Marian devotees, joining the pilgrimage of Green Faith Travels in Pangasinan on October 21, will visit and pray at four of the country’s oldest existing stone churches, including the Co-Cathedral of the Epiphany of the Lord in Lingayen founded 430 years ago, or 14 years after San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila, was built.
The Augustinians also founded the Co-Cathedral, first named The Three Kings (Los Tres Reyes) Parish but popularly known as Lingayen Church, in the capital town, before they turned over the church to the Dominicans. Founded in 1587, the Co-Cathedral and Saint Dominic de Guzman Parish Church in San Carlos are the oldest churches in the province.
On this sixth Marian Pilgrimage of Faith and Heritage, Marian devotees will also seek the intercession of the Blessed Mother for their petitions and needs at the most popular pilgrim sites in the country, the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag (1605) and Our Lady of the Purification Parish Church in Binmaley (1627).
They will also pray at the old Dagupan Cathedral (1614), known during the Spanish colonial period as the Church of Dagupan and now called Santuario de San Juan Evangelista since its complete restoration and consecration in 2001, and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist, completed in 1974 and now the present seat of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan.
Papal blessings, plenary indulgence
The Shrine Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag was elevated to a Minor Basilica in 2014 by Pope Francis, two years after it became an affiliate of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist in Dagupan City was also granted the “Special Bond of Spiritual Affinity” in 2011 by the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.
The Catholic faithful who visit and pray at these churches will gain such spiritual benefits as obtaining papal blessings and plenary indulgence or the remission before God of temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.
To gain plenary indulgence, one must be in a state of grace and has gone to confession, received Holy Communion and prayed for the intentions of the pope. It can be applied to oneself or to the souls of the deceased as an act of charity, but not to other living persons.
Oldest, heritage churches
The present Lingayen church was built in 1710 and became the seat of the Diocese of Lingayen in May 1928. Made of adobe, the church’s exceptional architectural plan made it one of the best edifices not only in the province but also in Northern Luzon, until it was heavily damaged during the World War II.
Its dome was designed by the famous architect-priest, Fr. Miguel Aparicio, while its imposing “Oriental Pagoda-like bell tower” was influenced by the town’s Chinese heritage.
Its title as “Co-Cathedral” was mandated by the Holy See after the seat of the diocese was transferred to Dagupan and the name of the See was changed to Lingayen-Dagupan in February 1954. Its “twin cathedral” of Saint John the Evangelist is now the seat of the archdiocese.
The bell of Our Lady of Purification Parish Church in Binmaley—cast in 1804 and weighing 4,130 pounds—is one of the three biggest bells in the country. Now fully restored, the church was also destroyed during the war but its walls and tower were only partly damaged.
The Santuario de San Juan Evangelista, the restored old Dagupan Cathedral, is now a special “sanctuary,” promoting the devotion to Saint John the Evangelist and a shrine for the daily adoration and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
Dr. Jose Rizal’s former girlfriend, Leonor Rivera, wed an English railroad engineer named Henry Kipping in the old cathedral in 1890. It was heavily damaged during the massive magnitude 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit Luzon a hundred years later. Reconstruction and refurbishments were made through the efforts of its then Archbishop Oscar Cruz.
Year of the Parish
“During the Year of the Parish, we join the church in transforming the parish as a communion of communities, as we create our own community of pilgrims through spiritual journeys while renewing our devotion to the Holy Rosary and imploring the help and guidance of our Blessed Mother,” Green Faith Travels’ facilitator Edwin Galvez said.
Green Faith Travels is on its sixth year as a noncommercial Catholic apostolate organizing pilgrimages and spiritual travels.
Interested parties may call 0926-6152596, e-mail greenfaithtravels@gmail.com and greenfaithtravels@yahoo.com or visit www.facebook.com/greenfaithtravels for details.