A glimpse from the past

I was about to have a visitation on my auntie’s house in Quiapo , Manila. That day was filled of excitement because at last I will have seen the famous Quiapo church which millions of devotees are exerting their sincerest efforts just to have a touch on the miraculous Black Nazarene statue on its annual feast. It was my first time to go in Manila.

            From San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, I took up a bus ride going to SM Fairview in Quezon City as what they instructed me and there, I ride on the bus which has a “Quiapo” signboard. The journey was quite long so I still have a time to take a nap. After one and a half-hour, I have reached the Quiapo Church. I was amazed by its beautiful structure so that it gets more beautiful in a personal view.

            If my memory serves me right, Quiapo Church, officially known as Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. The church is one of the most popular churches in the country. It is home to the Black Nazarene, a much venerated statue of Jesus Christ which many people believe has miraculous attributes. The church was painted cream after the original Mexican Baroque edifice was burned down in 1928. It is expanded to its current form in 1984 for accommodation of thousands of devotees. Also known as St. John the Baptist Parish, the church at present belongs to the Archdiocese of Manila.

            Way back to its ancient times, Governor General Santiago de Vera founded the District of Quiapo on August 29, 1586, the Franciscan Missionaries built the first church of Quiapo with Bamboo and Nipa.

            According to my auntie’s story, On January 9, the parish commemorates the "TRASLACION", or the transfer of the image from Luneta (formerly Bagumbayan) to Quiapo. This event is participated by Millions of Devotees while Quiapo Church holds Novena of Masses before the event. Many sick people come to see the Black Nazarene, hoping that getting a chance to pray in front of its miraculous image would heal their sicknesses. Others come for various intentions and the answers as well as the miracles are attributed to the special presence of Our Lord in the Shrine.

            After I have personally seen the Quiapo Church, my auntie recommended me to go around the Manila to look for other historical places for me to cherish my visitation there. My tour was supervised by my cousin. So, our first drop was in the intramuros. From Quiapo, we took up a jeep whose sign board is “Pier 15” and we landed at the exact front of the Manila Cathedral nearby the Ayuntamiento and Palacio del Gobernador. It was really astonishing to have a walk in the streets made in bricks inside the Intramuros.

            My cousin was starting to tell what he knows about the antique walled city of the Philippines. He pointed that the Intramuros is located along the southern bank of the Pasig River, was built by the Spaniards in the 16th century and is the oldest district of the city of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Its name, in Latin, intramuros, literally "within the walls", meaning within the wall enclosure of the city/fortress, also describes its structure as it is surrounded by thick, high walls and moats. During the Spanish colonial period, Intramuros was considered Manila itself.

            The plans for Intramuros were based on King Philip II of Spain's Royal Ordinance issued on July 3, 1573 in San Lorenzo, Spain. Its design was based upon a star fort or trace italienne (a very flat structure composed of many triangular bastions, specifically designed to cover each other, and a ditch) and covered 64 hectares of land, surrounded by 8 feet thick stones and high walls that rise 22 feet. It was built to protect the seat of the Spanish government from hostile native revolts, and raiding Chinese sea pirates.

            It was overwhelming to stand in the defending walls of Intramuros reminiscing some turning points of history happened there.

             Our next stop over was at the Luneta Park which since then I have always seen it from the pictures only. it is a walking distance from Intramuros to get there. The ambiance at the park is very enlightening. Different people are gathered here to somehow forget the noisiness of Manila.  If I will to fathom my understanding about Luneta Park, it is a broad topic.

            Rizal Park is an urban park situated in the heart of the city of Manila, Philippines. It is at the northern end of Roxas Boulevard, overlooking Manila Bay.

Rizal Park's history began in the early 18th century during the Spanish rule. While Manila's social and business activities were confined within Intramuros, a small area just south of the walls was cleared to prevent sneak attacks from the patriotic natives. The area was shaped like a small moon (lunette) and thus was named Luneta. The Park was also called Bagumbayan (English: New Town) in Spanish colonial era, and later known as Luneta.

Luneta has been the site of some of the most significant moments in Philippine history . Among them are the execution of José Rizal on December 30, 1896, whose execution made him a hero of the Philippine Revolution. (it was officially renamed Rizal Park in his memory); the Declaration of Philippine Independence from American rule on July 4, 1946; the political rallies of Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon Aquino in 1986; and the 11-hour hostage crisis on August 23, 2010.

The 0 km marker across the monument also serves as the point of origin or Kilometre Zero to all other cities in the Philippines.

The Rizal Monument in Luneta was designed by a Swiss sculptor named Richard Kissling. Furthermore, Kissling was only the second placer in the international art competition held between  1905-1907 for the monument design.

I felt grateful to have a visit on our national parks. It makes me fulfilled that day, considering myself as a part of the Philippine history.