REACTION / Central Temple

   “ I  am  a  building  a  temple  to  honor  the  lord  my  God.  It  will  be  a  holy  place  where  my  people  and  I  will  worship  him. Where  we  will  present  offerings.. to  him  continuously…   honoring  the  lord  our  God.  He has  commanded  Israel  to  do this  forever.  Intend  to  build  a  great  temple  because  our  god  is  greater  than  any  other  God.” ( 11 Chr. 2:4-5 )

Central Temple  of  Iglesia  Ni  Cristo   is  a good  example   of  a  grandeur  church  that  ever  built  here  in our  country, it  is  very  pleasing  to  the  eyes  which persuade and  gaze  were  people  passed by  along  Commonwealth  Road  in  Quezon  City.  I  have  read  before    that  there  is  a  Japanese  architect   was  driving  and  saw  the  Iglesia  Ni  Cristo  church,  he  said  that  the  church is  like  a  jewel  sparkling  in  the  sun,  and he  added  that he  travelled  to many  places  and  countries  but  he  have  not  seen  anything  like  Iglesia  Ni  cristo  Church. 

The  catching  view of  Central  Temple   is  always   a pleasant  treat  for  a keen  eye, at  day time,  one  would  marvel  at the  night  of  its  robust  contour  or  posture  and  its exterior  whose  pastel  color  blends  perfectly  with  the  sky’s  blueness  and the  day  brightness.  And  at  the  night  the  temple  seemingly like  floating  and  shimmering  in  the  dark  because  of  sparkling  light  surround  to  the  entire  edifice.  Even I’m Iglesia  Ni  Cristo  member  I  experienced  entering  in  Central  Temple  only  at  once,  it happened  when  our  Executive  Minister  Brother  Erano  G.  Manalo have  passed  away  in  September 2009. Meanwhile  despite  of  grief  while  I am  within  in  a  central  complex  I  often  looking  at  to the  towering  spires  and to  the  entire   edifice  of  Temple.  I  really amazed   that time  because  we  have a huge  and  elegant  church  here  in  our  country  and  because  of  its  stunning  form  with  a  consistent  arc  and  tiny  detailed  embossed to  its  wall.

In terms  of building, there  can be  a  little  doubt  that the  magnificent  Central  Temple reflect  and  most  cases  surpass  the  grandeur  of  Roman  Churches or  Cathedrals  here in  Philippines.  The  temple  and  even other  churches  of  Iglesia  Ni  Cristo  now seems  have  rival these  ancient  buildings  in size  and  surpass  them  in  beauty   and  stunning  form. Because  of  its  distinct  architectural  style,  these  house  of  worship  have  dramatically  changed  the  nations  landscape.  It  is  true  that the  Central  Temple  caught  the attention  of  so  many people  even worldwide  despite  of  many  of  its    members  are  in  a  lower  class   in  society  those  would  be  proof  and   true  sign   that  the   Temple  is  a  symbol  of success.  

Iglesia Ni Cristo CENTRAL TEMPLE

IGLESIA  NI  CRISTO   CENTRAL  TEMPLE

Commonwealth Avenue, New Era, Quezon City, Philippines

Trivia :  this  is  the  largest  church  that  ever  built  in  the  Philippines

Central  Temple is the Iglesia  ni  Cristo's  main house of worship. It is a part of the Iglesia ni Cristo Central Office complex which is a large, secured complex nearly the size of Vatican City. The Central Temple is the centerpiece of the INC’s headquarters which occupies a large tract of land located on Commonwealth Avenue, New Era, Quezon City, Philippines,  just north of U.P. Diliman. Temple has  7,000  seat  capacity, In addition within  complex  area the six-story Central Office Building, there are six other major edifices and several buildings, the multi-purpose Tabernacle hall, the 30,000-seat Central Pavilion, and  the College of Evangelical Ministry. 

Iglesia  Ni  Cristo Central  Temple designed  by  Arch. Carlos Antonio Santos-Viola, He is best known for designing and  building  churches ,  Arch. Viola was one of the very first graduates of the College of Architecture of the University of Santo Tomas in 1935. During this time the professors then were outstanding architects and engineers of the period, such as Tomas Arguelles, Tomas Mapua, Juan F. Nakpil, Fernando Ocampo, and Andres Luna de San Pedro. Upon graduating, he worked in the office of Juan Nakpil as a Draftsman, eventually rising to Associate Architect from 1946-1950. His first exposure to the INC group was executed under Nakpil's company through the Bishop's Palace in San Juan, Manila. Brother  EranoG.Manalo  gave the subsequent project directly to Santos-Viola. Each structure was created on functionality that was built with integrity, adorned with 20th Century geometric forms garnished with Gothic revival and Baroque lines. Architect Santos-Viola was the first and only Filipino Architect who designed churches that were built all over the Philippines.

 The  Central  Temple dedicated  by  Executive  Minister  Brother  Erano  G.  Manalo  on  July  29,1984. These  Temple significant  to  the  members of  the  Church  of  Christ  who frequent  the  venue  is  that  is  serves  the  primary  purpose  for  which  it  was  constructed,  its  a  crown  jewel  of  the  Iglesia  Ni  Cristo  architecture,  is  first  and  foremost  the  house  of  the  Lord-  a  holy  place  built  for  the  honor  and glory  of  god  and  belief  inside  its  sacred  halls,  the  faithful  shall  ever  dwell  not  only  as  congregation  gathering  to  worship.

 Central  Temple characterized  by  simples,  elegant  lines  and  towering  spires  pointing  toward the  heavens  and  seemingly  reaching  for  the  heavens, these  structure  manifest  the  church’s  dedication to  building  edifices and  become  landmark  that  serve  as  a  monument  of  faith.  Central  Temple  uniquely  designed  which  inspired  by   Neo-Gothic  architecture,  these mega  structure  continues  to  leave  one  awestruck by  its imposing   brilliance  and  un-ignorable  majesty. The  temple  has  strong  five  huge  and  ten  small  towering  vertical  spires with  a  sense  of  great  height, huge  size  of  cantilever  in  main  entrance  hall,   detailed  curving  and  asymmetrical  windows,  while  inside it  built  with  one  huge  arch  vault  and  addition  of  two   arc  vault  smaller  than  to  its  center  ceiling  covered  the  place  of  offerings  and  worshipping  area.  Furthermore,  it has  balcony  for  further extension to  address  large  number  of  people  were  faced  the  front  choir  area  beside  of  it  is  called  “tribuna”  which  is    the  placed  where  Ministers  stand  while  preaching,  it  usually made  of  hardwood  with  a  consistent  and  detailed  curving.  The Temple  also  have  offices  of  District  Ministers inside. Since  its  completion  and  dedication  to  God,  the  Central  Temple  today  remains  as  beautiful   and  magnificent  as  ever,  well-preserved  trough  the  years. For  almost  3  decades  the  Temple  has  borne  witness  to  various   groundbreaking  events  in  recent  church  history.