A BRIEF HISTORY OF NAZARENE CHAPEL
The history of the Nazarene Chapel dates back to the days following the liberation of Manila in February 1945 after three and a half years of Japanese occupation. As thanksgiving for having survived the war with not a single resident killed nor any house destroyed, the people what is now the Nazarene community, led by George Diamampo, built a small light structu
re on a barrowed lot at the corner of P. florentino and Metrica streets in honor of the kneeling Christ bearing his cross, popularly known as the "Nazareno". Mass was celebrated at the chapel only during fiesta. The image paraded in procession in the streets was borrowed from a resident of the community. Soon after 12 famillies commissioned an unknown sculptor to make the community’s own Nazareno. Not long after the lot owner took back his property. The Nazareno was relegated to a much smaller chapel in basilio street in 1956. In 1960, a bigger chapel rose in another barrowed lot at Washington street, later renamed Antonio Maceda. With the permission from the parish priest Fr. Sebastian De Sanguesa, OFM,CAP of Sta. Teresita Parish, the Sunday Mass became a regular schedule. The masses then were Latin and the priest turned to face the congregation only during the homily. The people who built the chapel at Washington were Ed Naval, Honesto Cabrera Jr., Cora Buencamino and the Pamintuan Brothers Ruben and Romy with the help from Eduardo Munar, Pacita Dypiangco, Lily Opolencia and Mariano and Rosario Apacible. The priest who serve the longest period of the time at the chapel was Fr. Anthony Maloney of the Passionist order, who had earlier been expelled from Communist China. From Washington, the Chapel was transferred to its present site at Instruccion st. in 1967. The permanent structure of reinforced concrete and marble was constructed by lot owner, Angelo Arce family. The earlier administrators of the Instruction chapel were Gregorio Tuano, Mariano and Rosario Apacible, Ed Naval, Rufino and Elisa Reyes. By then there were changes in the liturgy as decreed by the Second Vatican Council. Latin was replaced by either English or Filipino, and the priest faced the people during the celebration of the Eucharist that year, little known Fr. Planta chaplain of the National Ortopedic Hospital presided at the very first Simbang Gabi at Instruccion. This required a special permit from Rufino J. Cardinal Santos since in those days, chapels were not allowed to hold pre-dawn masses nor the Christmas midnight mass. Priests came from Blessed Sacraments Fathers the La Salette, and the Maryknoll Fathers. In 1970, in a redefinition of parochial boundaries, the part of Quezon city that belonged to the Nuestra del Perpetuo Socorro of Manila was under Sta. teresita Parish was given to NSPS the boundary of NSPS Parish was extended from Laon-Laan to Espana Affected were Nazarene chapel at instruction and Lourdes Chapel at Josefina Street. Both had a change of parish priest from Fr. Sebastian de sanguesa OFM,CAP to Mgsr. Candido V. Bernal, In that same year the daily masses came to the Nazarene Chapel and the Sunday masses were increased to three. Cardinal Santos allowed Fr. Pedro Osmena to serve at Instruccion after the latyter was forced to retire from his parish in Silang, Cavite due to stroke that rendered him partly paralyzed. The Perpetual Help Novena bécame a regular Wednesday Schedule at the chapel. So were the novenas to the Sto. Nino and Sacred Heart of Jesus on Fridays and the novena to the Holy Face of Jesus. In line with the parish program, the May floral offering to the Blessed Virgin Mary became a yearly event, preceded by cathechism to the children of the community. Filipino became the language of the Saturday and Sunday mass attendees promted the addition of 7:30 PM Mass Schedule in 1977. Priest presiders came from the community of the Dominicans, the Society of the Divine Word, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, the Sclabrinian Fathers, the Society of Mary Monfort and the Claretian Fathers as well as guest priests from NSPS and other parishes. The laymen’s work during early days of the chapel was simple: prepare the house of worship for mass. Only altar server was allowed to be in dialogue with the priest during celebration but the changing times demanded more participation from the laity in Church affairs. Laymen were ministers of holy communion to the faithful. Men and women were commissioned to proclaim the Word of God during liturgical celebrations particularly the Holy mass. At the Nazarene Chapel, Mariano Apacible, Antonio Sinon, Baltazar Solis were installed as Special Ministers of the Eucharist. After Ed naval was installed to the ministry in 1990, he had the lectors and commentators, Leo Leander, Elvin Galecio, Matilde Alunan, Cecilia Cordoba, Mary Raagas, Miah Sayson, Rose Aguilar, Joy Pascual, and Mary Ann Bunag completed the basic formation seminar given by the Archdiocesan Liturgical Comission. Later the Echaorre brothers Yuji and Yashi, Dk Equipaje, Divina Sembran, were installed as proclaimers and Tony Valera, Jun Dela Cruz, Oscar Tisbe and Edwin Evangelista as Eucharistic Ministers. All were required to serve in parish church as well and help build Basic Ecclesial Communities. The challenge became bigger and more demanding in line with Christ's call to his disciples to proclaim the Good News of salvation to all mankind. Added to the roster of Lectors and Commentators over the years were Francis Dayao, Mimi Dabu, Tonet Pastrana, Blessie Paraon, Chris Pascual, Flor Jose, Carmen Lee, Nida Mengote, Malou Perez, Ave Agualada, Marife Amoyo, Emette Evangelista, April Anne Martinez and Minerva Sacdalan. Andy Dayao, and Robert Sembran were also commissioned Eucharistic Ministers, followed by Sonny Vicente and Ronald Mungcal. After Bro. Ed Naval’s demise in June 2009 up to present the chapel has been jointly managed by its group of lectors and crusaders of the Holy Face. Aida Cortez has been delegated to look after physical arrangement of the chapel before and after the masses.
