Pope Francis to receive copy of coffee table book on Manila Cathedral

MANILA, Philippines — Pope Francis will be given a copy of a coffee table book on the Manila Cathedral and its relation to the faith and history of the Filipino people.

Cathedral rector Fr. Reginald Malicdem yesterday said that Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle would personally give the copy of the “Manila Cathedral: Restoring a Monument of Faith, Architecture and History” to Pope Francis.

“Cardinal Tagle will be in Vatican in May for the Ad Limina visit,” Malicdem said. 

Half of the 5,000 copies of the hardbound book that tells the faith and 60 years of architectural history of the Manila Cathedral will be distributed to cardinals all over the world, Vatican offices, bishop-members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and parishes. 

“This book chronicles how to reconstruct a cathedral, the first cathedral in the Philippines,” Tagle said.

He said that while they started the project with limited information about architecture and cost, their desire to come out with the book was fueled by faith and nurtured by love.

Malicdem expressed belief that even today’s youth would appreciate reading the history and enjoy browsing through the pictures in the book.

Proceeds from the sale of the book will be used for the maintenance of the Manila Cathedral.

The 335-page coffee table book was published by the Manila Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica Foundation Inc.

It tells about the construction, destruction and restoration of the Manila Cathedral, which is also known as the Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The book can be used as a resource material for heritage conservation. 

Architect and art historian Gerardo Lico is the book’s executive editor and designer.

Photos were sourced from archives while the present day pictures were taken by Marc Henrich Go, a multi-awarded photographer and topnotcher in the 2018 architecture licensure exams.

The GT Foundation provided financial support for the publication of the book.