Parish of the Holy Sacrifice
Places of Worship
Art Studies 2 THR-2
Espiritu
Mondarte
Sarmiento
Brief description
Location
The Church of the Holy Sacrifice is located in UP Diliman, along <address>, beside the Shopping Center.
History
Before the Church of the Holy Sacrifice was built, an old sawali-bamboo building which served as a chapel of a US Army detachment was originally there. However, when UP was established in Diliman in 1949, Fr. John Patrick Delaney S.J. saw possibilities with the land and with the help of volunteers, he was able to convert the building into a little brown chapel. This chapel catered to the U.P. Diliman Catholics and served as their place of worship.
Fr. Delaney concept of the UP Church would be one that was centered on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, where oneness between the celebrating priest, the people and communicants would be achieved. Ideally, this would translate into closeness between God and humankind.
In 1977, the chaplaincy initially established by Fr. Delaney became an established parish under Fr. Manny Gabriel, its first parish priest. While different parish priests would have different focuses on their work programs for the community, there would always be a common theme of promoting basic ecclesial communities.
The Parish celebrated its 25th anniversary last June 2002. Over the many years, the thrust has remained the same – that of a dynamic parish ministering to the community, the students and the academe.
Art
Fr. Delany commissioned four artists to help design and build The Church of the Holy Sacrifice. All four of those artists eventually went on to become National Artists of the Philippines, thus making the Church a showcase of works of art created by great Filipino artists.
Architectural structure
Lindy Locsin, who was named National Artist in Architecture in 1992, designed the church-in-the-round, a circular church with a saucer-shaped roof. The Church featured no doors, but it had 14 entrances. This would encourage anyone to come in at any given time and commune with God. He also designed the pews encircling the altar on a round dais located in the middle of the Church. To this day, the Church of the Holy Sacrifice still serves as a fine example of modern architecture in the Philippines.
Paintings and other works of art
Napoleon V. Abueva, who was named National Artist in Sculpture in 1976, designed the giant wooden cross hanging in the center of the dome-roof above the altar. The cross depicts two images of Christ: Christ the victim and Christ the Priest or the Risen Christ. The sculpture was meant to illustrate the unique role of Christ in the Eucharistic celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Mr. Abueva also designed the marble altar in 1979. The Sermon on the Mount is sculpted on one side while sculpted on the other side is a basic Christian community with a priest standing among his parishioners, and a nun teaching young children.
Arturo Luz, named National Artist in Visual Arts in 1997, designed the floor mural entitled the “River of Life”. The mural, designed in black, white and gray marble chips flows from the altar at the center of the Church down to the sacristy and to the three other equidistant entrances. The river symbolizes life, as it flows like a river from God at the altar to us.
Enteng Manansala, who was named National Artist in Painting in 1981, painted in oil the 15 murals depicting the Stations of the Cross. Each station covers the entire interior wall of the Church, between the entrances. Fourteen panels depict the traditional 14 Stations of the Cross and 15th, added by Mr. Manansala, depicts the Resurrection of Christ. Interestingly enough, the Stations of the Cross have been revised by Vatican II and now includes Christ’s Resurrection or “Jesus is Risen”.