction for the word "Paglalayag" which means sailing. At that time, Palanyag consisted of several nipa huts grouped as a residential settlement known as "barangays."
The missionaries' purpose was to convert the natives to Roman Catholicism. This would also help facilitate the conquest of islands for the King of Spain. The town was called "Palanyag", the contraction for the word "Paglalayag" which means sailing. At that time, Palanyag consisted of several nipa huts grouped as a residential settlement known as "barangays."
In line with the Papal instruction of May 1493, known as the Inter Caetera, which enjoined the Spanish rulers to spread the gospel to the inhabitants that they would come to rule, it was tasked to the Augustinians to spread Roman Catholism in the lands that they conquered. one town was Palanyag (modern day Parañaque). The pioneer missionary in Parañaque was Rev. Fr. Juan de Orto, O.S.A. Although based in Manila, he started to administer to the spiritual needs of the village folks in 1575.
In 1580 Rev. Fr. Diego de Espinal, O.S.A. was appointed prior or superior in the convent or religious house of Parañaque. He established a mission house, with its spiritual jurisdiction reaching up to Kawit, Cavite. He was assisted by Fray Francisco Campos, O.S.A. The Conference of Chiefs of the Religious Order, held on May 11, 1580, accepted Palanyag as an independent town, and it is in this date which the foundation day of the Parish of St. Andrew the Apostle was officially known. In the same year also, St. Andrew the Apostle, being the patron of fishermen was officially declared the patron and defender of the said church.
In 1580 Rev. Fr. Diego de Espinal, O.S.A. was appointed prior or superior in the convent or religious house of Parañaque. He established a mission house, with its spiritual jurisdiction reaching up to Kawit, Cavite. He was assisted by Fray Francisco Campos, O.S.A. The Conference of Chiefs of the Religious Order, held on May 11, 1580, accepted Palanyag as an independent town, and it is in this date which the foundation day of the Parish of St. Andrew the Apostle was officially known. In the same year also, St. Andrew the Apostle, being the patron of fishermen was officially declared the patron and defender of the said church.
Rev. Fr. Elviro Jorde Perez, O.S.A. being the Augustinian historian in the 19th century, wrote that as early as 1575, the Provincial Chapter subjected the populace of Palanyag to the patronage of St. Andrew, and later on to the advocacy of the Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso (Our Lady of the Good Event), an image of the blessed Virgin Mary enthroned in the said Parish on August 10, 1625.
Since there was no income for parish maintenance at that time, royal support, as ordered by the Spanish king, Philip II, was given to each religious order who worked on the conversion of the natives. Parañaque, in 1589, was given a periodic sustenance which consisted of 200 pesos and 200 bushels of rice for the two religious assigned at St. Andrew. Later on, financial assistance was given to buy wine and oil to keep the Blessed Sacrament lighted.
Since there was no income for parish maintenance at that time, royal support, as ordered by the Spanish king, Philip II, was given to each religious order who worked on the conversion of the natives. Parañaque, in 1589, was given a periodic sustenance which consisted of 200 pesos and 200 bushels of rice for the two religious assigned at St. Andrew. Later on, financial assistance was given to buy wine and oil to keep the Blessed Sacrament lighted.
During the 16th and 17th century, the Parish of St. Andrew was made up of only a few homes, found mostly along the Parañaque River and Manila Bay in the present barrios of Don Galo, La Huerta and San Dionisio. Later, Tambo, Santo Niño and Baclaran developed. Barrios Don Galo, La Huerta and San Dionisio built bisitas, or satellite chapels with facades built facing the St. Andrew Church. The San Nicolas de Tolentino Chapel, the one located at Barrio La Huerta, still has the inscription 1776, the year the said chapel was erected.
In 1662, when the Chinese pirate Koxinga threatened to invade Manila, a governor general by the name of Sabiniano Manrique de Lara, ordered the demolition of all stone churches and convents located outside Intramuros, Manila. The stones were used to beef up the defenses of Manila as well as to prevent its use by the enemy as defenses. More than a dozen churches and convents, which included the only one in Parañaque were torn down. The original convent of St. Andrew was demolished.
Rev. Fr. Eusebio Polo, O.S.A. was the parish priest of St. Andrew in 1759, during the British invasion of Manila. He was then succeeded by Rev. Fr. Manuel de Sto. Tomas Garcia, O.S.A. in 1762. Both priests were deported to Goa, India, with 12 other fellow Augustinians
In 1662, when the Chinese pirate Koxinga threatened to invade Manila, a governor general by the name of Sabiniano Manrique de Lara, ordered the demolition of all stone churches and convents located outside Intramuros, Manila. The stones were used to beef up the defenses of Manila as well as to prevent its use by the enemy as defenses. More than a dozen churches and convents, which included the only one in Parañaque were torn down. The original convent of St. Andrew was demolished.
Rev. Fr. Eusebio Polo, O.S.A. was the parish priest of St. Andrew in 1759, during the British invasion of Manila. He was then succeeded by Rev. Fr. Manuel de Sto. Tomas Garcia, O.S.A. in 1762. Both priests were deported to Goa, India, with 12 other fellow Augustinians
September 8, 2000 was the date when the image of Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso was canonically crowned as the Patroness of the City of Parañaque. Last September 8, 2010, the official replica made by Tom Joven was blessed including the book of sacrifice, the petition box and the thanksgiving box by Msgr. Manuel Gabriel during the Solemn High Mass. The Diocese of Parañaque approved a decree signed by the chancellor and the Bishop of Parañaque that the Cofradia de Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso was tasked to promote, propagate and preserve the devotion and shall be the custodian of the original image.
The Recamaderas de la Virgen who are exclusively women whose members come from each sub-parishes (Sta. Monica, San Nicolas de Tolentino, San Dionisio and San Antonio de Padua), are primarily responsible for vesting the image together with the Commission on Patrimony that conducts the periodic inspection of the structural integrity and supervise the vesting of the image and its jewelries. They also instructed Mr. Ryan de Leon to be the Camarero or Steward of our Lady of the Good Event. A manual "The Care of the Image of Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso: Policies and Procedures" was made kept by the Cathedral Office for the primary care of the original image of the Virgin Mary.
The Recamaderas de la Virgen who are exclusively women whose members come from each sub-parishes (Sta. Monica, San Nicolas de Tolentino, San Dionisio and San Antonio de Padua), are primarily responsible for vesting the image together with the Commission on Patrimony that conducts the periodic inspection of the structural integrity and supervise the vesting of the image and its jewelries. They also instructed Mr. Ryan de Leon to be the Camarero or Steward of our Lady of the Good Event. A manual "The Care of the Image of Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso: Policies and Procedures" was made kept by the Cathedral Office for the primary care of the original image of the Virgin Mary.
Every year, the parish community of St. Andrew's celebrate two main feasts. First of them is the feast of Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso. There was a plenty of misinformation about the Feast of Our Lady of Buen Suceso. After the World War II up to year 2004, the feast is celebrated every 29th day of November, therefore, there is no original feast and it depends upon the situation and needs of the faithful. The feast day of Our Lady of Buen Suceso was then moved to August 10 in the year 2005, in line with her enthronement in this said parish by the Augustinians back in the year 1625.
A novena prayer in honor of the Blessed Virgin is prayed for nine days before the actual feast day. Traslacion happens during the first day of novena from Sta. Monica chapel to Cathedral. But during the term of Rev.Fr. Rolando Agustin, the Traslacion was stopped because according to Fr. Agustin it's unliturgical. During the feast day itself, a procession is held at around 4 p.m. and a Solemn Mass follows. The same is also done during the feast day of the parish's patron, St. Andrew the Apostle.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Para%C3%B1aque_Cathedral
A novena prayer in honor of the Blessed Virgin is prayed for nine days before the actual feast day. Traslacion happens during the first day of novena from Sta. Monica chapel to Cathedral. But during the term of Rev.Fr. Rolando Agustin, the Traslacion was stopped because according to Fr. Agustin it's unliturgical. During the feast day itself, a procession is held at around 4 p.m. and a Solemn Mass follows. The same is also done during the feast day of the parish's patron, St. Andrew the Apostle.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Para%C3%B1aque_Cathedral