Chapel of the Carmelites of Lisieux Postcard

On entering the Chapel of the Carmelites of Lisieux one feels in communion with St. Thérèse who lived here from 9th April, 1888 until 30th September, 1897. Pilgrims can come and venerate the remains of St. Thérèse in the Chapel of the Reliquary. A wax statue is fashioned after the saint at the moment of her death, a delicate smile on her face. The saint is buried below.

Chapel of the Carmelites of Lisieux Postcard

Engraved along the top of the case are her words: Je veux passer mon ciel faire du bien sur la terre; “I want to spend my Heaven doing good on earth.” Above her is the actual statue of Notre Dame du Sourire, the one that cured St. Therese during her illness.

Our Lady of Manaoag Cathedral Postcard

The Our Lady of Manaoag Cathedral was established 400 years ago. Ten years after which, the ivory image was brought to the Philippines by Padre Juan de San Jacinto from Spain via Acapulco. Folk tradition has it that the Blessed Mother Mary Herself designated the place where the church would be built.

Our Lady of Manaoag Cathedral Postcard

The Our Lady of Manaoag Cathedral is Spanish-Romanesque sprinkled with a little touch of German and Italian Renaissance architectural composition. The main features of the facade of the church, on each pilaster at the lower section are topped by the statues of St. Vincent Ferrer, St. Margaret of Hungary, St. Catherine of Sienna and St. Dominic of Guzman.

At the center of the church stands the elevated majestic wooden Altar of Our Lady. Atop the tabernacle of the Most Blessed Sacrament are; the center of which enthrones the miraculous image of Our Lady flanked to its right by the statue of St. Francis of Assisi; to its left by the statue of St. Dominic of Guzman.

SOURCE:
Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag

Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral Postcard

Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral is the ecclesiastical seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cebu in Cebu. Construction of the cathedral took long due to frequent interruptions brought about by lack of funds and other unexpected events.

Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral Postcard

The architecture of the church is typical with baroque colonial churches in the country -- squat, cruciform, and with thick walls to withstand typhoon and other natural calamities. The trefoil-shaped pediment is decorated with carved relieves of floral motifs, an IHS inscription and a pair of griffins. The Spanish Royal Coat of Arms is emblazoned in low relief above the main entrance owing perhaps to the contribution of the Spanish monarch to its construction.

SOURCE:Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral Wikipedia Entry

Cathedral of Our Lady of Atonement Postcards

Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral, better known as Baguio Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral located in Baguio City. The cathedral has a distinct pink facade with a rose window and twin square bell towers with pyramidal roofs.

Baguio Cathedral Postcard 1

The site where the cathedral currently stands was a hill referred to as "Kampo" by the Ibaloi people. In 1907, a Catholic mission was established by Belgian missionaries from the Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae, who named the site Mount Mary. Construction on the cathedral itself was began in 1920. The building was completed by 1936, and consecrated that year, dedicated to Our Lady of Atonement.

Baguio Cathedral Postcard 2

The cathedral is accessible to pedestrians from Session Road through a 100-step stone staircase. The Baguio Cathedral is also distinct for probably being the only Cathedral in the world that owns and operates its own shopping center, called Porta Vaga, partially built from donations from church-goers, coyed into thinking they were building a supporting wall for the hillside that collapsed during the earthquake of 16 July 1990.

Baguio Cathedral Postcard 3

Baguio Cathedral Postcard 4

SOURCE:
Baguio Cathedral Wikipedia Entry

Winchester Cathedral Postcard

Winchester Cathedral (which I had the chance to visit in 2005) at Winchester in Hampshire is one of the largest cathedrals in England, with the longest nave and overall length of any Gothic cathedral in Europe. It is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun.

Winchester Cathedral Postcard

Nowadays the cathedral draws many tourists as a result of its association with Jane Austen (I am a big fan of her), who died in the city and is buried in the cathedral's north aisle of the nave. The cathedral also possesses the only diatonic ring of 14 church bells in the world, with a tenor (heaviest bell) weighing 36 cwt (or approximately 1.83 metric tonnes).

SOURCE:Winchester Cathedral Wikipedia Entry