Whenever I am in Silay City, I always make sure to visit its famous landmark: a cathedral. Even when you're just passing through, you won't miss this huge, imposing structure right along the national highway and in front of the public plaza.
The most historic and most beautiful city in Negros Occidental, Silay has been called the Paris of Negros because it was the center of the arts in the province during the early 20th century.
This city is also the birthplace of the province's revolution against the Spanish colonizers. The historic day, named Cinco de Noviembre, is celebrated as a holiday every year (read blog here).
Its famous children included historical figures, opera singers, architects, and artists, and it has a lot of well-preserved ancestral houses, whose architecture reminds us of how it was in the 1900s.
Its famous children included historical figures, opera singers, architects, and artists, and it has a lot of well-preserved ancestral houses, whose architecture reminds us of how it was in the 1900s.
About 30 houses have been declared by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines as part of the Silay National Historical Landmark, one of which is the famous Balay Negrense (read blog here).
Going back to the Cathedral.😀
The San Diego Pro-Cathedral was actually just made of bamboos and local materials when it was built in 1776 when it was still a parish. Today, it is one of a few pro-cathedrals in the Philippines. A pro-cathedral is a parish church that functions as a cathedral.
And from its bamboo and wooden structure, the church got an upgrade. In 1925, a sugar baron, Don Jose Ledesma, donated funds (along with the donations of Silaynons) to built a bigger church worthy of being part of Silay's rich heritage.
Don Jose Ledesma hired an Italian architect, Lucio Bernasconi, who took inspiration from the huge cathedrals in Italy. That's why, from afar, anyone can recognize the cathedral because of its copula, its huge dome that's seen from any plane landing or taking off from the Bacolod-Silay International Airport (read blog here).
But during World War II, the war planes actually didn't recognize the dome. Why? The locals had the Cathedral's dome painted black so as to avoid being seen from the air and getting bombed by the Japanese forces. 😱
I was in Alcala de Henares in Spain a few years back (read blog here), and I didn't know then that the Cathedral was named after a saint who died in that historic Spanish city.
San Diego de Alcala, also known as St. Didacus from his medieval Spanish name, was a Spanish missionary who was sent to the Canary Islands to spread the faith. He was born in the Kingdom of Seville in the 1400s, and died in Alcala de Henares on November 12, 1463.
His feast day is November 13. And along with the Silaynon community, we pay our reverence to his sainthood and ask San Diego to pray for us in these difficult times. 🙏
So, if you're visiting Negros Occidental, do spend a day in Silay and discover its heritage houses and beautiful Cathedral. 😍 Also make sure you drop by my favorite El Ideal Restaurant and enjoy Silay's native delicacies. 😎
Going back to the Cathedral.😀
The San Diego Pro-Cathedral was actually just made of bamboos and local materials when it was built in 1776 when it was still a parish. Today, it is one of a few pro-cathedrals in the Philippines. A pro-cathedral is a parish church that functions as a cathedral.
And from its bamboo and wooden structure, the church got an upgrade. In 1925, a sugar baron, Don Jose Ledesma, donated funds (along with the donations of Silaynons) to built a bigger church worthy of being part of Silay's rich heritage.
Don Jose Ledesma hired an Italian architect, Lucio Bernasconi, who took inspiration from the huge cathedrals in Italy. That's why, from afar, anyone can recognize the cathedral because of its copula, its huge dome that's seen from any plane landing or taking off from the Bacolod-Silay International Airport (read blog here).
But during World War II, the war planes actually didn't recognize the dome. Why? The locals had the Cathedral's dome painted black so as to avoid being seen from the air and getting bombed by the Japanese forces. 😱
I was in Alcala de Henares in Spain a few years back (read blog here), and I didn't know then that the Cathedral was named after a saint who died in that historic Spanish city.
San Diego de Alcala, also known as St. Didacus from his medieval Spanish name, was a Spanish missionary who was sent to the Canary Islands to spread the faith. He was born in the Kingdom of Seville in the 1400s, and died in Alcala de Henares on November 12, 1463.
His feast day is November 13. And along with the Silaynon community, we pay our reverence to his sainthood and ask San Diego to pray for us in these difficult times. 🙏
I would like to see this beautiful cathedral and the other historic buildings in this area. I like how they painted the dome black during WWII and it survived the war.
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