Just as the Palacio del Gobernador nearby was the seat of government during the Spanish times, the Manila Cathedral was the seat of religious power at that time as it is now. The cathedral is dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the patroness of the Philippines. It is the currently the seat of the Archbishop of Manila and naturally the cathedral of the archdiocese of Manila.
Following the tradition of The Three Little Pigs, the Manila Cathedral has been rebuilt several times, first because the hut from grass was destroyed by a typhoon, the second, third, fourth cathedrals to stand here were all destroyed by powerful earthquakes, the same earthquake the damaged the nearby Palacio del Gobernador. The fifth cathedral was destroyed, not by nature, but by man, in the bombing of Manila in World War II.
The present structure is the sixth, and hopefully the strongest, is now named a minor basilica by the Pope. It is also a popular place for weddings owing to its long aisle. It is one of the few churches in the country to be air-conditioned. Normally, only Archbishops of Manila are allowed to be lain in state here, however just recently, the church allowed the remains of deceased President Corazon Aquino to lie in state. She was a strong supporter of the Catholic Church of the Philippines, and the Church was a strong supporter of her. It came was no surprise that this protocol was not followed.
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