The Parish of the Holy Sacrifice, also the Church of the Holy Sacrifice, is a landmark Catholic chapel in the University of the Philippines Diliman. It belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao and its present parish priest is Rev. Fr. Raymond Joseph Arre.
Known for its architectural design, the church is recognized as a National Historical Landmark and a Cultural Treasure by the National Historical Institute and the National Museum respectively. It was designed by the late National Artist for Architecture, Leandro Locsin, one of five National Artists who collaborated on the project. Alfredo Juinio served as the structural engineer for the project.
The church is adjacent to the U.P. Health Service Building and the U.P. Shopping Center, and is serviced by all of the university's jeepney routes.
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Initially, Leandro Locsin designed the church for the Ossorio family, which was planning to build a chapel in Negros. Unfortunately, the plans for the chapel were scrapped when Frederic Ossorio left for the United States.
However, in 1955, Catholic Chaplain of the University of the Philippines Diliman John Delaney, S.J. commissioned Locsin to design a chapel that was open and could easily accommodate 1,000 people. The Church of Holy Sacrifice is the first circular chapel with the altar in its center in the country, and the first to have a thin shell concrete dome. The floor of the church was designed by Arturo Luz, the Stations of the Cross by Vicente Manansala and Ang Kiukok, and the double-sided crucifix and altar base by Napoleon Abueva, all of whom are now National Artists.
Being a pioneering structure, it almost suffered a setback during the construction of the dome when the weather suddenly changed as the concrete was being poured. If it had rained, the concrete would have not settled, and the whole project would have been in jeopardy.
The first mass in the church was celebrated on December 20, 1955. Since then, there have been modifications to the church and its surroundings. The gigantic dome, which used to be white, is now green. The altar base was also changed from wood to marble, still by Napoleon Abueva. Perhaps the most significant change is that the church is now fenced off, and the once open grounds that surrounded the church are now landscaped.
On January 12, 2005, the church was recognized as a National Historical Landmark and a Cultural Treasure by the National Historical Institute and the National Museum, respectively. During the recognition ceremony, National Historical Institute Chairman Ambeth R. Ocampo lauded the church as a "masterpiece of Filipino artistry and ingenuity". Currently, the parish is spearheading a project that aims to restore the dome of the historic church.
The dome of the church is supported by pillars located at the sides of the church, so that there are no supports to block the space inside. The unique design of the dome allows natural lighting and ventilation. At the middle of the dome is a circular skylight, which supports the triangular bell tower. The bell tower, then extends to the interior, supporting the crucifix. The arrangement of the interior of the church is concentric, with the altar in the middle.
Name of Parish:
Feast Day:
Titular:
Date of Established:
Current Parish Priest
Former Parish Priests
Masses:
Baptism:
Weddings
Devotions
Confessions:
Mass in other places:
Adoration Chapel
Schools:
Mortuary:
Pre-school Program:
While the University of the Philippines does not have a pre-school program in its system, the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice Outreach Program is open children ages 3-6 years old. Programs include Toddlers (3 y/o), Nursery (3.5-4 y/o), Kindergarten (4.5-5 y/o) and Preparatory (6 y/o).
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