Protestants, mayor mark 99th year of Bradford chapel

The Bradford Memorial Chapel on Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City, nears its 100th anniversary next year.

“I am overjoyed knowing that we have become part of the historical landmarks of the province and that we are able to preserve this,” said Rev. Haniel Joses Torda Taganas as he unveiled a marker  yesterday to mark Oct. 26’s 99th year of the chapel of the Protestant congregation.

Taganas yesterday led a  one-hour praise and worship at the chapel attended by more than 600 people.

A  short procession was held before the unveiling ceremony in front of the chapel gate.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who turned 58 years old yesterday, talked about the  history of the church, saying the  chapel grew with the city.

The birthday celebrant, who is Roman Catholic, asked  churchgoers to pray for him and strengthen his faith.

Today there are  60 chapels of the United Chruch of Chirst in the Philippines (UCCP) all over Cebu province, five of which are in Cebu CIty.

About 2,000 chapels exist all over the country. Former president Fidel V. Ramos is a UCCP member.

The marker states that the chapel was the only Protestant national historical landmark in Cebu province declared by the Cebu City Council in 1983 and by the National Historical Institute (now National Historical Commission) in 1984.

The chapel was officially completed on Oct. 26, 1913.

Dwight Day of New York, wife of the treasurer of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America, funded its construction.

The chapel is named the Matilda Bradford Memorial Chapel in memory of a Christian mother, Matilda R.L. Bradford.

Commander Lyndon Ruiz, deputy assistant chief of unified staff for Civil Military Operations of the Central Command, Armed Forces of the Philippines, also attended yesterday’s celebration.

The decorative sidewalk in front of the chapel was repaired by the 53rd Engineer Brigade of Centcom. /Correspondent Tweeny Malinao