Celebrating the Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul

  * the facade of San Vicente de Paul Church

* a small statue of Saint Paul being passed from one office

to another during his feast day

* a new memorial for Saint Vincent de Paul

In the days prior to the actual day of the Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, the festive atmosphere in the area of the  inSan Vicente Church Ermita, Manila near Adamson University has began to build up already. There were the interlaced colors of white and blue banderitas hung outside the church and the gleeful shouts of the vendors on the side as they hail passersby to buy their varied rice delicacies. The familiar colors of red powder for spicy crackers and different hues of green for delicacy covers recall to my mind the many feasts I have witnessed in the province. This feast is a genuine one, despite all the signs of being in the urban area.

  * the huge doors of San Vicente de Paul Church

* view of the  church interior and its main aisle

 * taclobo inside

 

 

 

 * images inside the church

A Short Biography of Saint Vincent de Paul 

The reason of all the celebrations is the patron saint of Adamson University, Saint Vincent de Paul. The information about this life was obtained from the big tarpaulin on the perimeter fence of the church. Born on April 27, 1581 in France, he grew up seemingly destined to be a servant of God. He initially studied theology at the University of Toulouse and was ordained a priest at age of 19. In 1625 he formed the Congregation of the Mission for organizing missions and overseeing seminaries. Later, in 1633, he founded the Daughters of Charity with Saint Louise de Marillac. Before this there was the Confraternities of Charity who looked after the needs of poor parishes. He died on September 27, 1660 and was canonized in 1737.

   * agua bendita 

* confessional rooms 

 * side corridor

* view of the church dome from the inside

  
The San Vicente de Paul Church

The church started out as a chapel in 1883 and was later used by the Paco Parish from 1898 and 1909 after which the Parish of San Vincente de Paul was officially created. The marker says that the present church was built of concrete in 1912 to celebrate the fifth-year anniversary of the arrival of the Vincentians and their counterpart Sisters of Charity in the country. There was no mention whether the church suffered any damages during the Second World War. Better check on this one. The church is now found along San Marcelino Street in Ermita, in the general vicinity of Adamson University. As an observation, I think the church is in cruciform form.

 * stained-glass windows

 * view of the what could be the horizontal bar

on the cruciform form of the church

 * the main altar

 * view of one of the side walls

A new memorial was also made for Saint Vincent inside the grounds of Saint Vincent Church. The citation reads:

“TO THE GLORY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY THROUGH THE INTERCESSION OF THE OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL AND IN HONOR OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL ON THIS 27TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2012, THIS MEMORIAL IS SOLEMNLY ERECTED BY THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY OF THE PARISH ON THE OCCASION OF THE 100 YEARS ANNIVERSARY OF SAN VICENTE DE PAUL CHURCH ON JULY 16, 2013”