“Lakad nang lakad” — this is how I was described by a colleague during one of our work trips in South Korea.
It is true. I have a habit of walking short and long distances, even if riding a bus or jeepney is more convenient. My reason for walking is for health because it is a good exercise. Another reason is that walking allows me to discover hidden gems that cannot be seen if I am inside a vehicle. And one hidden gem that I discovered recently is this ancient church in Makati:
This church is Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church or Our Lady Grace Church located in Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City.
I was awed when I saw this church because I did not expect to see an ancient church in this area of Makati. This church is located just a short distance from Rockwell and MRT-Guadalupe Station in EDSA.
It was closed when I discovered this church on a Monday, which is the usual day-off for churches. I vowed that I will enter this ancient church so I made sure to pass by again on a day that isn’t Monday.
My efforts to visit this church are rewarded the moment I enter through its doors. I instantly felt the hundreds of years of history of this church. I imagined the thousands of Masses, weddings, baptisms, and funerals held generations after generations since its establishment in 1601.
This church was originally dedicated to Our Lady of Grace, which was the foremost Marian title used by the Augustinians to venerate the Virgin Mary. The name of the church was changed to Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1603 due to the arrival of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe from Badajos, Spain. The devotion to the newly arrived Marian image was so popular that many people, particularly those from Spain and Mexico, visited this church. The popularity of this devotion is the reason the place name “Guadalupe” remained even today.
Our Lady of Grace Church served as the center of Christianity in Makati as it is the city’s oldest church. The city government is proud of this heritage church that they included it in the city seal. In fact, the Makati City Government contributed to the restoration of the church after World War 2.
The church also served the community by being an orphanage and trade school for the children of 1882 Cholera epidemic victims.
Just like many old Philippine churches, Our Lady of Grace Church was not spared from the horrors of war. It was ransacked by the invading British Forces in 1762 and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was almost stolen. It was saved by an Irish soldier who hid it somewhere in Pasig. Sadly, the image was destroyed during the 1880 Earthquake.
The church passed on from one occupier to the next — from Katipuneros led by General Pio del Pilar during the Philippine Revolution, then the Americans during the Philippine-American War, and the Japanese during the Second World War. The church was destroyed by war and fire that its ruins were feared by the locals as a haunted place.
The church was formerly administered by the Augustinian Order from its founding until they vacated the area during the Philippine Revolution. They returned after the Second World War. Finally, they transferred the administration of the church to the Archdiocese of Manila in 2024.
The altar of this church is simple. There is Our Lady of Grace at the center flanked by Saint Augustine and San Nicolas de Tolentino.
The church is quite narrow and can only accommodate two rows of chairs. I think it has similar crampiness as the Malate Church.
The church is a mixture of various architectural styles such as Baroque and Neo-Romasque-Gothic. The mixture is maybe the result of the reconstruction efforts after every destruction of the church.
It is sad that this church experienced a cycle of death and rebirth. I am just glad that this church endured and still stands today to serve as a testament to the enduring faith of Filipinos who donated their resources in rebuilding this church after each destruction.
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Who is Nuestra Señora de Gracia?
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| An image of the Virgin Mary in Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church |
Nuestra Señora de Gracia or Our Lady of Grace is the oldest of the Marian titles by which the Augustinians venerated the Virgin Mary. This Marian title harks back to the Annunciation event where Mama Mary was described as “full of grace”.
Catholics call on Our Lady of Grace to ask for her intercession, particularly in asking for graces coming from God.
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Visita Iglesia is the Filipino tradition of visiting churches during the Holy Week. This virtual Visita Iglesia is my own tradition wherein I post about one church each day of the Holy Week.
5. Undiluted devotion: Exploring the centuries-old tradition of Visita Iglesia in Inquirer.Net
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