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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Saint Andrew The Apostle Church

Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish Church is a Roman Catholic church in Bel-Air Village, Makati, Philippines. It is one of the known modern edifices designed by Leandro V. Locsin in Makati. Dedicated to Andrew the Apostle, the patron saint of Metro Manila and Bel-Air Village, the church is under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Manila. Its parish territories are Bel-Air Village and Salcedo Village in Barangay Bel-Air, Rizal Village and Santiago Village in Barangay Valenzuela, and San Miguel Village in Barangay Poblacion.

History

The proposal of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish began in 1965 when a group of residents of the villages of San Miguel and Bel-Air dreamed of having a parish of their own.

Not long after, Don Andrés Soriano Jr. offered to have a church built in honor of his late father, Don Andres Sr., who was loved and respected by the people of San Miguel Corporation. Thus, the parish was named after the patriarch's namesake, Andrew the Apostle.

With the approval of the establishment and formation of the parish by Manila Archbishop Rufino Cardinal Santos came the appointment of Emilio Bularan as the first parish priest.

On February 8, 1967, the 69th birth anniversary of the late Don Andres Soriano, the cornerstone was laid at the 3,494-square-meter (37,610 sq ft) lot donated by the Ayala family through the Makati Development Corporation.

On November 30, 1968, St. Andrew the Apostle Parish was opened. At half past eight in the morning, the community gathered to witness the unveiling of the church marker by the people whose generosity made the occasion possible: Andres Soriano Jr., president of San Miguel Corporation; Jose Ma. Soriano, chairman and president of A. Soriano y Cia; Enrique Zobel, president of the Ayala Corporation; and other donors from Roxas y Cia.

In 2002, Rev. Msgr. Emmanuel Sunga, the then-parish priest, made some various redevelopments in the parish such as the improvement of flooring, air-conditioning, building of parish office annex, refurbishment of halo chandelier, the altar of the church, and building of the carillon bell tower.

Church description

Church interior in 2013

Built by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin in 1968, the design of this parish church is symbolic of the manner the martyr died: crucified on an X-shaped cross. The butterfly shaped floor plan emanates from this cruciform. Many other symbolic features mark the tent-like structure, including the giant chandelier over the altar which serves as a halo over the copper cross by National Artist for Visual Art Vicente Manansala.

Pastors

Name Years of pastorship Present assignment
Emilio Bularan 1967 to 1969 deceased priest of the Diocese of Antipolo
Wilfredo Ipapo 1969 to 1972 deceased
Jesus Arcellana 1972 to 1982 deceased
Severino Pelayo 1982 to 1986 deceased Military Ordinary of the Philippines
Leoncio Lat 1986 deceased Auxiliary Bishop of Manila
Jose "Chito" Bernardo Jr. 1986 to 1991 deceased
Francisco De Leon 1991 to 1993 Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Antipolo
Claro Matt Garcia 1993 to 2002 Parish priest of Santa Clara de Montefalco Parish in Pasay
Emmanuel V. Sunga 2002 to 2011 Attached priest of the Archdiocesan Shrine Our Lady of Loreto in Sampaloc, Manila
Eymard Dennis Peter Marcelino S. Odiver 2011 to 2022 Rector and parish priest of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Espiritu Santo in Santa Cruz, Manila
Pedro Gerardo O. Santos 2022 to present

Other present priests

Name Year started Present assignment
Enrico Emmanuel A. Ayo 2024 Attached priest
Rodolfo San Pedro Visiting guest priest
Ryan B. Diño 2022 Resident guest priest
Nestor C. Cerbo Attached priest

Former priests

* not yet complete

Name Previous assignment
Erwin B. Blasa Resident guest priest
Jeffrey T. Jamias Parochial vicar/assistant parish priest
Peter Trong Tran Resident guest priest
Stephen K. Jantuah Resident guest priest
Dennis Sudla Resident guest priest
Patrick B. Paraiso Resident guest priest
Victor Allan B. Dichoso Parochial vicar/assistant parish priest
Mylo Hubert Vergara Parochial vicar/assistant parish priest

References

  1. ^ "Vicariate of Saints Peter and Paul". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. February 26, 2021.
  2. ^ "St Andrew the Apostle History". St. Andrew the Apostle Parish. SAAP Media Ministry. May 11, 2010. Archived from the original on July 7, 2010.
  3. ^ "Reposo Street Makati". Traveler on Foot. August 15, 2009. Church of San Andres.
  4. ^ "Circular No. 2024 - 27" (PDF). Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. April 22, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2024.