National Shrine of Saint Jude Thaddeus, Manila

* an angel by the entrance

* facade of the National Shrine of Saint Jude Thaddeus

* an image of Christ* interior views

Tucked along Jose P. Laurel Street in San Miguel, Manila is this shrine devoted to Saint Jude Thaddeus. The National Shrine of Saint Jude Thaddeus, as it is officially called, traces its origins from the shared history of the Filipinos and Chinese in the country. When I first visited the place I thought that it might have been a recently constructed church to accommodate the nearby parishioners. The only note I could find at the time (beside the list of past sponsors and donors for the church) was a plate with the words: “ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION 1958.”

And so I searched over the internet and thankfully enough the shrine has a website where you can find a poignant narration of the church’s history. To quote some parts:

“The Chinese presence in the Philippines goes back many centuries. With the coming of the Spaniards, the evangelization and pastoral care of the Chinese in Manila came under the Dominicans. Eventually, the Chinese Parish was attached to the Binondo Parish. This arrangement lasted until 1954. In that year, Archbishop Rufino J. Santos obtained from the Roman Consistorial Congregation to the faculty to erect three more parishes for the Chinese. One of these was St. Jude Parish.” [from: stjudemanila.com]

* in the company of saints

* prayer to the Virgin of Peñafrancia* prayer requests

* Virgin of Peñafrancia

* more images inside

“On October 13, 1954, Father Provincial Hermann Kondring, SVD appointed Fr. Henry Windges, SVD as the first parish priest of the Espiritu Santo Chinese Parish, as the parish was known initially. Fr. Windges was installed by Manila Archbishop Rufino J. Santos on November 14, 1954. Fr. Peter Tsao, SVD was subsequently appointed assistant parish priest on December 7, 1954.” [from: stjudemanila.com]

* the church altar

* St. Joseph Freinademetz* San Lorenzo Luiz

* more saints inside

“In January 1955, the parish set up its first rectory by renting part of the premises of a former hospital (now St. Jude Catholic School) in San Miguel, Manila. The next month, Archbishop Rufino J. Santos made St. Jude Thaddeus the patron saint of the parish as proposed by Father Provincial Herman Kondring, SVD.

The present site of St. Jude Parish was donated by Archbishop Rufino J. Santos. The blessing and laying of the cornerstone of the church was held on September 28, 1958. The completed church was blessed on October 23, 1960.” [from: stjudemanila.com]

[How to go to the National Shrine of Saint Jude Thaddeus, Manila: The Shrine is found along Jose P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Manila, near the Malacañang Palace. You can ride a jeepney from the Quiapo area and ask the driver to drop you off at Laurel Street. Then you can walk the street until you reach the shrine. But I think there are also jeepneys from the Quiapo area that passes by the area of Mendiola. Drop off at Mendiola near the Chino Roces Bridge. Then walk through the street beyond the Mendiola Peach Arch, passing by the San Beda College and Centro Escolar University. Once you reach Laurel Street, just cross the street and the shrine will be in sight already.]