Transfiguration of our Lord Parish Church (Cavinti)

Cavinti Church
Transfiguration of our Lord Parish Church

Facade of Transfiguration of our Lord Church
Cavinti Church
Republic of the Philippines
14°14′42″N 121°30′27″E / 14.245128°N 121.507419°E / 14.245128; 121.507419Coordinates: 14°14′42″N 121°30′27″E / 14.245128°N 121.507419°E / 14.245128; 121.507419
Location Cavinti, Laguna
Country Philippines
Denomination Roman Catholic
History
Founded 1619
Architecture
Status Parish church
Functional status Active
Architectural type Church building
Specifications
Materials Adobe
Administration
Archdiocese Manila
Diocese San Pablo
Province Manila
Clergy
Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle
Bishop(s) Buenaventura M. Famadico
Priest(s) Antonio Pablo G. Hidalgo

The Transfiguration of our Lord Parish Church is the only Roman Catholic church in Cavinti, Laguna, Philippines. Its patron saint is El Salvador del Mundo (Divine Savior of the World) whose feast day is celebrated every August 6. The Our Lady of Snows (Nuestra Señora de las Nieves) and St. Joseph, husband of Mary served as the town's secondary patrons. The current parish priest is the Reverend Father Antonio Pablo G. Hidalgo.[1]

History

Cavinti was part of the ecclesiastical administration of the town of Lumbang until 1619 with Father Alonso de Ampudia as parish priest.[2][3] The first church was made up of temporary materials as the stome version came later. The church was built at an unusual location that had been revealed to two men known as the Puhawan brothers. This legend says that these two brothers were searching for something to eat when they discovered an image of El Salvador at this spot in the early 1600s. When they took the picture to their home in Lumban, in their amazement, they found that the image is lost. They continued to look and were amazed to find the image in exactly the place they first found it.[4] The church of Cavinti now stands on the holy ground where the image was discovered.

The first stone church and convent were built in 1621 under the supervision of Father Pedro de San Martin, but it was severely damaged during the 1639 Chinese uprising.[5] [3] Cavinti became an independent parish from Lumban in 1819. Three years later a belltower was started for the church and this was completed by 1831 despite the 1824 earthquake which partially damaged the stone church and totally destroyed the convent.[5] The present church was first built during Father Manuel Benitez's term in 1834 and was completed by Rev. Fr Manuel Gonzalez before 1851.[5][3]

One of the largest earthquakes in the Philippines, the Luzon earthquake, happened in July 1880.[6] It completely destroyed the church's belltower and it also damaged the church walls.[3] Another earthquake in 1937 also damaged the church walls.[3]

Notes

  1. "General Reshuffle: Diocese of San Pablo". The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  2. Huerta 1865, p. 149
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 National Historical Institute 1993, p. 46
  4. "Cavinti History". Official Website of the Municipality of Cavinti. Municipality of Cavinti. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 Huerta 1865, p. 150
  6. "American Journal of Science - Art.V. The earthquake of the Philippine Islands, July 1880", pp.52–57.

Bibliography

External links

Media related to Transfiguration of Our Lord Parish Church of Cavinti at Wikimedia Commons

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