In the capital city of Manila is the historic district of Quiapo, where the unique, all-metal Minor Basilica of San Sebastian still stands today. In 1621, first missionaries of the Catholic Order of Augustinian Recollects opened the doors of the first San Sebastian church where they enshrined the Philippines’ first Carmelite image, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel of San Sebastian.  

The all-metal church we see today is a marriage of faith and science, resilient in the face of wars, calamities, and other natural disasters. Inspired to build a stronger home for Our Lady, for the community, the Recollect friars themselves commissioned the design of this all-metal church. The industrialist spirit of 1891 gave them cast iron and mild steel, moving forward from the old materials of stone and wood.   

Today, San Sebastian Basilica remains so unique that it holds two of the Philippines’ highest distinctions for a heritage site: National Cultural Treasure and a National Historical Landmark. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel of San Sebastian continues to call this church home, where she continues to inspire the hearts of many Filipinos. She is a central figure in the annual Traslacion during the Feast Day of the Black Nazarene (January 9) when millions witness her meeting with the much beloved image of the Black Nazarene, the suffering Christ, in a tradition we call Dungaw. 

Invisible to most eyes, however, are the dangers faced today by the all-metal church. Corrosion that developed over its long history threatens the original Filipino paintings, German stained glass, and the gifts of seven nationalities that still breathe life into the metal. Today, the Recollects and San Sebastian Basilica Conservation and Development Foundation, Inc. are committed to protecting this historic structure so that the community and future generations can safely experience this authentic, Filipino legacy of resilience.  