I was initially confused about the name of this austere church in Lipa, some call it Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and some Our Lady of Mediatrix. A few Google queries answered my questions. According to the Archdiocese of Lipa website, the church is officially called the Monastery of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace (a mouthful, I know), and is part of the Carmelites convent in Lipa City.
The story goes that the church was founded in 1946, a year after Lipa was ravaged by the Japanese forces during the Second World War. The Carmelites from Manila then transferred to Lipa, which coincided with the feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace.
The seat of the Archdiocese of Batangas, San Sebastian Cathedral or simply Katedral (Cathedral) to Lipa’s locals, was the next destination in our Batangas daytrip.
Not really part of the plan (the plan being to eat at Casa Rap, buy a Batangas Starbucks Global Icon City Mug, have coffee and then go home), but since we’re already at Batangas and it was still quite early, I was thinking, why not check it out.
According to the National Historical Commission marker near the gargantuan wooden doors, the church was originally from the shores of Bombon Lake but was destroyed by Taal Volcano’s 1754 eruption. The rebuilding of the cathedral on its present location was done in 1865 under Rev. Benito Varas, its then parish priest.
