Metropolitan Cathedral of San Sebastian
The Metropolitan Cathedral of San Sebastian in Lipa City, Batangas, is a
famous and historic church. Built between 1779 and 1865, it became an important
religious center when Lipa was chosen as the seat of the Diocese of Lipa in 1910,
with St. Sebastian as its patron saint. Over the years, the cathedral faced challenges,
like being heavily damaged during World War II, but it was rebuilt and beautified
with great effort. Its Renaissance design, stunning painted ceiling, and historical
significance make it a beloved place of worship, serving Catholics in Batangas and
nearby provinces.
Little Rome of the Philippines
Lipa is called the “Little Rome of the Philippines” because it is a major center for
Catholic faith, much like Rome is for the world. The cathedral’s architecture, which
resembles churches in Rome, and its role as a spiritual hub for many believers, make it a
special place for Filipino Catholics. Many people visit to pray and celebrate their faith,
keeping Lipa’s religious tradition alive and vibrant.
Divino Amor Redemptorist Church
The Divino Amor Redemptorist Church in Lipa City is
managed by the Redemptorist Missionaries, a religious group founded by St.
Alphonsus de Liguori in Italy in 1732. The missionaries arrived in the
Philippines in 1906 to spread the message of Jesus as the Redeemer, focusing on helping the poor, freeing the oppressed, and
guiding people toward a life filled with God's grace. Their main mission is evangelization, but they also assist parishes, conduct
retreats, support migrant workers, and provide other services to promote "fullness of life" in Jesus.
The church is well-known for its commitment to serving the community, particularly those in need. After the Taal
Volcano eruption, it became a refuge for many evacuees, offering shelter and basic needs. The church is also a popular place of
devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, attracting many faithful for novenas and Masses. Even before the pandemic,
countless devotees visited to pray for guidance and support, especially during life's challenges. This deep faith and dedication
make the Divino Amor Redemptorist Church a beacon of compassion and hope for the community.
Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
The Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Lipa City is a sacred
and serene place of worship established on May 31, 1946, by Bishop Alfredo
Verzosa and six Carmelite Sisters from Manila. This monastery became the
home of the Carmelite Sisters and a center for spiritual devotion, gaining
widespread attention due to reported apparitions of the Blessed Mother to
Sister Teresita Castillo in 1948. The miraculous showers of rose petals at the
site attracted countless pilgrims, deepening the faith of the local community
and inspiring devotion in visitors.
The monastery is a peaceful sanctuary for prayer, reflection, and meditation. Its
chapel is open to everyone, offering a tranquil space to pray the rosary and visit the statue of
Our Lady. The church’s simple, modern design creates an atmosphere of calm and spiritual
joy, and visitors can also view the garden where the Blessed Mother is believed to have
appeared. Many come to the monastery seeking peace of mind and a closer connection to
God, making it a beloved destination for devotees and pilgrims.
Cathedral:
https://www.vigattintourism.com/assets/images/photo_library/optimize/13478789801XHOVIH3.jpg
https://www.thepoortraveler.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/lipa-cathedral.jpg
Redem
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SGiTp1fTKDU/maxresdefault.jpg
Carmel
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WERF5MfycBY/U0mPCNYSD7I/AAAAAAAABWE/B48Z8r7godE/s1600/DSC_4487.JPG
Petals:
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/58/5a/21/585a2185525f919a3b53af43e9c4d4c9--milagro-rose-petals.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1d/17/76/1d1776178bfe314a953dd78990061bf8.jpg
Other Churches in Lipa
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5699/20167306264_2ff2bbc34e_z.jpg
St. Therese of Child Jesus and Holy Face Church (Brgy. Dagatan)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/
AVvXsEhke5KFFGdOR3uDhH_wUyd0f_nPx3H9pPX6B4uKTA7l5GPj5JGAVgF1gTsMyoYE92vSTHiYL_8AvXX0kQtVMoGYZml_wBHy-
CLBep71Khj2bVIWNQxPCQBgvidIw7fh4xoBLbNLkdUtgsk31z3p2wL43kgYezlZK1y2mT4ygKWZeQqs5rGvmXbm4QFXcg/s960/
Divina%20Pastora%20Parish%20-%20Tambo,%20Lipa%20City,%20Batangas.jpg
Divina Pastora Church (Brgy. Tambo)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/
AVvXsEgIuywTnxLMNLuj4BQDzG5yAmOASZl647HyN5kVAogzOoQEJzzZeTlexYUM_F73A9VV_iPnnAeGG1eT1_RNyBYysVl2mSsysD
4uv1S-pPnfvJwNddNCEUGmnThdyIH6QK2BAGFEqqdg3GQt2LwCECsAe3sS4rrDJFYB0hI136xMvA7V9x5gmeFg10n89Q/s2048/
Archdiocesan%20Shrine%20and%20Parish%20of%20St.%20Anthony%20of%20Padua%20-%20Bolbok,%20Lipa%20City,
%20Batangas.jpg
San Antonio De Padua Church (Brgy. Bolbok)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJ-GlsyrAZGozYJxJvkP-
LVg5DYiLjO5GzxrRhEUnqeyhlfG4FUNY8QqIOyzEffsk8WSmh4ajI7je40CiiQNMO7hY30FnG6ApN6ssgK7MYVXSw1r3yQF5b6wSu2cY
3YUCkDcgosJ8qYCwdet_5NCfQ4l_wqaZ_rGbRdyIsKoNUmQ6wQNYiZrAOiJmIA/s1600/Sto.%20Ni%C3%B1o%20Parish%20-
%20Marawoy,%20Lipa%20City,%20Batangas.jpg
Sto. Niño De Lipa Church (Brgy. Marawoy)
https://simbahan.ph/storage/churches/dWy2jX79pYGRgzjxnxc5Unx8iz3BUXfnCPgoHmkb.png
Mary Mediatrix of all Grace Church (Brgy. Antipolo Del Norte)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmo4ZT86C7rgjlyOjWzc-
o0pMAdGcpQRFGuWmU1xlSLQXAKV1p_xwEjB3xLVM66YPdswrCYgK_x_I-
dqcYdpG3VTSkHzQ0zLnQaZ4Wsw1tPJgWHQrO9o3Z0wHnBrd91_yHNH8LEreI19O1gX3-
C815BEjHqqChs1Ow2oZLLNCn6QfHcdzy1po7zfT6BQ/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/Our%20Lady%20of%20Peace%20and%20Good
%20Voyage%20Parish%20-%20Lodlod,%20Lipa%20City,%20Batangas.jpg
Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Church (Brgy. Lodlod)
https://www.facebook.com/SILPYMofficial/photos/a.1724290401167159/1724290577833808/?type=3&from_lookaside=1
San Isidro Labrador Church (Brgy. San Isidro)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/
AVvXsEgh7lAKUgRjnt4eO8REtLSIB3QLz8pbb02LtOaxbY2XFPeX3ODB36VIcYBnWDlQfY1uPg82PGqaTSkIkfinXVyWAZ7O7OQZjWg-
0QENcqhNERQ62aymRC6jUFGfZpk70pzUQ-fhGZWRXVs-p07SluS2CzYxfCJ83YongdagZ5o0fv_QPws_Uf4ejngWGQ/s2048/
Archdiocesan%20Shrine%20and%20Parish%20of%20St.%20Vincent%20Ferrer%20-%20Banaybanay,%20Lipa%20City,
%20Batangas.jpg
Archidiocesan Shrine and Parish of San Vicente Ferrer (Brgy. Banay Banay)
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipMJiZzaCUozkHr_r2q4mRI39UTxMkO9P790N3_W=s1600-w400
Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Church (Brgy. Fernando)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRJdYLNsV9f-
ws4RgZNydQgLkYWNfnM0jsl5gCOvAufh1uNTJ2og2NT6B9vdl5w8xjcL2Cl61JMd9FfGVxQsMtrid8Dnb0-nU_md5AAn1R5RBU2Xep-
TL4idFSnPGzr3kdrtPWxpJMyrdGH7uegBbfwnd9UYFFmrUTJjDx9HMjAsSAWfoRsMD05mLaA/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/Sto.%20Ni
%C3%B1o%20Parish%20-%20Pinagtong-ulan,%20Lipa%20City,%20Batangas.jpg
Sto Niño Church (Brgy. Pinagtongulan)
Iglesia ni Cristo
https://photos.wikimapia.org/p/00/03/12/01/49_big.jpg
Barangay 8
Barangay Marawoy- Villa San Jose
Barangay San Lucas
Barangay Pusil
Barangay Bugtong
Barangay Tambo
Barangay Antipolo Del Sur
Facets of Faith in Lipa
Lipa City exemplifies a harmonious multi-faith community, where individuals of different religions coexist peacefully
under the principles of democracy. With over ten religious affiliations recorded, the city thrives on diversity and mutual respect.
Roman Catholicism, including Catholic Charismatic groups, represents the majority with 94.10% of the population, followed by
Iglesia ni Cristo at 2.32%, and other faiths making up 3.58%. These include Seventh-Day Adventists, Muslims, Bible Baptists, and
members of other Protestant and religious groups.
Despite differences in beliefs, the community enjoys unity, as seen in initiatives like Iglesia ni Cristo’s Lingap Lipa, which
provided essential goods during the pandemic. Each faith is free to build places of worship and conduct activities, with the local
government acknowledging and supporting their contributions. This inclusiveness fosters a culture of mutual understanding and
respect, enriching the lives of Lipeños and reinforcing Lipa’s reputation as a peaceful and vibrant city.
In the words of Christipher Hitchens, a British-American author, journalist, orator and columnist, “Religion is part of the
human make-up. It is also part of our cultural and intellectual history. Religion was our first attempt at literature, the text, our
first attempt at cosmology, making sense of where we are in the universe, our first attempt at heath care, believing in faith
healing, our first attempt at philosophy”.
