Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of the Abandoned 4.69

Built by the Augustinians in 1700's, the church was destroyed by 2 earthquakes in 1816 and 1830 and by fire in 1891. Today the church stands as one of the oldest churches in Marikiina were countless spectacular weddings and religious events take place. With the founding of the City of Manila in 1571 by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, the first Spanish Governor General and Adelantado, he started a two-pronged drive to hasten the conquest of the islands and convert them to Christian faith. First, he used the armed might of the Spanish crown to subjugate the people, and second, through the use of the cross, the spiritual subjugation and conversion of the people to Christianity. To this end , Juan Salcedo, a favorite nephew of Gov. Legaspi was sent to Pangasinan and Ilocos Region. Meanwhile the settlements of Cainta, Taytay and Morong , were swiftly pacified and converted to faith. Likewise , the settlements of Taguig, Napindan, Los Banos and Sta. Cruz all along the shores of Laguna de Bay fell to the Spanish conquistadores.

In a coordinated move and in order to hasten the spread of the faith and spanish influence, groups of missionaries were sent to such pacified areas to undergo missionary work. the Franciscan order was sent along the bay areas, the Dominican friars in the San Juan area, and the Augustinian fathers along the Pasig and Marikina Rivers/ By such an arrangement then, Marikina, Pasig, San Mateo, Paay, Pateros, Malabon and Muntinlupa fell under the influence and responsibility of the Augustinian order. In 1572, Pasig was made a parish under the Augustinians and included the visitas of San Nicolas, Pinagbuhatan, Polo, Palatiw, Sagad, Agoho, Bambang, Palinao. Tipas, Mandavala, Buting and Maybunga. The visita of Maybunga, then part of Pasig, included the sitios of Marikina and San Mateo.

The Augustinian friars during one of their trips to spread the faith to unexplored areas, came upon a cluster of huts around a "manantial" (Chorillo) a spring with clear sparkling waters located at the foothills of what is presently the bundary between Quezon City and Marikina, at Barangka. The natives further informed them that the spring has medicinal properties. Impressed, the Augustinian built a visita in the immediate vicinity of the spring water to take care of the spiritual needs of the settlers in the area. The friars then expected their influence and activities to include nearby settlements of Tanong, Jesus dela Pena and Barangka. The visita at Chorillo, as the place was later on called, became the religious and social center of the area later on to be known as the town of Marikina. With characteristic missionary zeal, the friars extended their influence to other areas including the sitios of Culiat, Pansol and Cruz na Ligas.

In April 1630, Fray Pedro de Arce, apostolic ruler of the Archishopric of manila, approved the transfer of ecclessiastical control and supervision of the Marikina area to the Jesuits, and directed the Augustinians to cede the territory to the Society to be converted to ranch for the support of the College of Sn Ignacio in Manila. The order of confirmation was later given by Don Juan Nino Philippine Islands. The order further authorized the construction of a "mission village" in the town. The Jesuits then built a rest house in Barangka, later to be called the "Ostanza". The ruins of the said building can still be found in the present site of Barangka Elementary School. The Jesuits also decided to build a mission chapel near the banks of Marikina River, a rocky place which they called Jesus dela Pena. Cavada also considers the year 1630, as the year the mission church was completed, and where mass was regularly held.

Again, in March 10, 1687, the Augustinian fathers regained control of Marikina from the Jesuits and for purposes of ecclesiastical control, was added to the ministry of San Mateo. It is very interesting to note that the order came from Governor Gabriel Cruz Elasegui with instructions given to Don Juan Pimentel. Alcado of Tondo to "destroy and abandon" the chapel at Jesus dela Pena and build another one at a better and more suitable place. The reason for the transfer was because of the seasonal floods caused by turbulent Marikina River which at that time was confined in a narrow channels. The site chosen was the highest ground in the area, the boundary between Sta. Elena and San Roque on the opposite banks of the river. In 1689, as a result of religious controversies, Marikina was again ceded by the Augustinian to the Jesuits and subsequently made an independent parish in the year 1690. On October 23, 1791 the church was consecrated by the Archdiocese of Manila for the Virgin's said title so that it may never be used for any secular purpose.

On August 5, 2006, the parish church of Our Lady of the Abandoned in Marikina City was elevated into a Diocesan Shrine by the present Bishop of Antipolo, the Most Rev. Gabriel V. Reyes, D.D.