By Joseph Aries Señara, Anchor, Brigada News FM Cagayan de Oro
In a city known for adventure and golden friendship, tucked between the fast lanes and the riverside charm of Cagayan de Oro, there’s a place where time slows down and hearts open wide.
The Saint Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral isn’t just the grand Roman Catholic church you pass by on your way to the market or miss in the rush of travel plans. It’s a quiet witness to centuries of love, loss, faith, and new beginnings. It’s a place where every stone tells a story, and every candle lit holds a prayer whispered by generations.
You feel it the moment you step inside. The air shifts calmer, sacred. The sun filters through stained glass windows, coloring the marble floors with soft hues of red, blue, and gold. Outside, the city hums. Inside, you breathe differently.
This is no ordinary tourist spot. This is history, faith, and community all wrapped in one sacred space.
A Cathedral Built on Resilience
Long before modern Cagayan de Oro rose to fame, the early church stood its ground in Himologan, built in 1624 by the Augustinian Recollects under Father Agustin de San Pedro. Back then, the town faced frequent attacks. Fires razed the church not once, not twice—but several times. Still, like the faithful it served, it kept rising again.
Father Simon Loscos led the construction of the first stone church in 1843, together with local leaders and townspeople like Don Jose Corrales. It took years, but it stood strong. And when World War II bombed the city in 1942, the community came together once more, rebuilding not just walls but the very spirit of the city.
Today’s Neo-Gothic cathedral stands proud not because it’s perfect, but because it has endured.
Faith That Feeds Families
Every corner of the cathedral holds memories and opportunities.
Just outside, you’ll meet Aling Diosa, a vendor who’s been selling by the cathedral gate for over two decades. Her hands are weathered, but her smile is warm. “Tourists help me send my kids to school,” she says as she carefully arranges her colorful candles. “This isn’t just work. It’s my way of serving, too.”
It’s stories like theirs that show how sacred tourism can be how one visit can help put food on the table, keep a tradition alive, or build a future for someone’s child.
Why You Should Come
Saint Augustine Cathedral isn’t about grand ceremonies or picture-perfect moments though you’ll find plenty of both. It’s about connection. It’s where you go when you want to be reminded of what matters: faith, family, peace.
Whether you’re lighting a candle for a loved one, joining a quiet Mass, or simply sitting in silence while the choir sings, you’ll feel it that gentle pull toward something deeper. It’s a place to pause, reflect, and feel whole again.
And in choosing to visit, you’re doing more than just sightseeing. You’re supporting sustainable tourism. You’re helping small businesses. You’re saying yes to preserving a legacy for the next generation.
So come. Visit. Stay a while. Light a candle. Say a prayer.
Let the cathedral’s quiet strength remind you that healing is possible, that beauty lives in endurance, and that sometimes, the soul’s greatest adventure begins not on a beach or a mountaintop but right here, in a church that has stood for almost 400 years.
By Jaja Agpalo
Jaja Agpalo has a background in journalism and additional studies in international law and business communication. Her career includes editorial roles at leading international media outlets such as Business Times and Celebeat, where she covered business, economy, cryptocurrency, personal finance, gaming, technology, and entertainment. Outside the newsroom, Jaja enjoys discovering new places and cuisines, blending her love for storytelling with a passion for travel and food.