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| THE ADOBE CHURCH OF STA. ANA, MANILA |
The town of Sta. Ana is home to an ancient church that
was first erected of wood and bamboo in 1578. A more permanent structure of
adobe was built for a period of 5 years, beginning in 1720, in the distinctive
baroque style. The centerpiece of the
centuries-old church is the magnificent retablo mayor (main altar) which
features the patroness, Our Lady of the Abandoned. (Ntra. Sra. De los Desamparados).
The altarpiece sports an elaborate Spanish Baroque
architectural style, characterized by ornate sculptural decorations, with
elaborate gilded detailing, commonly referred to as “churrigueresque”. The
retablo was carved with 13 nichos, flanked with solomonic and baroque columns.
Franciscan santos dominate the lower rung: San Buenaventura,
St. Pedro de Alcantara, San Bernardino de Siena and Santa Clara de Asis. A tabernacle
(sagrario) is in the center.
The principal level has the patroness, Our Lady of the
Abandoned, in the middle. She is shown alongside several founders of Catholic
religious orders, Santo Domingo and San Francis de Asis, and San Juan Bautista
and San Juan Evangelista.
Topmost, we have the santo figures of Santa Ana, the
patroness of the church, with San Pedro and San Pablo at her side. The retablo is topped with the image of San
Miguel Arcangel and painted oval
medallion portraits of San Didacus and San Pascual Baylon.
PHOTOS (ca. 1994) COURTESY OF: Dr. Raymond Feliciano,
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