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The stone church of San Gregorio Magno in Albay dates back to 1840. The parish as such, however, was established in 1616 by Franciscan missionaries in the seaside village of Sawangan, later called Albaybay, and then shortened to Albay.
The violent eruption of Mayon Volcano in
1814 wreaked havoc on the emerging town and completely destroyed the church.
The fear of another eruption and the continuing threat of Moro raids caused the
authorities to move the town-site inward to the southwest, first to Macalaya,
then to Taysan, and finally to the plain of Taytay, now called Albay Nuevo orBagumbayan.
The old town by the seashore, Albay Viejo, then became simply a visita of the
cabecera Albay Nuevo. It was given its own patron – St. Raphael the Archangel,
and won its status as an independent parish and was given the name Legazpi only
in 1856.
From a bamboo and nipa structure, the
church of Albay Nuevo was converted into a magnificent church of stone under
the auspices of Governor Jose M. de Peñaranda and the parish priest at the
time, Fr. Andres Yegros, a 49 year-old Spanish European.
The invading American forces in 1900 put to
the torch the whole town of Legazpi, saving only the stone church and convent
of Albay which they used as their quarters. Spared again by the conquering Japanese
forces during the Second World War, the church building was nevertheless
extensively damaged by the American bombers during the Liberation in 1945.
Msgr. MaximoEscandor, pastor of the parish
from 1929 to 1954, began the reconstruction of the church after the war. At the
altar area of the church then was an imposing four pillared wooden structure
with three large niches for the sacred images. At the center was the image of
San Gregorio Magno; to the right was that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to
the left, the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Attached to this structure, on the last
level of a series of steps was the altar of sacrifice. The mass at that time
was offered by the priest with his back turned to the silent congregation,
according to the Tridentine rite.
The church was raised to the rank of a
cathedral when the new Diocese of Legazpi was separated from Nueva Caceres and
erected canonically as such on October 20, 1951. The word cathedral is from the
Greek “cathedra” meaning seat. In this church is to be found the chair of the
bishop, the symbol of episcopal authority in the diocese.
Shortly after the installation of the first
bishop, Most Reverend FlavianoB.Ariola, the destructive typhoon Trix blew off
the roof of the church on October 5, 1952. Another phase of church repair had
to be done thereafter.
During the term of Msgr. Jose T. Sanchez as
pastor (1954-1968), the reconstruction work of the cathedral continued. The altar was remodeled to accommodate the
liturgical changes degreed by Vatican II. The four-pillared wooden structure
enshrining the three sacred images was knocked down to make way for a concrete
concave high wall to serve as background for the pedestal of the image of St.
Gregory the Great. The other images were removed from the central view and
installed at the side alters.
After 1965, the end of the Second Vatican
Council, the mass began to be celebrated in Bicol or English with the priest
facing people. A wooden table of the Eucharist, a lectern for the proclamation
of the word and a chair for the presiding minister became the main furniture in
the presbytery area aside from the episcopal seat.
During the term of Msgr. Juan Cleofe
(1968-1970, 1974-1981) among other improvements made on the church building was
the elevation of the ceiling at the transept and cupola to improve the natural
illumination. Fr. Crispin Bernarte, parish administrator 1981 to 1983, had the
larger-than-life crucifix installed at the central niche of the altar, in place
of the image of St. Gregory. This was to abide by the latest liturgical
exhortation to give centrality to the Lordship of Christ in the liturgy.
Bishop LuciloQuiambao who was cathedral
pastor from 1982 to 1993 had to have the church roof repaired again after the
devastating typhoon. Sisang caused untold damage in 1987. He also had the
church windows enlarged for better ventilation. To the northern flank of the
presbytery he annexed the chapel for the perpetual Eucharistic adoration. The
images of NuestraSeñora de Salvacion and San Lorenzo Ruiz were given their own
prominent niches.
The
Present Situation
The current renovation work on the Albay
Cathedral began in January 1997 and culminates with the inauguration on the eve
of St. Gregory’s feast, September 2, 1997. Phase one of the project includes
the replacement and refinishing of nave ceiling. But the focus is on the
presbytery, the area where the presbyters stay during the liturgy. The flooring
and the walls have been refinished with marble slabs. It also meant replacement
of the ceiling and roofing with new materials. The apse, which is the place
where the presiding prelates are seated with a fitting backdrop, has been
notably remodeled.
The remodeling consisted of aligning the
architectural design with the Greco-Roman lines of the original structure of
the building.At the center niche an image of the Risen Lord, with the cross
behind him, is enshrined to give due prominence to the Paschal Mystery: the
death and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Flanking the Risen Lord’s
image are two stained glass panels.
To the stage right, the theme is the
institutional principle in the Church, represented by the icon of the Blessed
Trinity, the papal emblem, the diocesan seal and the incumbent bishop’s coat of
arms, and the figures of the diocesan patroness and patron.
To the left is the charismatic principle in
the Church, represented by the dove standing for the Holy Spirit, inspiring an
open Bible as the Word of God, bestowing the seven sacraments on the basic
Christian community assembled, with a background on urban and rural scenes.
Nourished by the Word and the Sacraments, the disciples of the Lord renew the
face of the earth with the gifts and fruits of the Spirit.
A fixed alter table made of cement,
granite, and marble tiles, with Last Supper depicted in stained glass as its
front panel, plus a fixed ambo or lectern as the table of the Word, decorated
with a stained glass interpretation of the parable of the sower, meet the required
liturgicalfurnishing. New lights, chandeliers and a more efficient sound system
have also been installed to enhance the atmosphere of the
celebration of God’s people at worship. At the main door a stained glass work
depicting Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life bids goodbye to the
churchgoers on the way home.
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