S A N R O Q U E P A R I S H C H U R C H: CAVITE CITY’S ONLY CATHOLIC CHURCH AFTER THE WAR

By Godofredo S. Samonte*

The San Roque parish church which now house the image of the Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga is the only catholic church in the City of Cavite today. Originally, Cavite had eight churches, five in Cavite Puerto, the Ermita, Recoletos, San Juan de Dios, San Pedro and Sto. Domingo, one in San Roque, the San Roque Parish Church and two unfinished ones in Caridad. Caviteños therefore, feel justified in feeling proud of this one that still stands today for it is a church with a saga and a history.

According to legends and stories told by Cavite's living patriarchs, it was supposed to be the first church to be build in Cavite. As the stories go this church was said to have taken from from a tiny chapel made of cogon and a small cross on top of its roof. Responsible for its construction was a wealthy Spaniard who purposely came to the Philippines in the early part of the seventeenth century in search of a old man who had miraculously cured him of a pernicious disease. As if guided by the hand of God he came to land in Cavite where he accidentally discovered the little chapel with the image of San Roque on its altar whom, after a while of prayer and meditation, he recognized as the miraculous man to Whom he owed his equally miraculous recovery.

So in gratitude to the man who he had always thought was a mere human, but who was indeed a saint, and in order to reciprocate the good graces received from Him in the return of his health, he decided something worth of offering as a sacrifice, no mater what the cost. So with his vast fortune he built the church and it was enormous one made of adobe stones, bricks, sand, lime and eggs (cement at the time was still unknown). Incidentally however decades later, this church was ordered demolished by then Governor Salcedo together with other churches which were built during he century in order to utilized their materials – the adobe stones – in the construction of murallas (walls) – around the Port of Cavite to serve as fortresses against Moro raider and bandits. This accounted for the two unfinished churches in Caridad which, being under construction, had still unused materials which were also employed in the building of the aforesaid fortress. These walls in Cavite were similar to the walls in Intramuros, Manila, and were to be known as Porta Vaga and Fort San Felipe.

After the last was, all the churches in Cavite Puerto were in ruins but the San Roque church remained standing, spared no doubt by Divine Providence to continue serving, not only the people of the district of San Roque but the entire catholic population of Cavite. The church, however, being small, could not offer room enough during Sunday masses for the church-goers who had therefore been divided among the other churches before their destruction. So in 1951 it was renovated, improved, and a bit enlarged, and for sometime since then, had served the people quite well enough. But as time marched on so did the church, too. Metaphorically speaking, for it kept with progress and the demands of circumstances. Its faithful devotees were continuously on the increase for they constituted as they continue to constitute today, not only the residents of Cavite, but also people from neighboring towns and cities. So once more it was found to be too small to accommodate so many people so that another change was felt necessary. Two wings were added to the main structure. One on each side and a complete remodeling of its interior including the main alter, was undertaken. Now it really offers ample room for everybody and as more pews have been added, it now has a sitting capacity for one thousand people.

This church today though it may not rated the best in the province, is truly beautiful in its simplicity and semi-modern, to say the least in its architectural design both interiorly and exteriorly.

The church has had from hits humble beginning the service and representation of quite a large number of parish priests, among whom may be mentioned the Rev Fathers Godofredo Albeneaser, Pablo Hubabey, Manuel Gatmaitan, Jose Dimba, Severo Buenaventura, Simplicio Fernandez, Cesma, Ruperto de Blas, Gregorio Villanueva, Artemio Casas (now archbishop of Imus) and Francisco Gosioco. Its present parish priest is the Rev. Father Pedro Lerena, who has been in the service of this church for more than thirty years.

So this is the San Roque parish church, our very own, the one** and only church in the City of Cavite today.

  *From Cavite City: Legends and Chronicles Comprising Its Saga and History (Circa 1950)
** Now we also have churches of other denominations in Cavite City.

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