Mary Queen of Peace Shrine (EDSA Shrine),
EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City
Completed 2002
The
Baptistery was completed in 2002, commissioned by Rev. Fr. Socrates Villegas, EDSA
Shrine’s very first Rector who was Rector at the time and who provided the
concept of the new space: Exodus. Fr.
Villegas stated that the metal basin that had been used in San Lorenzo Ruiz
Chapel was no longer considered sufficient for baptisms.
John
Paul II speaks of Exodus in his 1995 encyclical “Evangelium Vitae”: “The
fullness of the Gospel message about life was prepared for in the Old
Testament. Especially in the events of the Exodus, the centre of the Old
Testament faith experience, Israel discovered the preciousness of its life in
the eyes of God. When it seemed doomed to extermination because of the threat
of death hanging over all its newborn males (cf. Ex 1:15-22), the Lord revealed
himself to Israel as its Saviour, with the power to ensure a future to those
without hope. Israel thus comes to know clearly that its existence is not at
the mercy of a Pharaoh who can exploit it at his despotic whim. On the
contrary, Israel's life is the object of God's gentle and intense love.”
Fr.
Villegas’ selection of Exodus as the theme of the new Baptistery adheres to the
goal of EDSA Shrine to evoke the country’s deliverance from bondage and
“despotic whim.”
The
Baptistery is a gathering of distinct architectural components that help maintain
the clarity of the existing context created by EDSA Shrine's architect Francisco "Bobby" Mañosa.
The
space of the Baptistery is a perfect circle at the exact center of the light
well located to the immediate right of the sanctuary of EDSA Shrine. Depending on the need, the Baptistery can be
visible to the rest of the worship space or be shielded from view by sliding
into place a series of capiz door panels that are sufficient in number to
completely surround the space. The capiz
ceiling of San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel inspires the capiz of the door panels, capiz
being a material that shields the view but permits the light through.
The
central element is the solid marble Baptismal Font, composed of two basins. Closer
to San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel is an upper basin in the shape of a deltoid triangle,
for the baptism of infants by pouring.
Concentric with the circular plan of the space is the lower, larger
basin, a larger immersion pool at floor level, for the baptism of adults by
immersion. Connecting the upper basin
with the lower basin is a pair of carved marble blocks that represent the
parting waters of the Red Sea, reflecting the moment described in Exodus
Chapter 14 Verse 16 when God commanded Moses to “lift up your staff and stretch
out your hand over the sea, and split it in two, that the Israelites may pass
through the sea on dry land.”
The
staff of Moses plays an important role in the story of Exodus, and is first mentioned
in Chapter 4 when God tells Moses to use it “to perform the signs” by which the
people would be brought to freedom. At
the Baptistery, the long Bakawan handle of each capiz door panel that surrounds
the Baptistery symbolizes the staff of Moses.
Shielding
the Baptistery from the direct sunlight, and suspended from the pyramidal glass
skylight, is a large capiz “cloud” or shield in the shape of a curved
equilateral triangle, or deltoid curve.
It symbolizes the cloud and the Trinity that Pope John Paul II refers to
in June 2000: “…the mystery of the Church, which has been made a community of
salvation by the presence of God the Trinity. Like the ancient People of God,
she is guided on her new Exodus by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of
fire by night, symbols of God's constant presence.”
The
Baptistery thus augments the significance of EDSA Shrine by introducing the
Exodus narrative close to the sanctuary.
