Gamu Cathedral

St. Michael Cathedral
St. Michael Cathedral
Cathedral of Saint Michael the Archangel
Katedral ni San Miguel Arkangel (Filipino); Catedral de San Miguel Arcángel (Spanish);
	Cathedral facade in 2015
	St. Michael Cathedral Location in Luzon St. Michael Cathedral Location in the Philippines
	17°05′16″N 121°51′16″E / 17.0877°N 121.8545°E
Location	Gamu, Isabela
Country	Philippines
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Former name(s)	Saint Ferdinand Cathedral
Status	Cathedral
Founded	1686, 2013
Founder(s)	Pedro Jimenez
Dedication	Saint Michael the Archangel
Past bishop(s)	Francisco R. Cruces (1970–1973); Miguel G. Purugganan (1974–1999); Sergio L. Utleg (1999–2006); Joseph A. Nacua (2008–2017); Prudencio P. Andaya (appointed as diocesan administrator in 2017–2019); David William V. Antonio (February 12, 2019 – present);
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architectural type	Church building
Specifications
Materials	Brick, sand, stone, gravel, cement, steel, concrete
Administration
Province	Tuguegarao
Metropolis	Tuguegarao
Archdiocese	Tuguegarao
Diocese	Ilagan (since 1970)
Clergy
Archbishop	Ricardo L. Baccay
Bishop(s)	David William V. Antonio

The Cathedral of Saint Michael the Archangel, also known as Saint Michael Cathedral and formerly known as Saint Ferdinand Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the town of Gamu, in the province of Isabela, Philippines. Before the cathedral was built, the former seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan was located in Saint Ferdinand Proto-Cathedral in Barangay Bagumbayan, Ilagan, Isabela.^[1]

Old Saint Ferdinand Cathedral

History

Ilagan had its beginnings as an encomienda of Don Hernández de Paz circa 1617. The town was also founded as a mission of the Dominican priests called San Miguel de Bolo on April 21, 1619. After the revolt in 1621 by the inhabitants of Ilagan and the nearby towns of Naguilian and Baculud, nothing was written about the town’s history until it was re-founded by Pedro Jimenez in 1678. During that time, it was officially named as San Fernando de Ilagan. It was also formally accepted as a Dominican mission in March 1686.^[2]

Architectural history

Records tell that the construction of the church of Ilagan started around 1696 to 1700. In 1777, Pedro de San Pedro started the construction of the belfry. Later on, the tower was completed by Joaquin Sancho in 1783, the date indicated in the clay inset found at the top of the tower. The church was recorded to have sustained heavy damages during a typhoon in 1866. It was torn down by the parish priest in the hopes of erecting a new structure. The current church structure is no longer the old stone structure erected in the Spanish-era.^[2] Only the tower remains intact. On April 22, 2024, a fire started from the roof of the 300-year old church which destroyed most of its interior.^[3]^[4]

New Gamu Cathedral

The current cathedral was built in 2000.^[5] In 2003, the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan was transferred from the Saint Ferdinand Parish Church to a new Church in Barangay Upi, in the town of Gamu. In 2013, Pope Francis decreed that the cathedral be dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel although the diocese remains under the patronage of Saint Ferdinand of Castile.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b Darang, Josephine (September 22, 2013). "Pope Francis transfers episcopal seat of Diocese of Ilagan to Gamu, Isabela". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
^ ^a ^b Hornedo, Florentino H. (2002). On the Trail of Dominican Engineers, Artists & Saints in the Cagayan Valley & Batanes (First ed.). Manila, Philippines: University of Santo Tomas Publishing House. p. 31. ISBN 9715061923.
^ Patinio, Ferdinand (April 22, 2024). "Fire engulfs cathedral in Isabela". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
^ Iñigo, Liezle Basa (April 22, 2024). "Fire hits church in Isabela". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
^ "Fire guts Ilagan diocese's original cathedral". CBCP News. April 22, 2024.

External links

Media related to Gamu Cathedral at Wikimedia Commons
Gamu Cathedral on Facebook

[PDI-1] Darang, Josephine (September 22, 2013). "Pope Francis transfers episcopal seat of Diocese of Ilagan to Gamu, Isabela". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 29, 2015.

[Hornedo-2] Hornedo, Florentino H. (2002). On the Trail of Dominican Engineers, Artists & Saints in the Cagayan Valley & Batanes (First ed.). Manila, Philippines: University of Santo Tomas Publishing House. p. 31. ISBN 9715061923.

[3] Patinio, Ferdinand (April 22, 2024). "Fire engulfs cathedral in Isabela". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved April 23, 2024.

[4] Iñigo, Liezle Basa (April 22, 2024). "Fire hits church in Isabela". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved April 22, 2024.

[5] "Fire guts Ilagan diocese's original cathedral". CBCP News. April 22, 2024.

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