By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
BAGAC, Bataan—Photos of the country’s old churches first exhibited in Madrid, Spain, are now at the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar here.
Jose Rizalino Acuzar and his wife Tess, who own Las Casas, and the Ortigas Foundation represented by Chari Montilla and Ignacio Ortigas led the opening of the exhibit at the Casa Candaba over the weekend.
The exhibit called The Churches of the Philippines: Our Lasting Links with Spain is a photo documentation of over 300 Roman Catholic churches from all over the country.
“To promote nationalism, the people, especially the young ones, should learn to love our own culture and heritage,” said Acuzar, when asked to comment on their collaboration with the Ortigas Foundation and his passion to promote old churches and culture.
“Undoubtedly, religion is the greatest legacy Spain has given to the Philippines. To this day, religion affects every aspect of the Filipino’s life. And the conspicuous manifestation of this legacy is displayed at the center of every town and still considered the nucleus of every community, the church,” said the organizers in a statement.
Over 20 years ago, a devastating earthquake damaged several of them in the Ilocos region. Realizing the importance of these structures to the history and culture of the of the Filipino peope, Rafael Ortigas Jr. initiated photo-documenting them for posterity. This act proved prophetic in view of the recent earthquake that damaged many of the churches in Bohol and Cebu. This photo documentation is now compiled a coffee table book La Casa de Dios to honor Ortigas, who, unfortunately, never saw its publication. It also spawned a major exhibition in Madrid in 2014-2015 and now, for the first time in the Philippines, will be presented through Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.
In the Philippines a church is not just a place for worship; it is a place of refuge during times of calamities. It is where the country’s first constitution was ratified; it even held an inauguration of a Philippine president. A church, big or small, is where Filipinos gravitate to in times of personal grief or on joyous occasions. It is most glamorous when weddings are held, an expression of love and devotion not only for one’s spouse, but for the faith in the Being that brought them together.
This exhibition, prepared by the Ortigas Foundation, will focus not only on the divine, but on the more tangible—its architecture and distinct styles from the different regions of the country. Imagine how with egg whites and lime, the church builders of the 18th and 19th centuries were able to build these grand structures that have withstood the test of time. Develop a new appreciation for their beauty and Filipino creativity and craftsmanship.
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is, indeed, fortunate and privileged to be presenting this exhibition to the public through one of its oldest houses—Casa Candaba. It is the house where the National Artist for Cinema—Gerry de Leon—shot one of his oeuvres Noli me Tangere (an adaptation of Jose Rizal’s seminal novel). For this house to serve as a backdrop for this substantive and meaningful exhibition, is truly providential. Both are historical and inspirational.
Image credits: Joey Pavia