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After years of planning and preparations, the Cathedral Parish of St. Paul the First Hermit (San Pablo Cathedral), in partnership with the Diego Cera Organ builders, Inc., held on 25 March 2025, Solemnity of the Annunciation, the Blessing and Commissioning of its Mechanical Pipe Organ, considered at present as the largest of its kind in the Philippines. The event was attended by the lay faithful, clad in their Filipiniana attire, and various religious communities.
Most. Rev. Marcelino Antonio Maralit Jr., DD, Bishop of San Pablo, presided over the Blessing and the Solemn Mass that followed, accompanied by Rev. Msgr. Jerry Bitoon, HP, rector and parish priest of the Cathedral, and concelebrating priests. Included in the blessing of the instrument was its commissioning—calling forth the pipe organ to accompany the faithful in their prayers and worship.
In his homily, Bishop Maralit emphasized giftedness and its accompanying responsibility that the Blessed Virgin Mary exemplified in cooperating with the Divine plan. He called on the faithful to realize the various gifts they have been given and to put them into good use according to God's will. By doing so, like the Blessed Virgin Mary, they become accountable stewards for the Kingdom of God. He made example of the gift of music and singing that musicians are given, and how they offer these talents for God's glory.
After the Mass, a formal turn-over was made between the Diego Cerra Organbuilders, Inc., headed by the president, Mr. Celwin Tagle, and the San Pablo Cathedral, represented by Msgr. Bitoon. The signing of contracts was witnessed by the Cathedral Parish Finance Committee and the Cathedral Liturgical Music Ministry. In his message of thanksgiving, Msgr. Bitoon recognized the efforts of the various people who helped realize this great project. He also emphasized that the Cathedral, being the mother church of the diocese, should indeed be an exemplar of liturgical life, and the mechanical pipe organ is a concrete expression of the community's commitment to offer to God what is right and just. A San Pablo Cathedral Pipe Organ Foundation was also established, composed of various benefactors and experts who would be in charge of the upkeep of the instrument and its promotion as a religious and cultural heritage.
Then, a concert was held to highlight the grandeur of the newly-blessed instrument. Renowned musician, Magister Armando Salarza, began with pieces from Franz Josef Haydn and Johann Sebastian Bach, showcasing the wide range of musicality offered by the pipe organ in the hands of a true organist.
Sir Louie Angelo Oca offered another pipe organ composition by Bach, followed by a musical duet with Sir Rayson Ignacio, trumpeter, playing pieces by Sergio Militello and Georg Philipp Telemann. Sir Cristofer Catapang, the Musical Director of the Cathedral, sang a part of Bach's Passion by St. John, with Prof. Salarza playing once more the pipe organ. The Diocese of San Pablo Chorus and the Cathedral Liturgical Music Ministry offered choral music a companied by the pipe organ, highlighting the purpose of the instrument to accompany and uplift the singing voice.
The event is a testament to the Church's ever-growing appreciation of Sacred Music as a treasure of inestimable value. May the music of the Cathedral's mechanical pipe organ continue to inspire the faithful in offering to God their songs of praise and thanksgiving.
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