Also known as the Eucharistic Shrine of Perpetual Exposition, the Parish of Sta. Cruz officially came into existence on June 30, 1619. Prior to this Sta. Cruz was known as a village of the parish of Quiapo and was under the
province of Tondo. Father Gregorio Catena, parish priest of Quiapo, signed a document under the authority of Archbishop Arce, that paved the way for the spiritual administration of the chinese tenants in the Sta. Cruz by the Jesuits. It was the Jesuits who named the village of Sta. Cruz, after the Holy Cross. in 1743, the Confraternity of Our Lady of the Pillar was canonically founded in Sta. Cruz. The statue of Our Lady of the Pillar, brought from Spain by the Spanish Jesuit administrators, was a replica of the image venerated in the city of Zaragoza. It was enshrined at and became the Patroness of the parish and district of Sta. Cruz. Then, on June 3, 1863, a violent earthquake hit Manila and destroyed Sta. Cruz Church. Fr. Agustin de Mendoza, parish priest, commenced the restructuring of the church in 1868.
province of Tondo. Father Gregorio Catena, parish priest of Quiapo, signed a document under the authority of Archbishop Arce, that paved the way for the spiritual administration of the chinese tenants in the Sta. Cruz by the Jesuits. It was the Jesuits who named the village of Sta. Cruz, after the Holy Cross. in 1743, the Confraternity of Our Lady of the Pillar was canonically founded in Sta. Cruz. The statue of Our Lady of the Pillar, brought from Spain by the Spanish Jesuit administrators, was a replica of the image venerated in the city of Zaragoza. It was enshrined at and became the Patroness of the parish and district of Sta. Cruz. Then, on June 3, 1863, a violent earthquake hit Manila and destroyed Sta. Cruz Church. Fr. Agustin de Mendoza, parish priest, commenced the restructuring of the church in 1868.
During the Japanese occupation, Fr. Lucio Garcia placed the image of Our Lady of the Pillar in a vault at the Philippine National Bank to preserve it from the invaders and subsequent destruction during the liberation of Manila. On August 15, 1957, the Blessed Sacrament Community officially began the administration of Sta. Cruz, with Fr. Morin as the Parish Priest and Superior of the initial community of six men. 1961 was the year when Fr. George Laliberte started the plans for the present sanctuary and was completed in 1970. The patronal feast of Our Lady of the Pillar is October 12 and the parish fiesta procession is held on the 3rd Sunday of October. St. Eymard is recognized as secondary patron since 1985. His feast is on August 1.
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| Sta. Cruz Church circa 1920s |
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