Parañaque Cathedral

St. Andrew Cathedral, officially The Cathedral Parish of St. Andrew and commonly referred to as the Parañaque Cathedral, is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. It was established on May 11, 1580 by the Spanish Order of Saint Augustine. The church is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Parañaque, the local church that comprises the cities of Parañaque, Las Piñas and Muntinlupa.HistorySpanish Period & the Order of Saint AugustineThe story of the Parish of St. Andrew started when Augustinian missionaries set foot on a fishing village near the sea, more than four hundred years ago.The missionaries' purpose was to convert the natives to Roman Catholicism. This would also help facilitate the conquest of islands for the King of Spain. The town was called "Palanyag", the contraction for the word "Paglalayag" which means sailing. At that time, Palanyag consisted of several nipa huts grouped as a residential settlement known as "barangays."In line with the Papal instruction of May 1493, known as the Inter Caetera, which enjoined the Spanish rulers to spread the gospel to the inhabitants that they would come to rule, it was tasked to the Augustinians to spread Roman Catholism in the lands that they conquered. One town was Palanyag (modern day Parañaque). The pioneer missionary in Parañaque was Rev. Fr. Juan de Orto, O.S.A. Although based in Manila, he started to administer to the spiritual needs of the village folks in 1575.In 1580 Rev. Fr. Diego de Espinal, O.S.A. was appointed superior in the convent of Parañaque. He established a mission house, with its spiritual jurisdiction reaching up to Kawit, Cavite. He was assisted by Fray Francisco Campos, O.S.A. The Conference of Chiefs of the Religious Order, held on May 11, 1580, accepted Palanyag as an independent town, and it is in this date which the foundation day of the Parish of St. Andrew the Apostle was officially known. In the same year also, St. Andrew the Apostle, being the patron of fishermen was officially declared the patron and defender of the said church.