TravelswithCharie

San Sebastian Minor Basilica Following the destruction of its three churches due to fire and earthquakes, the parish priest of San Sebastián in the 1880s, Esteban Martinez, sought the help of a Spanish architect named Genaro Palacios to build a church that could withstand an earthquake. Palacios’ idea was to use steel to construct the new church and make it both earthquake and fire resistant. To this end, prefabricated steel sections were ordered from Belgium which were then sent to the Philippines in 1888 in eight separate shipments. Belgian workers traveled to Manila to put together all these sections on-site. Pope Leo XIII raised the status of San Sebastián to Minor Basilica in 1890, a year before the new church was consecrated in August 1891. Steel is not without its share of problems. Rust and corrosion are expected of a structure that is over a century old especially when it is close to Manila Bay. Interventions have been undertaken throughout the years to preserve the Basilica a

Joseph being sold by his brothers These well preserved stained glass windows are from the Ste-Chappelle. It is now in the collection of the Musée National du Moyen Age. Ste. Chappelle is famous for its stained glass windows which practically make up its walls. It suffered great damage during the French revolution when part of the windows were taken down and destroyed or lost. These stained glass windows date from the 12th-13th century. The subjects are derived from the Bible. The ruby red and Chartres blue colors define the Ste. Chappelle stained glass. They are as vibrant today as they were in the Middle Ages. * * * Photos by Charie