Paete Church opens doors to pilgrims during jubilee year

PAETE, Laguna — With the launching of the jubilee year commemorating the 300th dedication anniversary of St. James the Apostle Parish Church in this town recently, the church invites the faithful to make a spiritual journey to the 15th century church.

The Apostolic Penitentiary, through a decree signed by Cardinal Mauro Piacenza on July 12, 2017, bestows a plenary indulgence to all the faithful who will make pilgrimage to the parish church under the usual conditions of confession of sins, Eucharistic communion, and prayer for the intention of the Pope, from July 25, 2017 to July 2018.

San Pablo Bishop Buenaventura M. Famadico led the clergy and the faithful in a Holy Mass on July 25 to mark the historic event.

Before the final blessing, Fr. Noel Conopio expressed his gratitude to God, to St. James, and to all those who worked for the success of the celebration.

A spiritual bond of affinity was granted the church on Feb. 26, 2016 by the Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Msgr. Elisardo Temperan Villaverde, a member of the Cathedral Chapter and chancellor of the archdiocese, officially conveyed the proclamation. As gifts, the archbishop gave Paete relics from Santiago de Compostela: a silver medal touched and blessed on the tomb of St. James the Apostle and a piece of rock from the Roman mausoleum that keeps the sacred remains of the apostle.

A new retablo made by a native-born sculptor, Justino “Paloy” Cagayat, Jr., was also inaugurated during this year’s fiesta celebration. The relics from Santiago de Compostela will be permanently enshrined there.

Paete started as a mission station of the Franciscans in 1580 under the leadership of Fray Juan de Placensia. In 1602, it was established as a parish.

Historical records show that in 1717, the first stoned church was constructed and was entrusted to the patronage of St. James the Apostle.

Due to natural and man-made calamities, the church underwent several reconstructions. FEAFadul/CBCPNews