Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral

This is my First destination for my Going Back to the History of Cebu.

After my breakfast in a fast food along Colon Street, my next destination was the famous cathedral nearby.  I have no idea if where's the right way going to this religious place, but the people around me were so kind and helped me a lot in finding it.  I was walking on the sidewalks and following the directions that the locals instructed me until I've reached the right side of a huge structure covered with white paint.  On the wall, I saw a large tarpaulin with the face of Pedro Calunsod.

Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral is the center of the Archdiocese of Cebu City.  It was established as diocese on August 14, 1595 and was became the metropolitan archdiocese of April, 28, 1934 with its first archbishop Gabriel M. Reyes.  The construction of the structure was interrupted due to lack of funds and other circumstances.  The facade features a trefoil-shaped pediment decorated with floral carves.

It honors an ancient martyr, Saint Vitalis, whose feast day on April 28.  It is believed that the feast day of the Saint coincides with the same day that the image of Santo Nino de Cebu as found by one of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi's men 450 years ago.
Large part of the cathedral was destroyed during World Ward II in the city, but the facade, walls and bell tower built in 1835 remained.  In 1950s, it was rebuilt by Architect Jose Ma. Zaragosa during the time of Archbishop Gabriel M. Reyes.

This cathedral also has a mausoleum at the back, built in 1982.  It is the resting place for the remains of Cardinal Rosales (died three months after inauguration), Archbishop Manuel Salvador (coadjutor archbishop of Cebu), Mariano Gaviola (archbishop of Lipa) and the first Cebuano Bishop Juan Bautista Gorordo.  April 28, 2009 - the cathedral underwent into a major renovation during the 75th Anniversary of the archdiocese and then a petition was sent to Benedict XVI: The Pope Emeritus (Pope Benedict XVI that time)

I wasn't able to enter the church because there was a mass that time, and countless of people were there.  The church caretaker were so kind to me, they gave me the history and informed me the area that I could take a good photo of the church. 

After taking pictures of the cathedral, I showed my map to the caretaker showing my next destination which were encircled by that time and they helped me.  If you're on the main gate of the church, just few steps from it, crossing the highway, you can find Rajah Humabon Monument.