Tourist Attractions
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| Peñafrancia Minor Basilica |
History
The concept for
the building came from the late Archbishop Pedro Paulo Santos y Songco in 1960.
Construction began on April 18, 1976, but was delayed for a number of years due
to financing problems and was not completed until September 1981.
On May 22, 1982,
it was dedicated as The Church of Nuestra Señora de Peña de Francia and it
wasn't until May 22, 1985 that the church was given the title of "Basilica
Minore" from Rome after a request from the third Archbishop of Caceres,
Leonardo Z. Legaspi, O.P., D.D.
The Peñafrancia
Basilica Minore houses an image of the virgin Mary that was sculpted in 1710.
It was commissioned by Miguel de Cobarrubias, who moved to the Philippines from
Spain with his family and believed that the virgin Mary had helped him numerous
times in his life. The image was housed in a small chapel until the Basilica
Minore was built constructed.
Archbishop Pedro
P. Santos noted that the devotees and pilgrims kept increasing through the
years. In 1960, he dreamt of building a basilica to give honor to Our Lady.
Shortly after, through the meditation of the Archbishop Emeritus Teopisto V.
Alberto, D.D. and the Association of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Mr and Mrs.
Macario Mariano donated a three hectare lot at barrio Balatas. Bishop Concordio
Sarte initiated the ground work of the construction. Blessing and laying of the
cornerstone was held on Easter Sunday, April 18, 1976 having Church dignitaries
led by Cardinal Jaime Sin and prominent Bicolano sponsors.
Recognition as Basilica Minore
Immediately
thereafter, there was a hiatus in the construction. Yet the association
continued soliciting contributions and donations. Bishop Sarte was transferred
to Sorsogon and Fr. Sofio Balce (later appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Caceres)
took over as Parish Priest and Rector of Our Lady of Peñafrancia Parish and
Shrine. He reorganized the different committees and launched “Operation
Peñafrancia Basilica”. From then on construction continued on an almost fevered
pitch until it was finally completed in September 1981. On May 22, 1982,
Cardinal Sin officiated the solemn inauguration and dedication, having Cardinal
Julio Rosales in attendance. On January 18, 1984, Leonardo Z. Legaspi was
installed third Archbishop of Caceres. He sent a petition to Romeo to the
effect that the title “Basilica” be granted to the newly built church. On May
22, 1985, he received the decree from the Sacred Congregation for Divine
Worship conceding the title of “Basilica Minore” to the “Church of Nuestra
Señora de Peña de Francia”. With this concession comes another Basilica Minore
in the Philippines granting plenary indulgences under the usual conditions.
Barely ten years
after its completion, the physical structure of the Basilica Minore had
deteriorated earlier than expected due to some construction defects and the
ravages of natural elements.
In 1991, the
Basilica Rector, Msgr. Manolo de los Santos, started the repairs and
improvements of the Basilica Church. The doors were reinforced and
strengthened, window stained glasses and oil paintings of the Stations of the
Cross were installed, concrete pathways and drainage systems were constructed
around the basilica church and complex. His efforts, however, were cut short
towards the end of June 1993 due to his transfer to Iriga City as its new
parish priest.
In July 1993,
the Rector then, Msgr. Alberto Nero, resumed the major repairs and repainting
of Our Lady’s Basilica. The first move was to treat the whole church and
complex with anti-termite chemicals to control and exterminate those
destructive pests which have already attacked and damaged considerably both
structures.
By September
1994, the leaking roofs of the Basilica have been fully repaired and repainted,
the damaged ceilings rehabilitated and repainted together with the interior
walls of the Basilica, the electrical wirings and installations renovated, the
gigantic and ugly chandeliers were replaced with the more luminous and more
economical Highbay luminaire lamps, the Cross at the Basilica dome provided
with a neon light tubes which distinguishes the Basilica at night even from
afar and finally a 20 KVA standby power generator had been purchased and
installed to provide emergency lights during brown-outs.
On November 3,
1994, the repair works and repainting of the Basilica Minore’s exterior walls were
resumed. The broken window glasses, the partly corroded steel window frames
were replaced/strengthened. The towering Basilica Belfry, however, remains
untouched.
The complete
repairs and commissioning of this towering belfry seems to be impossible before
this year’s Peñafrancia festivities. Most of its window glasses were already
broken and need replacements, the steel window frames themselves are no longer
safe, the long and winding steel staircase towards the topmost part of the
belfry had already been declared not passable by our engineers. To replace the
same with concrete staircase will take a yearlong job. Only after this can we
furnish it with a suitable Church Bell or with an electronic Chime Bells.
Above all the
Basilica Minore of Our Ina has to be provided with a Perpetual Adoration Chapel
for the Blessed Sacrament which should be accessible to everybody and yet more
conducive to private personal prayer any time of the day. The left wing of the
Basilica hallway will be most suitable for this.
The basilica
basement have to be converted and developed into a presentable Audio-Visual
Room and furnished with the necessary Audio-Visual equipment to make it
functional for the proper briefings and orientation of the thousands of
pilgrims who flock to the Basilica Minore in groups all year round.
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