The Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat, or Manila Abbey, is a Benedictine men's monastery located on Mendiola Street in Manila, the Philippines. The monastery was founded by monks from Spain in 1895, in the final years of Spanish colonial era in the Philippines and is dedicated to

Our Lady of Montserrat Our Lady of Montserrat or the Virgin of Montserrat ( ca, Mare de Déu de Montserrat) is a Marian title associated with a statue of the Madonna and Child venerated at the Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery on the Montserrat Mountain in Catalon ...

. The resident monks, which belong to the Philippine Pro-Province of the

Subiaco Cassinese Congregation The Subiaco Cassinese Congregation is an international union of Benedictine houses (abbeys and priories) within the Benedictine Confederation. It developed from the Subiaco Congregation, which was formed in 1867 through the initiative of Dom Piet ...

(a part of the

Benedictine Confederation The Benedictine Confederation of the Order of Saint Benedict ( la, Confœderatio Benedictina Ordinis Sancti Benedicti) is the international governing body of the Order of Saint Benedict. Origin The Benedictine Confederation is a union of monasti ...

) also operate

San Beda University es, Universidad de San Beda , image = San Beda University seal.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = University Seal , latin_name = Universitas Sancti Bedæ , former_names ...

on the abbey's grounds.

History

Origins

In the 19th century, several anti-clerical governments in Spain took measures to suppress the many monasteries there. If they were not closed outright, communities were forbidden by the state to accept new candidates, with the goal of letting monastic communities die out. With time however, exceptions were made for monasteries which would operate in the far-flung regions still a part of Spain's once mighty empire, primarily the Philippines. As a result of this incentive, the ancient Benedictine Abbey of Our Lady of Monserrat near Barcelona made the decision to establish a mission foundation in the area of Manila. The plan was for the community to follow the agrarian way of life which was part of the reform then under way by the recently formed Subiaco Congregation (forerunner of the present congregation) and provide

pastoral care Pastoral care is an ancient model of emotional, social and spiritual support that can be found in all cultures and traditions. The term is considered inclusive of distinctly non-religious forms of support, as well as support for people from rel ...

of the local population. On September 12, 1895, eight choir monks and six laybrothers, under the leadership of Dom José Deas y Villar, O.S.B., arrived in Manila. After being hosted by the local

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

community, the monks obtained property for themselves in Surigao, which they occupied on April 25 of the following year.

American period

The

American occupation of the Philippines American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

in 1898, in the course of the Spanish–American War, changed the new monastery's situation dramatically. Loss of financial support from the

Spanish crown , coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg , coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain , image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg , incumbent = Felipe VI , incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...

for the Catholic missions in the country left the community in desperate straits. Given that, and a desire on the part of the abbot of the community to counteract the new influence of Protestant missionaries, who had arrived under the protection of the American government, the monks decided to turn to education as their focus. On June 17, 1901, they opened San Beda College, named after the great English Benedictine scholar and saint, the Venerable Bede, on Arlegui Street. The curriculum consisted of elementary, secondary and initial university studies, with graduates awarded either a Bachelor of Arts degree or a

diploma A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offici ...

in business. The college was accredited and affiliated by and to the

Pontifical University of Santo Tomas The University of Santo Tomas (also known as UST and officially as the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, Manila) is a private, Catholic research university in Manila, Philippines. Founded on April 28, 1611, by Spanish friar ...

in 1906. By that time, the monastery grounds had become too small for the monks and the college, so the monks purchased land on Mendiola Street. In 1909, they entrusted the pastoral care of the region to

Missionaries of the Sacred Heart The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC; la, Missionarii Sacratissimi Cordis; french: Missionnaires du Sacré-Coeur) are a missionary congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1854 by Servant of God Jules Chevalier (182 ...

from the Netherlands and moved to their current location, which they expanded in 1918. The cornerstone of the abbey church was laid on February 15, 1925, and it was completed and consecrated on January 13, 1926, to the

Infant of Prague The Infant Jesus of Prague ( cs, Pražské Jezulátko: es, Niño Jesús de Praga) is a 16th-century wax-coated wooden statue of the Child Jesus holding a ''globus cruciger'' of Spanish origin, now located in the Discalced Carmelite Church ...

. It was built in a Neogothic exterior, with a Neo-baroque interior painted by Dom Lesmes López, a Spaniard, and Brother Salvador Alberich. The pair worked on the abbey church from 1931 to 1939, leaving only the back wall of the nave above the entrance blank. Dom Lesmes López's paintings on the vaulted ceiling of the nave include the 16 allegories on the virtues, theology and the Church. "The Apotheosis of the Holy Name of Jesus" were painted over the sanctuary, while on its walls are eight panels on the

Nativity of the Lord Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

. Paintings of the

Stations of the Cross The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of Crucifixion of Jesus, his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The station ...

are also seen within the interior of the church.

Present condition

By 1971, the monastic community had gone from a high point of some 100 monks to a membership of thirty. In 2010, Rev Aelred Nilo, , designed the final mural to fill the back wall of the nave, which was then executed by the Italian painter Francesco Giannini on 126 square metres of

jute Jute is a long, soft, shiny bast fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from flowering plants in the genus ''Corchorus'', which is in the mallow family Malvaceae. The primary source of the fiber is ''Corchorus olit ...

canvas. The mural depicts the history of the present congregation, as well as the Resurrected Christ, saints, and various other religious figures, some based on real-life photographs.

National Historical Commission marker

The marker of Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat Manila was installed in 1939 at San Beda College, Mendiola, Manila. It was installed by the Philippines Historical Committee (now the

National Historical Commission of the Philippines The National Historical Commission of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Komisyong Pangkasaysayan ng Pilipinas, abbreviated NHCP) is a government agency of the Philippines. Its mission is "the promotion of Philippine history and cultural herita ...

List of abbots

The abbey has been led by eight abbots throughout its history. # Rt. Rev. Raimundo Salinas, (1925–1939) # Rt. Rev. Pedro Celestino Gusi, (1947–1957) — Elected Abbot President of the

Subiaco Congregation The Subiaco Cassinese Congregation is an international union of Benedictine houses (abbeys and priories) within the Benedictine Confederation. It developed from the Subiaco Congregation, which was formed in 1867 through the initiative of Dom Piet ...

# Rt. Rev. Wilfrido Rojo, (1958–1962) # Rt. Rev. Bernardo Lopez, (1962–1968) # Rt. Rev. Eduardo Africa, (1980–1986) — First Filipino abbot # Rt. Rev. Andres Formilleza, (1989–1998) # Rt. Rev. Tarcisio Narciso, (2001–2013) # Rt. Rev. Austin Cadiz, (2018–present)

Gallery

File:Montserrat, Manila 18.JPG, Façade File:Montserrat, Manila 24.JPG, Details of the ground level windows File:Montserrat, Manila 19.JPG, Stained glass door File:Montserrat Manila 14.JPG, Glass doors at the narthex File:Montserrat Manila 12.JPG, The Choir Loft and supporting gothic arches File:Montserrat Manila 13.JPG, Gospel nave File:Montserrat, Manila 15.JPG, Paintings at the ceiling File:Montserrat, Manila 20.JPG, Design of the interior, right side File:Montserrat, Manila 23.JPG, Left transept File:Montserrat Manila 03.JPG, Organ in the right transept File:Montserrat Manila 05.JPG, Details of the posts File:Montserrat Manila 06.JPG, Altar at the transept chapel File:Montserrat Manila 07.JPG, Chapel File:Montserrat Manila 11.JPG, Flooring of the chancel File:Montserrat Manila 10.JPG, Details of the pulpit File:Montserrat Manila 02.JPG, Main freestanding altar File:Montserrat Manila 09.JPG, Choir stalls at the chancel File:Montserrat, Manila 22.JPG, Candle holder File:Montserrat Manila 04.JPG, Statue of the Holy Infant of Prague enshrined in the cedar wood ''retablo'' File:Montserrat Manila 08.JPG, Close-up of the Holy Infant of Prague File:Montserrat, Manila 17.JPG, Historical Marker File:Montserrat Manila 01.JPG, Statue of Our Lady of Montserrat statue