Friday, July 8, 2011

Ermita Church

Nuestra Senora de Guia
The oldest existing Marian Image in the Philippines venerated at Ermita Church, Manila


Ermita Church got its name from the fact that there once stood on this site a shrine and hermitage dedicated to a greatly venerated image of the Virgin Mary called Nuestra Senora de Guia, or Our Lady of Guidance which is the oldest Marian image found in the Philippines, dating back to 1571. The church still houses the image up to this date. It has been declared an Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guia by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio B. Rosales on December 12, 2005.

This Catholic church, often known as the Ermita Church, was founded 1606. The first church on this site was made of bamboo, nipa and mulawen, but was later rebuit of stone. The present church was built in 1947. The church was oftentimes damaged by eartquake. It was rebuilt again in 1810 and damaged again in 1945 during World War II.

The image of Our Lady of Guidance held in the church is the oldest in the Philippines, having been discovered on May 19, 1571 around the seashore which is now the site of the Ermita Church by soldiers of Miguel López de Legazpi after he took over possession of the city in honor of King Felipe II of Spain. It is said that the image must have been one of those brought to the country by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 and must have been sent by the Cebu native chiefs as a gift to one of the rajahs in Manila. It was originally housed at Manila Cathedral, but was transferred here in 1918.



Ermita Catholic Church
Nuestra Señora de Guia Parish (Our Lady of Guidance)
Address: M.H. Del Pilar St. cor. A. Flores Sts., ErmitaManila
Telephone:(632) 523-2754

Schedule of Masses;
Monday to Saturday: 630am, 730am, 8am, 12:15nn, 6pm
Sunday:  6am, 7am, 8am, 9am, 10am, 11am, 12nn, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm

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