7p
San Diego de Alcala Cathedral - Singles (50,000)
Miniature Sheets of
Five (10,000)
Project Proponent: San Diego de
Alcala Parish Pastoral Council
Design Coordinators: Dr. Ngo Tiong Tak, Corazon T. Loza,
Rev. Msgr. Ramon T. Tiama, H.P.
Concept/Designer: Rev. Msgr. Ramon
C. Tiama, H.P.
Graphic Designers: Diosdado M.
Forbes, Jr., Randolp Siscar
First Day Covers: Manila; Gumaca,
Quezon
Stamp Design:
San Diego de
Alcala Cathedral and the official LOGO of the 425th celebration. The
(3) main features of the Cathedral at present: The original facade
of the Church with its artistic Franciscan Characters, the
reconstructed bell tower backed to its
former grandeur; the dome of the church constructed several years
after it was declared a Cathedral. The prominent numerical figures
425 putting emphasis the main reason of the celebrations. The Patron
Saint, SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA, in whose honor the church Cathedral is
named after, with two symbols, this holy saint is known for The
CROSS and the
BREAD. On the left upper most part of the circular frame - the HOLY
SPIRIT illustrated as in a form of the flying bird. As the Diocese
of Gumaca is celebrating now, the year of the HOLY SPIRIT.
San Diego de Alcala Parish, 425th Foundation
Anniversary
The Parish of San Diego de Alcala was established in 1582 in its
present site and was transferred to Silangan in the island of Alabat
in 1638. It was burned by Dutch invaders in 1665 and reconstructed
at its present site in 1846. It is bounded at the southeast by the
municipality of Lopez, at the south by the sea, and at the northeast
by the municipality of Plaridel, formerly a barrio of Atimonan.
The first parish priest was either Fray Diego De Oropesa or Fray
Esteban Ortiz of the Franciscan order. The church, now a cathedral,
located at the town proper of Gumaca, is the biggest in the province
of Quezon, In 1685, the church was burned again by the Dutch.
Reconstruction of the church was begun in 1690 and was finished in
1947. The church edifice and the adjoining convent was renovated in
1846. During the big earthquake that hit Gumaca in 1937, the
uppermost portion of the church belfry toppled down and was
constructed and completed in 1999 and the choir loft was added later
on during the time of Msgr. Jose Oliveros. Renovations continued and
Msgr. Ramon C. Tiama initiated and took the responsibility of all
the major repairs and constructions left behind, inside and outside
the cathedral since 2002, up to the present, like the dome, the
long-span roofing with the four dormer windows for ventilation and
lightings, the whole ceiling, the sanctuary including the much
bigger sacristy.
The first Filipino parish priest was Fr. Antonio de Luna who was
appointed in 1837.
The cathedral church is the venue for the ordinations of seminarians
for the deaconate and the sacred ordination to priesthood of those
deacons who are from the locality since its canonical erection in
1985. Being the seat of the diocese, the cathedral hosts all
important diocesan celebrations.
The parish of San Diego de Alcala is a very progressive parish due
considerably to the creative and hardworking pastors assigned to the
parish since it became the cathedral.