Jesús de la Peña Chapel

Jesús de la Peña Chapel (San Isidro Labrador Church)
The oldest church in Marikina
Religion
Affiliation	Catholic (Roman Rite)
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Chapel
Year consecrated	1630
Status	Active
Location
Location	Marikina, Metro Manila, Philippines
Municipality	Jesus dela Peña, Marikina
Architecture
Type	Church
Style	Romanesque
Groundbreaking	1st church (1630)
Direction of façade	East

Jesús de la Peña Chapel or San Isidro Labrador Church is a historic visita in Marikina where the first Catholic Mass was held. Built by the Society of Jesus in the year 1630 with the permission of the reigning Archbishop of Manila, its establishment marked the beginning of the recorded history of Marikina, which was once a vast and mountainous area traversed by the Marikina River.

History

File:Old Jesus dela Pena.jpg

An old photograph of the Chapel from the archives of the Marikina City Library.

The construction of Jesús de la Peña Chapel marks the founding of Christianity in Marikina. Before the Ssaniards came, the area was settled by river-dwellers who rely on the Marikina River for their means of livelihood. When the Jesuits first came to the idyllic fertile land now known as Jesús dela Peña, they brought with them a small image of Jesus. Fired with zeal to convert the natives into Catholicism, they held the first Mass in a former storage house on April 16, 1630. Afterwards, they immediately formed their order at the west bank of the river which was full of big rocks. Inspired by the site, the missionaries soon called the place as "Jesús de la Peña" (Jesus of the Rock) which was also the name of the new mission.

Later, the Augustinians' power over Marikina spread from Sta. Elena to Jesús de la Peña which was under Jesuits during that time. When the Jesuits ceded the chapel to Augustinians, Governor Gabriel Cruz Elasque instructed the transfer of the order to Sta. Elena because the visita was prone to frequent flooding of the Marikina River.

On March 7, 1988, the Chapel underwent reconstruction which lasted until June 19, 1988.

Architecture

The chapel is designed in Neo-Romanesque style as indicated by the arched openings and light facade. In the chapel's early designs, a row of monolithic columns is used for support and decoration as it was a common feature for Roman and early Christian architecture. A quaint bell tower is attached at the left side of the church which signifies its pragmatic, simple design of having been built beside the river which has a high tendency to overflow during the wet season.

The marker placed by the National Historical Commission commemorating the chapel's historical significance

Historical Marker

The Philippine National Historical Commission acknowledges the Chapel's historical relevance with a marker stating the following:

In a former storehouse in which this Chapel stands is where the first mass was held on April 16, 1630 led by the Archbishop of Manila, Father Pedro de Arce. The ceremony was conducted by Jesuit missionaries who discovered an image of Christ at the valley which became an object of worship of the whole town of Jesus dela Peña which is now part of present-day Marikina.

Gallery

• 
  The Chapel's façade from another angle
• 
  A historical marker detailing the renovation of the Chapel
• 
  A brass stoup for holy water
• 
  Inside the Chapel.
• 
  The Chapel altar and retable
• An old picture of the Chapel from 1980s which can be found at the Marikina City Library
  An old picture of the Chapel from 1980s which can be found at the Marikina City Library
• 
  The Chapel's statue of Saint Mary used in procession during the annual Santacruzan.

See also

• Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish
• List of landmarks and attractions of Marikina
• Santa Elena, Marikina