8 Great Churches of Intramuros: San Ignacio Church

The Jesuits' pride, the San Ignacio Church.

Imagine if you were an Atenista and then you'd have your first communion, confirmation and even your graduation in this church. Oh, that would have been such a delight!

The San Ignacio Church was the source of pride and inspiration for the Society of Jesus, or more commonly known as the Jesuits. It was the Jesuits' "sueno dorado" or their golden dream. Manila's most skilled architects, artists and even workers shared one common goal to build something so majestic that significantly featured Filipino artistry and talent. 

San Ignacio Church, view from outside the walls.
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This church replaced the La Compañia, the Jesuits' first church which was located on a different lot in Intramuros. The expulsion of the Jesuits from the Philippines and other Spanish colonies in 1767, left the La Compañia abandoned and soon after, it deteriorated and was destroyed. When the Jesuits returned in the 1750s, it took them some time to construct a new church in a new lot. Building of the new church started in 1878 and completed, inaugurated and concentrated in 1889. Positioned along Calle Arzobispo, the renowned church was in the Neoclassical and Renaissance style. It had a very graceful facade and an interior beautifully decorated and richly clad with wood carvings that came from the forests of Surigao. There is a remarkable amount of metal structural elements which gives it an air of modernity, although the general design continued to follow the classical style. Designed by Filipino architect, Felix Roxas. Arch. Roxas "opted for a church Classical and Renaissance in temper to allude to the times when the Society of Jesus was founded."

"The church was a celebration of Philippine art. From its architect, to the artists that decorated it and to the materials it was made of, it was a treasure chest of everything Filipino. San Ignacio was a source of pride for a country then beginning to develop a sense of patriotism. An obra maestra to the eyes of locals and foreigners, it was considered a must a see sight for any visitor in pre-war Manila, and even a popular wedding destination."

San Ignacio's elegant facade. Wrought iron gates fronting Calle Arzobispo.
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Detail of the wrought iron gates. You can also see the bricks that make up the front facade.
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"The main element of the facade is the pediment. It is supported by four pairs of twin columns; the bottom columns are rendered in the Ionic order, while the top are in the Corinthian style. The use of twin columns in church facades has been described as distinctly Filipino. Flanking the pediment are graceful, twin towers. The walls separating the church compound from Calle Arzobispo are laced with wrought iron grilles and the posts are topped with ornate faroles. For the inside, he planned the church as a single nave flanked by wide aisles, above them run galleries to accommodate a more churchgoers."

Rebulto mayor, showing the statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola, designed by Agustin Saez.
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Agustin Saez, a one time director of  Academía de Dibujo y Pintura , an art instructor at the Ateneo Municipál de Manila and Dr. Jose Rizal's former teacher, designed the rebulto mayor and the famous pulpit of the church. For the pulpit, award-winning Filipino sculptor, Isabelo Tampinco, executed the masterpiece. Upon its opening, the church boasted great craftsmanship and was the favorite among young Filipinos. 

Famous pulpit, designed by Saez, carved by Tampinco.
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Another view of the pulpit.
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Ceiling detail of the altar, carved by Tampinco and his team.
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Ceiling detail of the nave, carved by Tampinco and his team.
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The church's beautiful interior was a sight to see.
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In 1933, the Ateneo Municipál de Manila burned down but fortunately, even with its close proximity, it did not do any damage to the church. The Ateneo rebuilt its Intramuros campus for grade school and the rest of the campus moved to its new home in Ermita, Manila.

Colored postcard of the altar.
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Another colored postcard.
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Yesssss, again, like all other churches in Intramuros, the church was a casualty of the Second World War and was razed to the ground by fire set by the Japanese. I read that the church burned for four whole days maybe because of the predominantly hardwood interiors. It was completely heartbreaking that something so beautiful and almost ethereal can be destroyed just like that. The Jesuits moved to Loyola Heights in Quezon City in the early 1950s.

The old splendor of the San Ignacio Church remains a memory of the past. I believe that there's still hope for this church because unlike the many different churches in Intramuros, the ruins were not bulldozed and its shell can still be seen today. The ruins were already used as an office, a warehouse, an outdoor theater, etc. Rumors are circulating that they will rebuild the church, not as a church but as a museum. Good enough, I guess.