Corpus Christi - The feast when Manila Cathedral was shaken to the ground

The Manila Cathedral after the earthquake of 1863

Some historians remember the tragic day when the Walled City of Manila was shock by a strong earthquake, the day it happened was June 3, 1863, feast of Corpus Christi. The beautiful structure along with other chuches in Manila became the victim's of the quake. Sto. Domingo and Binondo Church both suffered damages in their towers. The Palacio Gobernador collapse while the Ayuntaimento's clock fell to the ground. The rest of Intramuros, the stone houses, suffered from roof collapse. Majority of houses back in the 19th centruy uses tile roof until the introduction of galvanize iron sheet(yero).

The tremor also lead to the rebuilding and relocation residence, for example the Governor Genaral decided to leave the ruins of the Palacio Governador for the Malacañang. The services of the Manila Catheral were temporally held in the V.O.T. Chapel near San Francisco still in Intramuros.

Tragic as it may seen but it did brought new ideas of architecture safety in the Philippines. This was later approve after the 1880 earthquake that shook Intramuros.

Photo courtesy of Robbyandharry of Flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robby_dela_vega/3697739108/

Campo Santo of Lipa City

Campo Santo de Lipa

Here again is a post and this time I went to the place of the dead, sounds creepy but wort it. The place that I'm mentioning is the old Roman Catholic cemetery of Lipa City Batangas specipically the cemetery in Barangay Antipolo del Norte.

Memorial of the Silva Family

This cemetery offers a glimpse of the former residence of the famous coffee town of Lipa(now a city). In my observation many of these coffee traders later sugar barons, after the infestation of the coffee rust, are now peacefully buried here. The cemetery also has features statues, many are on a sorrowful mood. Angels are also present yet the most prominent is the whited painted cross.

The Old Chapel

Upon entering the cemetery one is amazed by the stone steps leading to the arch, tisa on the other hand flank the pathway going to the mortuary chapel. The side of the pathway are filled with curve tombstones with marble markers. The mortuary chapel in the center is made of stone with an inscription of what was taken from the bible. The interior is simple with large crucifix inside. Below it are the grave stone of the dead some are scattered and others are buried in the walls.

The inscription above the chapel portal

Interior of the chapel.

One of the most well done memorial is that is that of the Olaguivel's, a life size marble Dolorosa stands in the graves of the Olaguivel's. The detail of the image is fine specially the eyes. For me this is one the best sculptures in the cemetery.

Some famous families on the other hand transferred the remains of their ancestors in the mortuary chapel in the Cathedral. Thus some of them are no longer seen in this cemetery. Only a small area of the big cemetery is what was left of the old. Many are demolish to give way for new ones. A new chapel was also constructed to replace the old one. At least the chapel and the graves next to it are still intact.