One should not discount the facade of the Baclaran church in comparison to the Duomo Milano in Milan, or the Cologne cathedral in Germany, or even the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona because of its deep rooted faith and the gravity of penitence that the Milieu of the Filipino people share. It is a common reverence to ones faith and veneration to the blessed Virgin Mary. This is my account and testament to the beautiful display of the Filipino culture. Cover photo, the Baclaran’s redemptorist church.

The uber driver pulled up next to the entrance gate where flower vendors, mainly children under 12 years of age, flock at the sight of a newly pulled vehicle. On the curb a little girl extends her arms with sweet perfume and aroma from the sampaguita flowers carefully threaded lei. She is automatic, instantly offering you her carefully beaded adornments to wear on your neck. Her brother is next to her selling candles by the handful. They collectively defy the daily notion of poverty and push through the sea of people to collect a few pesos. Something to put on the table after a long day in the sweltering heat. A blessing, shared- both ways to the oncomers and the stationed vendors.

photo left: our Baclaran visit in 2018 and in 2022 before leaving for California

A few yards away the traffic jam from the jeepney and motorists in every direction seem to blur this humble but tall Romanesque structure. It brings nuances to one’s first visit to Baclaran and metro Manila in general. From the belfry the ringing of the carillon produces a sound that reverberates- it echoes through the streets and surrounding Roxas boulevard like a wave that calls on to every Filipino. This sounding wave play along with the unsettling humidity in the air. A small breeze break this a few second or two but continue on throughout the day.

The people’s penitence and reverence to God

Devout parishioner flock the entrance inching their way into the 2000 person church capacity that exceeds most of the day to more than 5000. This heat is exaggerated inside the church buffered only by a few installed electrical fans on each column. A common sight is of a man or woman walking on his knees beating his/her chest towards the altar saying a novena as he/she holds tight a petition and prayer. An act of penitence seeking mercy from God.

Within the church the distraction from the surrounding homes can grab your attention and focus on the reality of a daily routine from the world outside. The church is massive from the inside and the collective noise exaggerated by thousands of bats muffle the sound and the message from the priest. The heat can definitely obscure you from your thoughts. But it is in this church that moved me and how the waves of people coming in and out, occupying every inch of available space; elderly, families with small children alike- retain their devotion and focus.

What makes hundreds of thousands of Filipinos come to Baclaran church? This is rooted and personal to every catholic and christian alike that live in the Philippines. For hundreds of thousands of catholic Filipinos, coming to Baclaran church is a mantra and reverence to God. An act of thanksgiving, a prayer for healing of sick family members, a petition for a job interview and the comfort and confidence of traveling mercy for an overseas foreign worker about to leave their family behind or one that’s hopeful to work abroad. This simple execution and admiration is what makes every Filipino resilient regardless of status in life. It is what makes that smile settle in from the very chaos of life.

The Mother of Perpetual help

An image of the mother of perpetual help is centered high up in the altar. If looking closely one will find the baby Jesus’s sandals hanging loose. A popular story is told that the baby Jesus was scared of the angels holding what appears to be a musical instrument that he started towards His mother, Mary, and upon seeing a sight of her, climbed up to her bosom. It is in those very innocent childlike behavior that depicts how each and everyone attending this church has the hope in finding that refuge and peace. Closer to the mother of perpetual help and to the living Christ.

Outside the church displays love locks, one that is commonly seen around the world. It is a symbolic act of a couple’s love, love towards family and the devout love to seek refuge and prayer to this sanctuary. 

Baclaran church history

The Baclaran church opened on December 5, 1958. It is known as the world’s biggest shrine dedicated to our mother of perpetual help. The church enshrines the icon of our mother of perpetual help. This catholic marian church is dedicated to the veneration of the blessed virgin mother. Every wednesday is “Baclaran day” and up to hundreds of thousands devotees pray a traditional novena to Mary. A moving display of reverence and self reclaimed peace that’s found only within. 

The ‘Panagpo’ wall mosaic

Within the vicinity, a mural display of thousands of prayer petitions molded into a tile clay that represent the history and a common place for reflection; struggle and indiscriminate longing for solitude and peace. Lead by visual artist Emil Yap, he recalled that this bare wall that was once the hangout of people down on their luck; many of them overseas Filipino workers scammed by illegal recruits, oppressed and abused women and children- now a mural of hope and a sense of community. Of healing. It is the country’s longest mosaic mural called “panagpo”, a place of “convergence among devotees and God”. The wall mosaic was completed in a period of two years with the wall serving as an art therapy to help those who were affected from their trauma.

Joel light a candle after the service with the pure intentions to pursue His petition of health and well being for travel back to America and carrying with him the joy of visiting this church.

Today you can visit the shrine and attend a mass service several times a day and novena and mass on Wednesday’s. This devotion and the Filipino culture is a profoundly moving story. “A love story of hope experienced by millions of devotees as they prayed and gazed at the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. A love story which has been called, among other terms, the Baclaran phenomenon”. This, and the ever relevant faith that’s continued to move people, is one of the many found in Baclaran church.

Thank you for the coffee!