Immaculate Conception Cathedral Parish, commonly known as Puerto Princesa Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan in western Philippines. It is in the Neo-Gothic architectural tradition and is the mother church of the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa which covers the municipalities of Palawan west of Puerto Princesa City.[1] It is located at the border of Barangay Matiyaga Poblacion and Liwanag Poblacion, near the Port of Puerto Princesa. At 118° east longitude, it is the westernmost cathedral in the country.[1]
| Puerto Princesa Cathedral | |
|---|---|
| Immaculate Conception Cathedral Parish | |
 The cathedral in August 2023 | |
  Puerto Princesa Cathedral Location in Palawan  Puerto Princesa Cathedral Location in the Philippines | |
| 9°44′26″N 118°43′48″E / 9.740515°N 118.729983°E | |
| Location | Puerto Princesa, Palawan |
| Country | Philippines |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Founded | 1872 |
| Dedication | Immaculate Conception |
| Dedicated | 1872, 1961 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Church building |
| Style | Neo-Gothic |
| Completed | 1961 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Socrates Calamba Mesiona |
History
editThe first Mass in Puerto Princesa, initially a barrio, was held at the site of the present cathedral on March 10, 1872, by the Augustinian Recollect Fray Ezequiél Moreno (now a saint), six days after the Spanish expedition arrived in the area.[2] Subsequently, Moreno established the town and its parish mission under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.[3]
During World War II, on December 14, 1944, the parish witnessed the Palawan massacre at the adjacent Plaza Cuartel where more or less 150 American soldiers were burned by the Imperial Japanese forces.[4][5]
The church has been rebuilt several times since its establishment, wherein the present structure took almost a century before it was completed in 1961 to serve as a cathedral of the then Palawan Apostolic Vicariate under the helm of Most Rev. Gregorio I. Espiga. The facade and interior are reminiscent of the architecture of churches in Medieval Europe.[5]
On December 8, 2014, on the cathedral's patronal feast day, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines unveiled a historical marker of Saint Ezequiél Moreno, underlining his contribution to the founding of the city.[3] At present, the cathedral and the Rizal Park at its front, is usually included in the itinerary of city tour packages around Puerto Princesa, including, but not limited to Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, Palawan Heritage Center, Palawan Butterfly Ecological Garden and Tribal Village, and Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (Crocodile Farm).[6][7]
Gallery
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The cathedral and the Rizal Park as seen from a distance -
The Neo-Gothic cathedral interior in 2023 -
The cathedral's left belfry -
The cathedral's right belfry
References
edit- ^ a b "Immaculate Conception Cathedral Puerto Princesa City, PALAWAN, MIMAROPA, Philippines". GCatholic. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral". Puerto Princesa City Tourism Department. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ a b "NHCP Unveils the San Exequiel Moreno Historical Marker". NHCP. November 28, 2014. Archived from the original on December 29, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
- ^ "Plaza Cuartel marker". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ a b "Puerto Princesa's Historic Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral". Pinay Travelista. February 6, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "Puerto Princesa Cathedral". Ivan Travel. November 4, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral Palawan". thebackpackadventures. April 5, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
External links
edit
Media related to Puerto Princesa Cathedral at Wikimedia Commons- Puerto Princesa Cathedral on Facebook
