The Cathedral Parish of San Sebastian, Lipa City began in 1605 when Spaniards led by Don Diego de Salcedo discovered a community of farmers living in fairly good economic conditions at Lake Bombon, now Tagbakin, Mataas na Kahoy, Batangas. The Augustinians in the group started a religious mission called San Sebastian among these natives. However, due to several factors and circumstances, the community moved to various locations until it finally settled on its present site. When the rising waters of Taal Lake reduced the land area of residential and agricultural Tagbakin, they transferred to Balete. But the site was submerged by the lake in 1714 after the eruption of Taal Volcano. To avoid a similar occurrence, the townsfolk transferred to a
place far from the lake and volcano. Legend has it that they agreed to pray the rosary while walking and wherever they may be at the end of the 24th mystery, there the town will be relocated. Walking upland, they reached what is now Mataas na Lupa. The temporary poblacion and the church were thus resettled there. The location benefited everybody since it was along the main road that led to the coastal towns, the ground was high enough, and the east
winds were hedged in by high mountains. But after some time, the settlers had to seek another location due to the problem of water supply. The "better site" is the present site of the Cathedral.
Administered by the Augustinians beginning April 30, 1605 (and until the end of the 19th century) under the name "Convent of San Sebastian in Comintang" the first church building was made of light materials. The present building of "serious architecture, proven solidity and great proportions" was begun in 1779 and finally completed in 1865, on the first year of Fr. Benito Varas who administered the town until 1894. The big and attractive church was made of hewn stone and tiled
roof, a rectangular structure with the ceiling constituted of artistically painted wooden paneling in lieu of an arch to which were attached supports and strong beams crisscrossing the walls to protect the building from earthquakes. It had plain and simple altar ornaments without the extravagant carvings characteristic of the past century. During the 19th century, keen competition among Batangas, Bauan, Lipa, Taal and Tanauan, for the choice of the seat of the new diocese in the Southern Tagalog Region, with Batangas Province at the center, motivated the people to build extraordinary big churches. But on April 10, 1910, when the historic creation of the new diocese took place, its first bishop, Most Rev. Joseph Petrelli, D.D, selected LIPA as the SEE because of its cool climate. Hence, the San Sebastian church automatically became the Cathedral of the Diocese of LIPA. The church suffered heavily in 1944 during the Second World War. The parish priest, Msgr. Alejandro Olalia repaired it, the interior painting retouched, and two sides aisled added. Fr. Pedro G. Galende, OSA, wrote in his book, Angels in Stone, that "the emphasis (of the edifice) is placed on the mass, which appeals much more to the senses due to its harmonic organization. The three buildings - church, convent, and bell tower - are so closely associated with each other that they well exemplify the typical mission complex." In 1999, Msgr. Alfredo A. Madlangbayan, Parish Priest, spearheaded the repair and restoration of Lipa's most famous monument to the Christian faith, the now 220-year old Cathedral of San Sebastian which is slowly
deteriorating inside and out. This was to be the Lipeños gift to the Lord Jesus Christ on the elebration of His 2000th birth anniversary and as a fitting welcome to Jubilee Year 2000. Together with the San Sebastian Cathedral Millennium Restoration Committee, headed by Engr.
Isidro Reyes, the massive restoration, repair, repainting, renovation and construction where necessary were done to the façade, roof, dome, ceiling, walls and columns. The silver retablo at the main sanctuary was re-mounted on the main altar which was also lightly embellished by
refining the posts and ridges. In the process of restoration, and owing to the encouraging public
response to Msgr. Fred's various fund-raising projects and personal pleadings for donations, significant additions for beautification were made to the Cathedral and its surroundings. The seven Sacraments were artistically painted on the concrete walls at the right side aisle and customized printing with sallmetal texture of pictures of the 12 Apostles were mounted on the upper portion of the nave. Located at the right side aisle, too, is a tableau of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, a narrative in beautiful mixed artwork - sculpture in wood, stones and wall painting. As a crowning glory, the main door of the Cathedral was reconstructed with the 16-piece relleve in molave of the History of Salvation, from creation to Jubilee 2000. Meanwhile, the entrance to the Adoration Chapel was reconfigured at the left front side of the Cathedral (the new retablo for the Blessed Sacrament was mounted several months earlier). The yard fronting the Parish Rectory and Administration office formerly utilized as parking area has been reconstructed as a garden, provided with wooden benches for the spill-out of faithful during Church activities. It is now called the Paseo de San Sebastian. The existing meeting halls have all
been refurbished and an additional two were carved out from idle spaces. The Administration Office has been renovated, and a mezzanine added to have room for the restructured staff. A beautiful azotea adjacent to the rectory was built atop the garage. The Resurrection Chapel was converted into a two-floor edifice with an elegant Ossuary at the ground floor. The patio has now an array of plants and foliage, symmetrically planted among the monuments of saints. When fully
lighted in the evening, the patio is an enchanting place to meditate, rest and relax. The San Sebastian Cathedral is now a synergetic composition of structures for worship, religious art appreciation, and functionality. All these works for the splendor of the San Sebastian Cathedral were realized through the support, generosity and commitment over the years by countless faithful, many of whom will remain nameless.
