kapilya connections - part 3

(27 JULY SPECIAL EDITION - continued)

Afternoon glare (Jln. Nasional in Katanggawan, 2011 May 09)

Mint tint church (Mintal, Davao City 2011 May 08)

A quaint old chapel (J.P. Laurel, Malungon 2011 May 10)

Simple, whitewashed (Local in Tagum, 2011 April 10)

Kapilya and Gunung Matutum (Tupi, 2010 October 17)

December afternoon (Nursery Rd., Lagao 2011 December 27)

Last, but not the least, the local of Lagao..
(During the 97th INC anniversary night, 2011 July 27)

Hope you enjoyed the pics. You can vote for the most beautiful picture in the set by commenting with the caption of the picture. God bless!

Slamet ke-97 kawarsan Iglesia ni Cristo!
(Maligayang ika-97 kaarawan ng Iglesia ni Cristo!)

Dedicated to Leigh and Karen (Lagao locale), Michelle (Gen. Santos locale), Dizzle (Sugod locale), Donna (Upper Tambler locale); members of the Christian Brotherhood Intl. in MSU-GSC, and all of the Iglesia ni Cristo in Gensan, the Philippines and beyond.

kapilya connections - part 2

(27 JULY SPECIAL EDITION - 1st post)

On the occasion of the 97th anniversary of the Iglesia ni Cristo last Wednesday, 27 July, I am posting my best pictures of different INC churches that I had managed to take pictures with throughout my life.

Local of General Santos, afternoon (96th INC anniversary)...

...and at night (2011 June 25)

Blue hour
(Local of Prk. Malakas, 2010 December 02)

Pink
(somewhere in Bayugan, South Agusan, 2011 April 10)

Hilltop
(Monkayo, Comval Province 2011 April 15)

A chapel no more (Local of Acharon, 2011 June 08)

(demolished due to renovation and expansion)

Local of Paco, Manila (2009 April 26)

Standing tall
(Local of Sugod - Apopong, 2011 March 31)

(CONTINUED IN KAPILYA CONNECTIONS - PART 3...)

kapilya connections

Don't mistake me for an Iglesia ni Cristo member for this. I am (though not devotedly) a Roman Catholic by birth and current religious affinity. However, because of one close friend, I'm interested in religious sect, especially enamored with INC's unique church architecture. Note that this aside, I do not align or agree with the INC's religious dogma, beliefs and convictions, and that my enthusiasm over them doesn't not affect my own religious beliefs as a Catholic. The intimate understanding that I have for the INC is due more to religious pluralism and tolerance rather than actual sympathy.

KENOX S760 / Samsung S760, 1/125, f/2.8, 6.3mm, ISO 80,
Lokal ng General Santos, Kampung Kulon Dajanggas, Kutha Mayjen Santos, 2009 July. The local INC church (or cathedral as I would like to call it) of the Jeneral Santos locale a few days before the 95th anniversary of the INC last 2009 July 27.

(phototip: emphasize the loftiness of INC churches.)

People, especially those unfamiliar with the INC are often awestruck or intrigued with the sight of their churches or chapels, especially their pointy spires. Verily, I once found an issue of PASUGO (INC magazine) in the possession of a friend, who was obviously not of the INC. When I asked him how he got a copy, he told me that he asked his friend for one. Apparently my friend wanted to know why the INC builds such tall and pointy spires that flank the facades of their churches though they serve no obvious role in calling the faithful to worship - these spires being not fitted with bells as in a Catholic belfry nor with a loudspeaker as in Muslim minarets.

My high school classmate offered an even better legend. Having been raised in a Catholic school in his childhood, he told me that he and his classmates were once convinced that the INC spires are in fact "rocket spaceships" (note the INC chapel in the first picture, we were walking in front of it when he told me his story) that people would ride in and blast into space when the poopy hits the proverbial fan come Armageddon or the end of the world. Though there is obviously no truth in the "spaceship" theory of my classmate, it is known that the INC have strong beliefs in eschatology.

KENOX S760 / Samsung S760, 1/90, f/3.7, 11.7mm, ISO 100
The INC triwarna or tricolors in front of the Jen. Santos "cathedral". The INC flag is a vertical tricolor of (from hoist side) green, white and red with a golden seven-branched Menorah or candelabrum(the INC is big on the number 7. note also that the flags are flying in 7 poles) in the white layer.