About Manila Cathedral

The present Manila Cathedral is the eighth to stand on this site. Its predecessors were lost to fire, earthquakes and typhoons, and the seventh was almost entirely destroyed during the Battle of Manila in 1945. The current building, designed by the Kapampangan architect Fernando Ocampo in a neo-Romanesque style, was built between 1954 and 1958 under Cardinal Rufino Santos. The first cathedral, of nipa, wood and bamboo, was consecrated in 1581, when it formally became a cathedral. The church is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, principal patroness of the Philippines, and is the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila. Pope John Paul II raised it to a minor basilica in 1981. Three popes have celebrated Mass here: Paul VI in 1970, John Paul II in 1981 and Francis in 2015. Between 2012 and 2014 the cathedral was closed for earthquake retrofitting and work against subsidence, reopening in April 2014. Inside, the modern stained glass was largely designed by the Filipino artist Galo Ocampo. The pipe organ, built in 1958 by the Dutch firm Pels & Zoon, was restored and enlarged in 2025. Seven bells cast in Germany in 1958 hang at the base of the belfry. The facade carries statues of saints by Italian sculptors. The cathedral faces Plaza Roma, the square that hosts events such as the annual Intramuros Grand Marian Procession. It is an active church, so modest dress and quiet during services are expected.