the cathedral

If you're in the Philippines and someone says i'm going to hear mass or my wedding is at the Cathedral, it means they are referring to the Manila Cathedral. Btw, Manila Cathedral has been and still is a favorite wedding venue, i've heard if you want to get married here, you have to book a year in advance! Here's the facade of this magnificent church, you may want to take a look of my old posts of bits and pieces of this church here and here

merry christmas

here's wishing everyone a mErRy ChRiStMaS!!!

6 days before christmas

whew... christmas is so near and yet i still cant feel the christmas spirit :(
i have to post more christmas stuff from today, maybe it'll help.

how about you? do you feel the christmas spirit or you're feeling a bit like Mr. Scrooge?

letran

Colegio de San Juan de Letran emerged from the fusion of two similar institutions both located in Intramuros.

The first was founded in 1620 by Don Juan Geronimo Guerrero, a retired Spanish Officer, who transformed his hermitage home into an orphanage called the Colegio de Niños Huerfanos de San Juan de Letran. Its purpose was to educate and mold orphans into good Christian citizens.

At about the same time, another institution by the name of Colegio de Huerfanos de San Pedro y San Pablo was established by the Dominican brother Diego de Santa Maria at the Convent of Santo Domingo.

The founders of these two institutions with identical origin and purpose did not only share a common concern for the children of Intramuros but they were also linked by strong bonds of friendship. It was not surprising therefore that their institutions were merged into one even in their lifetime in 1630 and became known simply as the Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

The name San Juan de Letran was inspired from the major basilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome, mother of all Christian churches. Early in the history of the College, its chapel was granted many of the privileges enjoyed by the major Basilica. Saint John the Baptist for whom the Basilica is named, is also the patron saint of the College.

In 1690, Letran was declared as an ecclesiastical college. In 1738, six scholarships were granted by the King of Spain for Chinese, Japanese, and Tongkinese (Vietnamese) students. St. Vicente Liem de la Paz was among the students who enjoyed this scholarship.

A royal decree of May 1865 pronounced Letran as a College of the First Class. The school’s curriculum was reviewed and revised according to European and American patterns in 1886. Further expansion took place in 1894 and adjustments were made with the arrival of the Americans in 1900.

In 1937, a three-storey building replaced the old structure. The growth of the Colegio was temporarily arrested when the building was bombed in 1941 and then turned into a garrison by the Japanese army in 1944. The Colegio was temporarily housed in the Dominican church and convent of San Juan del Monte. After the war in 1946, Letran returned to its home in Intramuros.

manila meets norwich

Myself and Joy of Norwich Daily Photo. Finally after months of communicating through our blogs we met! Joy also known as the love coach is spending the holiday season here in the Philippines. What a great night meeting up with her and other bloggers last night at the ATC (will post about it in my personal blog later)... it feels like we've known each other for a long time, such a very nice pretty lady and she really look young!

lyceum

The Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) is an institute of higher education located in Intramuros, Manila. It was founded by Dr. Jose P. Laurel, who became the third president of the Philippines and is the only university founded by a president of the republic. The university is named after lykeion, the grove in ancient Athens where Aristotle taught his pupils.

serenity

"There is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky; there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul" ~ Victor Hugo

museo ng maynila

Museo ng Maynila is a living entity for the cultural enhancement of the Manileños, inagurated on June 20, 1997 through the efforts of Mayor Alfredo Lim... Museo ng Maynila reopens its doors to the public again with the “Maynila Noon: The Curt Teich Postcard Collection, 1922-1949,”

The enlarged postcards donated by the Curt Teich Company to the Museo ng Maynila shows rare and unpublished images of Manila during the American colonial period that transports us to an earlier era and shows the changes through time. Great to see landmarks such as Fort Santiago, Escolta, Avenida, and Luneta images during those period and glad to note that some of those classic American colonial buildings still survive today.

Located at the Army and Navy Club Building, South Boulevard, Luneta... near the Quirino Grandstand. Open between 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday-Friday, until Dec. 31, admission is free.

Note: To see more photos, please drop by at Señor Enrique's blog and say that i sent you.

starfish

The Starfish Story

adapted from The Star Thrower
by Loren Eiseley (1907 - 1977)

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "I made a difference to that one!"

Everything in life happens because of passion... everything right in life happens because of compassion.

quirino grandstand

Quirino Grandstand is where Presidents of the Philippines traditionally take their oath of office and deliver their first address to the nation. Many important political, cultural and religious events have been held here, including:

- the 1995 World Youth Day, it became the Papal Altar, where Pope John Paul II gave mass to a huge crowd (I was there, right at the foot of the stage.. one of the lucky to be near the blessed Pope, it was a humbling experience)
- the 1998 Philippine Centennial Celebration, marking a hundred years since the declaration of independence from Spain
- the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, the opening and closing ceremony was held here, a first in the history of SEAG where the usual ceremonies are held inside a stadium
- the 400th anniversary of the Black Nazarene (Jan. 9, 2007), the procession took place here in commemorating the transfer of the image from Intramuros where it was first housed on Jan. 9, 1767