The Jesus de la Peña Chapel, Marikina City

There’s this small but old chapel in Marikina City that I just discovered last year. It is right across the Marikina River and it’s known as the Jesús dela Peña Chapel (or San Isidro Labrador Church as per Wikipedia). It may look like an old chapel but its significance is the first mass held here in 1630 making it the oldest church in Marikina City.

It has 2 markers that reads:

Jesus de la Peña Chapel Reconstruction ‘88

Jesus de la Peña, Marikina, Metro Manila

Ang Lupon ng Pagpapakumpuni ng Bisita ng Jesus de la Peña, sa hangad na maging kasiya-kasiya at kaakit-akit sa mga kabataan at mamamayan ng Jesus de la Peña ang kanilang bahay dalanginan, ay sinikap na nasimulan ang pagpapakumpuni ng bisitang ito noong ika-7 ng Marso, 1988 at natapos noong ika-19 ng Hunyo 1988.

Pangulo G. Irneo M. Cruz

Pangalawang Pangulo G. David dela Paz

Kalihim Gng. Dolor Lazaro

Ingat-yaman Bb. Natividad Cruz

Tagasuri G. Artemio del Rosario

Kagawad G. Manuel Ortega

Kagawad Brgy. Kap. Efren Lazaro

Kagawad Gng. Irenea C. de Asis

Arkitekto G. Astrophel C. de Asis

Tagapayo Inhinyero Edgar C. de Asis

Kura Paroko Fr. Amado Cruz

Unang Misa sa Baryo ng Jesus de la Peña

Sa dating kinatatayuan ng isang bodega na kinatitirikan ngayon ng simbahang ito ay ginanap ang unang misa noong Abril 16, 1630, sa kapahintulutan ni Padre Pedro de Arce, Obispo ng Maynila. Ang misa ay ginanap ng mga misyonerong Heswita na nakatuklas sa imahen ni Cristo sa isang talampas at sinamba sa buong bayan ng Jesus de la Peña na ngayon ay isang baryo ng Marikina.

National Historical Commission 1970

Here are my rough translation of the 2 markers on the façade of the chapel.

The Council for the Repair (Restoration) of the Chapel of Jesus de la Pena, in it’s desire to make the chapel more pleasant and appealing to the youth and citizen of Jesus de la Pena, tried to initiate the repair of this chapel on March 7, 1988 and was finished in June 19, 1988.

President Mr. Irneo M. Cruz

Vice President Mr. David dela Paz

Secretary Mrs. Dolor Lazaro

Treasurer Ms. Natividad Cruz

Auditor Mr. Artemio del Rosario

Councilor Mr. Manuel Ortega

Councilor Brgy. Capt. Efren Lazaro

Councilor Mrs. Irenea C. de Asis

Architect Mr. Astrophel C. de Asis

Adviser Engr. Edgar C. de Asis

Parish Priest Fr. Amado Cruz

First Mass in the Barrio of Jesus de la Pena

The first mass was held here in April 16, 1630 in the previously occupied warehouse that is currently this church, with the permission of Father Pedro de Arce, Bishop of Manila. The mass was held by Jesuit Missionaries who discovered the image of Christ in a plateau and worshipped by the whole town of Jesus de la Pena which is currently a barrio of Marikina.

BuzzNet Tags: Jesus de la Pena Chapel,Marikina City

Old Houses of Poblacion, Marikina City

Last year, as a practice for heritage mapping for the Philippine Heritage Map, we went to C. Cruz and J.P. Rizal Streets in Sta Elena (part of Poblacion), Marikina. It was a half-day mapping activity and our starting point is at the Cafe Kapitan (house of Kapitan Moy, a 200-year old structure) opposite the Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish Church.

I’ve been to Marikina numerous times but it was my first time at C. Cruz and J.P. Rizal Streets – and Marikina’s old houses can be found here. The most famous one is the Café Kapitan (a restaurant) which used to be the house of Kapitan Moy – the nickname of Don Laureano Guevarra (4 July 1851 – 30 December 1891). He is known as the founder of the Marikina shoe industry.

This is one is a great example of heritage preservation, restoration and re-purpose with adaptive reuse (from residential house to restaurant). I hope more of our existing heritage structures (50 years and older) can be restore, preserve or re-purpose.

The marker on Café Kapitan reads:

Unang Pagawaan ng Sapatos sa Marikina

Sa bahay na ito, na naging paaralan, ipinanganak si Laureano Guevara (Kapitan Moy), pangunahing manggagawa ng sapatos sa Marikina. Anak nina Jose Emiterio Guevara at Matea Mariquita Andres, nagsimulang gumawa ng sapatos nang mga huling araw ng taong 1887 sa tulong nina Tiburcio Eustaquio, Ambrosio Santa Ines, Gervasio Carlos, at iba pa. Nakatuklas sila ng mga wastong pamamaraan sa paggawa ng sapatos ang kanilang patuloy na pananagumpay sa gawaing ito ang nagbunsod sa kapulungang-bayan na magpatibay ng isang resolusyon noong Hulyo 2, 1988, upang gawing isang museo ang bahay na ito.

My rough translation:

First Shoe Factory in Marikina

On this house, which became a school, Laureano Guevara (Captain Moy) -- a chief shoemaker in Marikina -- was born. He was the son of Jose Emiterio Guevara and Matea Mariquita Andres, and with the help of Tiburcio Eustaquio, Ambrosio Santa Ines, Gervasio Carlos and others, started making shoes on the last days of 1887. They discovered correct ways of making shoes and their continued success prompted the Municipal Council to adopt a resolution on July 2, 1988 to make this house a museum.