Forms that speak for the faith
May 3, 2012
by Archt. Melva Rodriguez - Java
A GREAT spiritual event is descending upon Cebu and the rest of the country.
A young Visayan catechist, Pedro Calungsod, who was martyred in Guam on April 2, 1672, will be canonized in October this year. Blessed Pedro will be the second Filipino to be canonized, the first being San Lorenzo Ruiz who also gave up his life for the faith in Japan.
To many young Filipinos, Blessed Pedro Calungsod stands as a sterling example of youthful innocence and vitality.
Msgr. Ildebrando Jesus Alino Leyson, Vice-Postulator of the Cause for the Canonization of Blessed Pedro Calungsod, quoting from documents wrote: “And this is how Pedro Calungsod is described in the accounts of his death: that he was a lad of very good disposition…Pedro Calungsod was a valiant and energetic youth… he would have had all the chances to escape death if he wanted to…he nevertheless heroically chose to remain and stand for his faith in Christ.”
Cebu to host a national event How do we prepare for such a tremendous event? The main liturgical activities during the canonization itself will be held in Rome from Oct. 18 to 22, 2012.
Cebu will host the National Thanksgiving Mass on November 30, 2012 during which Bishops from all over the Philippines as well as visiting prelates from other countries will concelebrate at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The Archdiocese of Cebu has set up several committees to handle the preparations for this blessed event and I am privileged, together with Fr. Brian Brigoli, to be a member of the Committee on Venue, chaired by Rev. Fr. Raul Gallego and whose members include architects, engineers, contractors, building material suppliers.
After weighing the pros and cons of possible sites for the National Thanksgiving Mass, the committee finally recommended to locate the event at the Mandaue Reclamation Area.
The Cebu South Road Properties was initially considered but the idea was given up due to the huge sum that would be needed to back-fill the site.
Forms that speak for the faith
A templete to house the liturgical celebration will be built at the chosen venue.
The templete will also stand as symbol of the virtues of the young Blessed Pedro . Here, architecture steps into the search for forms that will speak for meanings in our Christian faith.
Fr. Brian and I are closely working together on an evolving design concept together with a team comprised of Architect Ramon Vios and young interior
designers. While the main function of the templete is to house the altar and the liturgical activities, it will at the same time be iconic, expressing the faith
for which the virtuous young Pedro offered his life.
The design team is deriving inspiration from the Blessed Pedro Calungsod logo which is bordered by an arching palm frond, as a symbol of martyrdom, punctuated at the top by a cross.
Applied to the templete, the upward thrust of the palm motif, rendered in soft pulsating light as it gently arches vertically along a bamboo tower,will be our witness of faith. Its movement in an upward direction will carry our minds and hearts to transcendence.
At another more functional level, the arching palm frond and tower will serve as a baldachin hovering protectively over and giving
focus to the free-standing altar and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
It is hoped that this structure will be allowed to remain permanently at the site as a historic marker for such an important event in the history not only of the Archdiocese of Cebu, but also for the entire nation, nay for the universal Church as it gains another intercessor in heaven.
That is our gift from God.
Remembering it and leaving it for future generations to learn and be inspired from is our gift to Him in return.
by Archt. Melva Rodriguez - Java
A GREAT spiritual event is descending upon Cebu and the rest of the country.
A young Visayan catechist, Pedro Calungsod, who was martyred in Guam on April 2, 1672, will be canonized in October this year. Blessed Pedro will be the second Filipino to be canonized, the first being San Lorenzo Ruiz who also gave up his life for the faith in Japan.
To many young Filipinos, Blessed Pedro Calungsod stands as a sterling example of youthful innocence and vitality.
Msgr. Ildebrando Jesus Alino Leyson, Vice-Postulator of the Cause for the Canonization of Blessed Pedro Calungsod, quoting from documents wrote: “And this is how Pedro Calungsod is described in the accounts of his death: that he was a lad of very good disposition…Pedro Calungsod was a valiant and energetic youth… he would have had all the chances to escape death if he wanted to…he nevertheless heroically chose to remain and stand for his faith in Christ.”
Cebu to host a national event How do we prepare for such a tremendous event? The main liturgical activities during the canonization itself will be held in Rome from Oct. 18 to 22, 2012.
Cebu will host the National Thanksgiving Mass on November 30, 2012 during which Bishops from all over the Philippines as well as visiting prelates from other countries will concelebrate at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The Archdiocese of Cebu has set up several committees to handle the preparations for this blessed event and I am privileged, together with Fr. Brian Brigoli, to be a member of the Committee on Venue, chaired by Rev. Fr. Raul Gallego and whose members include architects, engineers, contractors, building material suppliers.
After weighing the pros and cons of possible sites for the National Thanksgiving Mass, the committee finally recommended to locate the event at the Mandaue Reclamation Area.
The Cebu South Road Properties was initially considered but the idea was given up due to the huge sum that would be needed to back-fill the site.
Forms that speak for the faith
A templete to house the liturgical celebration will be built at the chosen venue.
The templete will also stand as symbol of the virtues of the young Blessed Pedro . Here, architecture steps into the search for forms that will speak for meanings in our Christian faith.
Fr. Brian and I are closely working together on an evolving design concept together with a team comprised of Architect Ramon Vios and young interior
designers. While the main function of the templete is to house the altar and the liturgical activities, it will at the same time be iconic, expressing the faith
for which the virtuous young Pedro offered his life.
The design team is deriving inspiration from the Blessed Pedro Calungsod logo which is bordered by an arching palm frond, as a symbol of martyrdom, punctuated at the top by a cross.
Applied to the templete, the upward thrust of the palm motif, rendered in soft pulsating light as it gently arches vertically along a bamboo tower,will be our witness of faith. Its movement in an upward direction will carry our minds and hearts to transcendence.
At another more functional level, the arching palm frond and tower will serve as a baldachin hovering protectively over and giving
focus to the free-standing altar and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
It is hoped that this structure will be allowed to remain permanently at the site as a historic marker for such an important event in the history not only of the Archdiocese of Cebu, but also for the entire nation, nay for the universal Church as it gains another intercessor in heaven.
That is our gift from God.
Remembering it and leaving it for future generations to learn and be inspired from is our gift to Him in return.
