National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio, Batangas

Design Inquiry and Criticism – assignment no. 2, an impression to a visited structure.

Author/s: Marciel Remsie C. Torres

Abstract: This is a reaction paper to Architecture; the National Shrine of Saint Padre
Pio is located in Batangas, a design inquiry and criticism using the principles
of architecture.

Keywords: Batangas, Saint Padre Pio, Shrine, Historical, Church, Architecture

INTRODUCTION

In Barangay San Pedro, Padre Pio Shrine was first a modest chapel along the Maharlika
Highway. The St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Santo Tomas, Batangas, Poblacion provided
pastoral care for the ten barangays that made up the planned parish. The first of St. Padre
Pio's first-class relics were given to the intended parish by Rev. Fr. a few months after his
canonization in 2002. OFMCap. Cesar Acuin. The Parish of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, the
first parish in the Philippines to be named after the Capuchin saint, was canonically
established on June 28, 2003, by Lipa Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales, D.D. Its inaugural
pastor was Dale Anthony Q. Barretto-Ko.

A generous couple, Ernesto and Adelaida Gonzaga donated 1.6 hectares (4.0 acres) of
agricultural land in Barangay San Pedro to the Archdiocese of Lipa, where a new and larger
church would be constructed, in response to the chapel's inability to accommodate the
growing number of devotees and parishioners from nearby barangays and towns. A 200-
meter (660-foot) piece of property, donated by Dr. Isabel Malvar-Villegas, will be used as a
right of way from the barangay road going to the location. Groundbreaking rituals were held
in 2006, and a temporary chapel made of bamboo and nipa leaves was erected there. The
parish church was elevated on December 23 to become the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Padre
Pio by Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles. Joselin C. Gonda has been chosen to assume
control of the parish's management and the building of the church at the new location one
year later.

LEAST IMPORTANT POINT

The main church's structure is primarily constructed from locally available materials including
wood, stone, bamboo, sasa or nipa leaves, and sawali or weaved bamboo strips. The
structure's roof is shaped like a salakot, a traditional Filipino hat used by farmers and
fishermen to protect themselves from the sun and rain while engaged in their respective
agricultural pursuits. Our Lady of Mercy is shown at the top of the structure. The building is
open, allowing pilgrims to come and go as they want. A massive facsimile of the Glorious
Cross, which was created for the Archdiocese of Lipa for the Jubilee Year 2000, hangs within
the main church. To match the style of the main church, driftwood was used to make the
cross at the crucifix, the altar table's base, and the lectern. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is
in the back, and the Baptistery is located there.

For the main church, the rector and parish priest Joselin C. Gonda had this concept in mind, a
distinctively Filipiniana place of worship and prayer that is eco-friendly and adapted to the
tropical climate of the site, surrounded by a very green environment, creating a unique,
serene, and welcoming atmosphere drawing pilgrims to pray, to reflect, and to be inspired by
God and the nature God created. In addition to the main church, similar designs may be
found in the Holy Water Sanctuary, the Sanctuary of the True Cross of Christ, the St. John
Mary Vianney Chapel of Reconciliation, and the Mary Mother of Mercy Belfry. The parish
rectory, office, religious store, the Fountain of Hope, the Stations of the Cross, and most
recently the Divine Mercy Sanctuary for Pilgrims are additional buildings created within the
national shrine.

SECOND LEAST IMPORTANT POINT

We visited the National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio in Batangas it was during the Holy week, we
visited the church because it is one of the churches on our list to visit during the Visita Iglesia
ceremony. We chose to travel and visit historical churches in the south this time unlike our
previous Visita Iglesias in the past years, we often go north like Pampanga and Bulacan.
During our travel to Batangas, we experienced a lot of traffic even though we left so early
from our house, it was like 5 am we left but we arrived at 8 am Batangas and the first church
we visited is the National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio. At first glance, there are a lot of cars
meaning a lot of tourists and devotees are also visiting the church, but the view and the
landscape are very beautiful and very clean to other National shrines we already visited in
the past years. According to the driver of the van we rented, it is very common to experience
this kind of traffic during this time of year due to the celebration of Holy Week.

KEY POINT

During our visit to the National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio, we encountered other people who
are also celebrating the ceremony of Visita Iglesia with their families and loved ones. Also,
we saw a lot of beautiful structures that catches my attention, first are the statues of all the
Saints surrounding the Shrine and the tower-like structure that also serves as a watch tower.
Some people say that old churches are creepy or scary to go to, but for me, I enjoyed the old
structures especially the historical churches because they tell a lot of our roots or history and
how Philippine architecture started and blooms as how it is nowadays.

CONCLUSION

Architecture has come a long way since the Spanish era, and it shows the beauty of
combining religion and architecture. I can say that visiting historical churches is one of my
hobbies right know and one of the most exciting adventures I can experience as a college
student, it boosts my knowledge and excitement as an architecture student and it motivates
me to maintain the beauty of Philippine architecture.
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