St. Augustine Church of Cagayan de Oro City

Touring the Philippines is incomplete without visiting the Churches. Philippines was colonized by the Spaniards for more than 300 years. Yes more than three centuries. Catholicism is one of the things that they brought to the Philippines. That’s why Philippines is the predominantly Catholics. Cagayan de Oro is not an exemption of that.

St. Augistine Church is an archdiocese. It was originally built in 1845 by the Augustinian Friars but during the American bombardment in 1945, it was destroyed. The wooden cross in front of the church the only thing survived from that bombardment. American missionary Fr. James T.G. Hayes S.J., who later became the city's archbishop, rebuilt the church inspired by Gothic architecture. The stained glass windows are stunning. I learned that they are centuries old stained glass windows, which were donated by American Catholics from New York, USA.

We notice there were buried inside the cathedral and they were priests. At the back of the altar are still seats that can be used during the mass. The altar is in the center of the cross like arrangement of the seats.

Beside the cathedral is the Archbishop Mansion where the Archbishop lives. Some flower shops are on the alley going to the church.