The Architecture of Procession, Pilgrimage and Penitence: Spatializing and Adapting Filipino Catholic Journey Rituals

Abstract

The rich culture of the Philippines is often proudly celebrated by its people with religion being at the forefront of everyday Filipino life. Being one of the most predominantly Christian nations in Asia, the Philippines is largely influenced by the tenets and traditions of the Catholic Church. With Catholicism being ubiquitous in the Philippines, there is an opportunity to challenge and rearticulate longstanding rituals in Filipino worship both in the public and domestic realms. A main focus of this thesis would be in deriving an architectural model from prevalent Filipino Catholic rituals. But how does one spatialize and adapt distinct Filipino Catholic ways of worship? Instilled with prominent themes of procession, pilgrimage and penitence, this study draws upon the idiosyncrasies of Filipino worship with a focus on processional rituals which act as bridges connecting domestic and public worship. The recurring theme of an experienced journey is prevalent in Filipino worship and is best exemplified by the Alay Lakad (Offering Walk) and the Visita Iglessia (Church Visitation), two institutions of communal worship during the Holy Week (the week culminating in Easter). Both rituals engage in public penance and the invocation of divine aid by reflecting upon the fourteen stations of the New Way of the Cross (a variant of the original stations that is unique to the Philippines). There is great potential in the propagation of this concept by adapting spatial understandings of procession rituals and challenging and rearticulating these spaces to better facilitate a pervasive sense of worship. With New Zealand seeing an almost exponential growth in the Filipino community there is an opportunity to create a space that can engage familiarity within Filipinos whilst evoking inclusiveness and universality to all visitors. This study aims to explore expressions of the journey rituals by spatializing and rearticulating Filipino worship into a framework that reflects and facilitates said rituals. Sited in Jerusalem, New Zealand (Hiruhārama) the project does not aim to define a regional vernacular but rather, to explore and suggest key concepts of Filipino Catholicism within an individual and communal expression. The final proposition suggests an architectural framework that is evocative of both the individual and the communal aspects of Filipino Catholic worship in regards to processional and penitence rites.