Stunning arts at The Shrine of The Little Flower

Across the street right in front of our Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 is a dome-type church. With my many travels through that terminal, I never knew and did not bother to know the name of the church until yesterday 22nd of June.

The photo on this Flickr site will give you the idea of what exactly I am talking about because the photo was taken right in front of the airport terminal.

^{Design above the church front door from the inside.}

One of my friends from college invited us for the christening and celebration of the first birthday of her baby girl. When she sent us the invitation, I noted the baptism will be held at the Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City. I wondered where that is and asked my friend for direction on top of depending on Waze or Google Map. Three rides and about an hour and a half travel from my location. Cool! Here's to another discovery of new places!

There were few people in the church when I got in. I took a seat and the next thing that I noticed are the very colorful giant stained glass windows. As always, colors catch my eyes. I fought the urge of roaming around and start taking photos because I haven't yet presented myself to my friend whom I spotted near the front to the left. She got in where I thought is a room where they keep their baby's stuff. I did not realize it was a chapel or more so like a prayer room where the baptism will be held. Then I thought it was better that the baptism was held in there because I felt that we, the family and the guests, were closer together than in a very wide main church hall.

After the baptism, the priest encouraged us to take our photo shoot in the main church hall so we got out from the chapel and did as the priest recommended. He told us to take the opportunity of using the grand sofa right in front of the altar since the wedding that it is to be used for will still be in the afternoon. Wedding? I looked around and noticed the red carpet. Oh yes, we do not have red carpet on regular says. It was just pass 10:00 o'clock in the morning.

While my friends and I were waiting for our turn with the baby for the photo shoot, we were quickly chatting about how beautiful the church is. And she said, "dito ka na ikasal!"

"Have your wedding here!"

Hah! My friend is sometimes shocking. Of all things, she immediately thought of my wedding. We both laughed.

I made a very quick round to take photos after the photo shoot with the family and our fellow guests. I can not take my time because we have to move to the reception area. I guess I got enough photos for now.

From the altar to the right is a doorway and above the doorway is this glass painting of I thought is Mother Mary holding baby Jesus.

Turning from that doorway towards the back of the church, these seven stained glass windows will not pass my eyes.

I noticed the seven paintings on each side of the church and I immediately thought of the fourteen stations of the cross. At first I can not relate that the fourteen paintings are about the fourteen stations because they are not the usual scenario of the fourteen stations. I had to take a closer look and realized that the representation of the fourteen stations are below the main painting. For this one, notice the scenario on the semi-circle below St.Therese's feet. That is one of the fourteen stations.

On the other side to the left from the altar is another doorway. Above that doorway is this stained glass painting. I thought it is the risen Christ ascending to heaven, right hand held high and leaving his blessings to the world while the left hand is holding the Bible. It is the fifteenth that is added to the stations of the cross.

Continuing the view from that painting towards the back of the church are the other seven paintings that contains the second seven of the fourteen stations.

According to the The Shrine website;

The dome contains 16 additional stained glass windows depicting the Popes of the Catholic Church. Notable works of art in the Shrine include several sculptures of Filipino Artist Toym Imao: St. Thérèse as Doctor of the Church, San Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod.

Since I do not know all the other paintings, I think those additional glass windows being referred to as depicting the Popes are the main paintings above every doorway on each side of the church. Here are two close-ups of those paintings. Again, notice the painting inside a semi-circle below the main painting. Those are the stations of the cross.

Below each giant stained glass window is a doorway which is also adorned with beautiful stained glass painting of adorable cherubs and lovely flowers.

Let us take a closer look at the flowers. Without knowing from my post, can you tell that this is a stained glass painting?

How about these adorable cherubs? Can you tell that they are in stained glass painting if I haven"t said so? I won't. I would think that the painting is on a plain canvass.

As we were exiting the church, I made a quick turn-around and had few clicks of each side.

This one on the left has the first seven of the fourteen stations.

This one is on the right contains the second seven of the fourteen stations.

While we were chatting at the reception, I mentioned to my friend how amazing the artworks in the church are. She said yes, the paintings are really beautiful and finally she saw what's inside the church that she's been seeing from the airport. And that is when I realized... Yes, that is the dome church we see its back from the airport! Now we got the chance to see the front and inside of it. It is funny that I realized how naive I was.

After the reception, one of my friends invited me for a walk at the Resorts World Manila which is just another few blocks away and is a walking distance from there. We walked out and traced our way back to the church which is the way to Resorts World. This time, I made another quick click to get this shot of the front of the church.

Notice the two domes on each side of the church. Those are the two arms of a cross. That is because the church is a cross shape from top view.

I went home still thinking about the amazing stained glass paintings. How blessed are the hands that made them! And, my curiosity about St. Therese was not forgotten so I checked.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (French: sainte Thérèse de Lisieux), born Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin (2 January 1873 – 30 September 1897), also known as Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, O.C.D., was a French Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun who is widely venerated in modern times. She is popularly known as "The Little Flower of Jesus", or simply "The Little Flower"._Source