San Agustin Church, also known as the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation and Cincture or the Immaculate Conception Parish, is a distinguished Catholic church under the care of the Order of Saint Augustine. Located on General Luna Street in Manila, within the historic walled city of Intramuros, it was completed in 1607 and is the oldest stone church in the Philippines. The present structure is the third church built on this site.
The original San Agustin Church was the first religious building constructed by the Spaniards on Luzon Island. Completed in 1571, it was made of bamboo and nipa but was destroyed by fire in December 1574 during the attempted invasion of Manila by the forces of Limahong. A second wooden church, built on the same site, was also lost to fire in February 1583 when a candle ignited drapery during funeral services for Spanish Governor-General Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa.
The Augustinians decided to rebuild using stone, beginning construction in 1586 based on a design by Juan Macías. The church was built from hewn adobe stones quarried from Meycauayan, Binangonan, and San Mateo in Rizal. Despite challenges such as limited funds and materials, the monastery was operational by 1604, and the church was formally completed on January 19, 1607, initially named the Church of St. Paul of Manila. Juan Macías, who passed away before its completion, was later officially recognized as the architect.
San Agustin Church has endured significant events and undergone several renovations. On the night of August 13, 1932, a major fire within Intramuros destroyed a portion of the adjacent San Agustin Monastery. The blaze also completely obliterated the Augustinian Provincial House across the road on Calle Real and the ornate pedestrian bridge connecting it with the monastery.
During the Japanese occupation in World War II, San Agustin Church was repurposed as a concentration camp. Japanese troops removed the lower portion of the right front door and placed sandbags over the opening, transforming it into a makeshift machine gun post. In the final days of the Battle of Manila, the church held hundreds of Intramuros residents and clergy hostage, with many casualties occurring during the three-week battle. Remarkably, San Agustin Church was the only one of the seven churches in Intramuros to survive the destruction wrought by American and Filipino forces in May 1945. Although the church suffered damage to its roof, the adjacent monastery was completely destroyed.
In the 1970s, the monastery was rebuilt as a museum (San Agustin Museum) by architect Angel Nakpil. The church underwent a significant renovation in 2013, during which its previously colorful facade was replaced with a more subdued stone-colored exterior.
The church’s façade exemplifies the Baroque style with its intricate carvings and ornate detailing, constructed from local coral stone. Inside, the massive structure is accentuated by the symmetry and grandeur of its décor. The interiors are embellished with trompe-l’œil paintings by two Italian artists, creating the illusion of three-dimensional carvings on the profile of the mouldings, rosettes, and sunken panels. The church features a Baroque pulpit adorned with native pineapple motifs, a grand pipe organ, and an ante-choir displaying a 16th-century crucifix. The choir seats, crafted from molave and inlaid with ivory, date back to the 17th century. Additionally, sixteen large chandeliers imported from Paris add to the church’s opulent ambiance.
On June 12, 1999, Pope John Paul II issued a pontifical decree for the canonical coronation of the image of Our Lady of Consolation. The coronation ceremony was subsequently performed by former Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Jaime Sin, on September 4, 2000, marking a significant milestone in the church’s history. In 1993, San Agustin Church was honored as one of four Philippine churches from the Spanish colonial period to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized collectively as the Baroque Churches of the Philippines. Additionally, it was named a National Historical Landmark by the Philippine government in 1976, highlighting its importance in the nation’s cultural and historical heritage.
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ABOVE: On September 4, 2000, the church celebrated a momentous event with the canonical coronation of the Our Lady of Consolation image, a milestone initiated by Pope John Paul II’s pontifical decree on June 12, 1999. This sacred ceremony was carried out by Cardinal Jaime Sin, the former Archbishop of Manila, underscoring a significant chapter in the church’s history.
ABOVE: On September 4, 2000, the church celebrated a momentous event with the canonical coronation of the Our Lady of Consolation image, a milestone initiated by Pope John Paul II’s pontifical decree on June 12, 1999. This sacred ceremony was carried out by Cardinal Jaime Sin, the former Archbishop of Manila, underscoring a significant chapter in the church’s history.
Reflecting its historic role, San Agustin Church once contained niches for the burial of bones and remains. Among the notable individuals interred within its premises are Miguel López de Legazpi, the Spanish explorer and conquistador who played a key role in the colonization of the Philippines, and Juan Luna, a renowned Filipino painter and revolutionary.
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