|
|
Post by okla on Oct 10, 2009 2:22:09 GMT 8
hey fots....thanks so much for all the poop on the corregidor chapel. that took some doing and i do really appreciate it. You gotta be the imminent authority on the "rock", especially considering that you hail from Canada. Between you, battery boy, and a few others i feel there is an immense well of lore that is available to all of us "outlanders" to draw from. I say again that the now legendary "Fots Fabulous Foto Tours with written narratives make my day. Those along with Vic's photos of the Abucay Line area of Bataan and Battery Boy's hand written notes from his college days make me feel that i am practically on the ground in a locale that has had a death grip on me since i was in elementary school avidly attempting to follow the goings on in the Pacific in early 1942. As for that emblem uncovered near the present day chapel, i betcha you are correct. Betcha it came from the chapel that was obliterated in the 1942 bombings and shellings prior to the surrender in May 1942. That whole bottomside area was pure "mincemeat" by the time we retook it in 1945. I am glad that it was not discarded after being found. Thanks again. This stuff you post is priceless, so much so that you ought to "bottle" it for resale. ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by The Phantom on Oct 10, 2009 4:00:06 GMT 8
Could the angel relief have been a section of the old communion railing inside Corregidor's St. Joseph church from years gone by?
I have seen similar communion railings in other churches in the Philippines from Spanish times.
I visit that Church every trip and say prayers for our lost soldiers everywhere.
The Chapel has no regular priest, and no regular services.
In all my trips I never seen a Mass there. But I have heard that there is a priest from Cavite that does do Mass there at special requests.
Suncruises has started promoting the Church for memorable Weddings.
They are able to provide transportation from Manila to and from Corregidor, a Honeymoon suite, and fine meals for all attending.
(An advertisement?)
The Chapel is better maintained now as the great photos show.
Thanks Fots.
|
|
|
|
Post by okla on Oct 10, 2009 5:38:27 GMT 8
hey phantom....your explanation of the angel relief is as good as any we may hear. i buy into it till something better appears. i would think that there were enough permanent (maybe not?  ) residents of the "rock" to warrant a priest maybe coming over daily from mariveles or cavite to say mass. i know we have a priest shortage here in the states, but one would think there were enough ordained folks in the PI to staff that chapel. Making it a mission would fill the bill nicely. Saint "whatever" Parish in Mariveles would, you gotta think, be honored to send one of their fellows over to corregidor every week, at least, to do the honors. |
|
|
|
Post by mapmaster on Oct 10, 2009 9:57:18 GMT 8
Hi This photograph shows another chapel on Corregidor. The small white building with a tiled roof is situated on the eastern edge of the graveyard adjacent to the shore of San Jose Bay. The date of the photograph could be about 1898. The original Barrio on Corregidor was on the shore of Corregidor Bay, which later became the area where the North Mine Wharf, Lorcha Wharf, stores and storehouses were built. The land to the west and north of the Chapel and graveyard appears to be fields and may have been farmed. Regards mapmaster |
|
|
|
Post by mapmaster on Oct 10, 2009 14:01:55 GMT 8
Hi A photograph of San Jose Church (Saint Joseph's Church ) in 1898. The photograph is easy to date. There are US Army tents erected near the church grounds. The site and alignment of the church are the same today. The church appears to have been rebuilt on the original site. The houses of the Barrio on Corregidor are visible to the north (i.e. right of the photograph) of the church. This settlement appears to have been removed soon after this photograph was taken, as there are later photographs with a large US Army tent encampment where the buildings originally stood. The Barrio moved to the south leaving the church semi-surrounded by Corregidor's QM Storehouses, Oil House, Lumber Sheds, Tramway lines, Tramway Bridge and eventually the Rock Crusher in the quarry by 1921. Regards mapmaster |
|
|
|
Post by fots2 on Oct 10, 2009 17:00:01 GMT 8
I have never seen the chapel used during any of my visits to Corregidor but like Phantom mentioned, I have heard that it is used on special occasions. It seems to be maintained very well.
The above photos really illustrate the value of what we all can learn on this forum. Mapmaster, those are great photos, thanks for them.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Phantom on Oct 10, 2009 20:45:10 GMT 8
The American's used Corregidor as the Spanish had throughout their history in the Philippines.
It was used by both counties as a Military post to guard Manila bay, and as a convalescence center for troops suffering from battle wounds, or from tropical diseases.
Anyone who has stayed on Corregidor to this day notices that Corregidor is cooler, breezier, with fresh unpolluted air as compared to Manila.
After Baguio was established by the Americans as their "Hill Station" in the early part of the 20th century Corregidor asumed a mostly military function.
( Most colonial states involved in the Far East had already set up Hill stations high in the mountains of their acquired territories for their sick to recover from tropical diseases, etc. as a substitute for sending them back to the home country to recover, which was expensive and time consuming.)
Most Hill station, like Baguio, became resorts to get away from the heat during summer in the tropics for all who could afford to leave the city.
Baguio is still considered the summer capital for the Philippine Government.
Baguio was modeled after Simla, Buitenzorg, and Darjeeling.
Can you name the country that set up each and where they were established?
Love the early picture of the Church, barrio and tents.
I imagine typhoons back then regularly sweep the island and damaged the church. Some nipa huts seem to hug the hill that the hotel now rests on.
Looked much higher then.
|
|
|
|
Post by okla on Oct 10, 2009 22:08:27 GMT 8
hey mapmaster....many thanks for posting the pics of the chapel in the early days. Also thanks to phantom for new info. all you guys continue to amaze me. As quick as a new question arises one of you (or all) almost immediately come up with an answer and back it up, usually, with photos. Sometimes it blows my mind, but always in a pleasant way. It's generally the high point of my day.
|
|
|
|
Post by fots2 on Nov 8, 2009 23:04:15 GMT 8
|
|
|
|
Post by okla on Nov 9, 2009 0:51:02 GMT 8
Hey Fots....Wife says many thanks for the latest pics of the Corregidor chapel. I, of course, echo her thoughts. We sincerly appreciate your ongoing efforts to dig up info on this exquisite little structure. Can't imagine using it only for an occasional wedding ceremony. I betcha some of the "locals" use it on a "drop in" basis for such things as "soul searching", meditation or some such activity. Methinks, I would do such if i was fortunate enough to reside on "the rock". Will be waiting with nervous anticipation for the Fantastic Fots Foto Tour of the cemeteries out on the tail of the island. Didn't we establish the fact that there are no military graves in these burial areas? I would assume that any pre-war deaths would probably result in burial at then Fort McKinley. Were'nt any military deaths during the siege and the fighting just prior to the surrender handled by cremation??? Seems that I read or saw on this website that this was the case in the 1941-42 situation. Wife just might get bitten by the Corregidor bug yet. The Chapel thing might be a very subtle beginning. |
|
) residents of the "rock" to warrant a priest maybe coming over daily from mariveles or cavite to say mass. i know we have a priest shortage here in the states, but one would think there were enough ordained folks in the PI to staff that chapel. Making it a mission would fill the bill nicely. Saint "whatever" Parish in Mariveles would, you gotta think, be honored to send one of their fellows over to corregidor every week, at least, to do the honors.
