Back to Homepage Projects
The Philippine Chapel in St.Bonifaz. Munich
We can trace the beginning of the Philippine Chapel in the Basilica of St.Bonifaz Abbey back to the "German Philippine Summer 1985", which was organized by the German Philippine Association (GPA) under the patronage of the late Prime Minister of Bavaria Franz Josef Strauß. The statue "Our Lady of Pakil'' was donated by Karl Fugunt, a member of the Association. It was consecrated during a solemn high mass in Munich s Jesuit church St.Michael on June 11, 1985 by three Philippine priests: Joel Tabora SJ, at present Director of the Institute on Church and Social Issues in Manila, Gabriel Casal OSB, now Director of the Philippine National Museum and Emil Santos OS, Universita Pontificia Salesiana in Rome. The consecration was attended by the Philippine Ambassador HE Ramon del Rosario and accompanied by the "University of the Philippines Concert Chorus", who sang the mass composed by Ryan Cayabyab. Rey Bautista, then President of the University of Baguio, solemny handed over the Madonna to the German Philippine Asssociation on behalf of the Philippine Community in Bavaria. Aurea Galarpe Helbig, GPA Regional Chairwoman Bavaria, found a permanent place for the statue in the Basilica of the Benedictine Abbey of St.Bonifaz thanks to the mediatorship of the Archdiocese of München-Freising and the hospitality of Abbot Odilo Lechner. The Abbey was founded in the mid l9th century by King Ludwig I of Bavaria, to whom the city of Munich owes ist cultural importance and who is also buried in ist Basilica. The solemn transfer of the Philippine statue to St.Bonifaz was accompanied by a holy mass celebrated by Father Tabora on October 18, 1985. The bronze base of the statue was made by Karl Herbich, owner of the foundry of the same name, husband of a Filipina and member of the GPA. St.Bonifaz has since developed into the Philippine Community s major center of pastoral care, visited by many clerics from the Philippines. Here masses hsve been celebrated by HE Jaime Cardinal Sin, the late Francisco Demetrio SJ, ethnologist and founder of the Museo de Oro of the Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro, Benjamin Raboy SVD, Dean at the University of San Carlos in Cebu Abbot Eduardo Africa OSB, "Monastery of the Transfiguration", Malaybalay, Bukidnon and others. It seemed desirable that the "Philippine Chapel" in St.Bonifaz shouid not be without artistic merit. On the occasion of the handing over a check to the "Philippine German Cebu Upland Project" team for the GPA Bayern project "Livestock Dispersal", Aurea Helbig became acquainted with Bart Boy Kiamko, a painter and sculptor living in Cebu. His design was used for the invitation card. The ceremony was held by the GPA, took place on February22,1991 in Cebu Plaza Hotel and was attended by VIPs of Cebu headed by Governor Lito Osmena. Artworks of this artist and of other artists of the Visayas were the subject of exhibitions dedicated to "Art and the indigenious elements", organized by CCP in twelve Philippine cities. At this stage Boy Kiamko was asked to design a mosaic for St.Bonifaz Abbey. In spring 1992, the mosaic relief "This is my Body, This is my Blood" was completed according to his design and with his assistance thrsugh Ferimar Inc.. Natural materials from Cebu and other Visayan Islands were used, such as marble, jade, mother of pearl, shells etc. Thanks to GPA President Rita Weyand, Mainz, the monumental 6.5 x 8 ft artwork with ist weight of ca 400 kilos arrived per air cargo and still on time. It arrived at Munich s new airport on ist very first day of operation, May 17, 1992. For the reason of transportation it had been dismantled into three parts. The company who carried out the installation of the mosaic in St.Bonifaz, the Malerische Hofkunstanstalt, which itself manufactures mosaics admired the beauty and ist unpayable quality. The artwork was blessed on the occasion of "Flores de Mayo 1992" by Francisco Demetrio SJ in the presence of a delegation of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, Manila, headed by Mrs. Catherine Paredes Maceda. The inauguration was attended and supported by Honorary Consul Fritz Haberl Munich. It was also accompanied by "Rondalla on Wheels", an orchestra composed of disabled children from Manila. Of course "Flores de Mayo 1992" on May 23./24 was a fiesta for the whole Philippine Community, ist families, children and friends.
Aurea Helbig feeling she owed to fulfil a promise and gratitude to Boy Kiamko, invited him to come to Germany for studies as well as for exhibitions of his drawings and fabric paintings in 1994.From October 1994 until March 1995 he stayed in Bavaria and Mainz as a guest of the German Philippine Asssciation in cooperation with German Philippine families. Abbot Odilo allswed the artis to convert the sacristy of the basilica s crypt into his workshop. During a two months seclusion, Boy Kiamko created another sculptural artwork decorated by marble mosaic for the Philippine Chapel: a endelabra designed to hold ten cendles. After this,living in the house of the Krammer family in Hollenbach, he made a new base for the Madonna by using the same tecnique. At the vernissage of his exhibition in Munich, which was sponsored by Honorary Consul Fritz Haberl, Boy Kiamko became aquainted with HE Ambassador Oscar Villadolid. At his invitation Boy Kiamko visited Italy s capital Rome in February for an exhibition of his artworks in the Philippine Embassy to the Holy See.
The history of the Philippine Chapel is ciosely connected with the "Flores de Mayo" celebrations, which have been organized there since 1986 for the Philippine Community of Bavaria and prlmarily devoted to the families and children. The little Queens of May and Princesses, their parents and friends have, in fact, contributed the biggest share of the financing of the Philippine Chapel. The celebration of the ten years jubilee of "Flores de Mayo" on May 25 and 26, 1996 was a good occasion to remind of the Philippine Chapel with its ensemble of Philippine monumental fine art at "Our Lady of Pakil" unique in Europe and situated on a prominent place of Germany.