AFTER more than two decades of being kept in another town, three historic chandeliers that once illuminated the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City have finally returned home.
The chandeliers, each more than 50 years old, were brought back to the church on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 after being stored in a parish in Badian town for over 20 years.
Fr. Ian Fel Balankig, a member of the team of pastors at the National Shrine of St. Joseph, shared that the chandeliers were taken to Badian around 2004 when the Mandaue church underwent major renovations following a devastating fire that struck the city in 2002 that razed the city’s public market and damaged portions of St. Joseph’s Academy and the shrine itself.
“At that time, during the renovation, some of our chandeliers had to be taken down. The parish in Badian requested if they could keep them temporarily,” Balankig said.
“There was an agreement among the priests back then, though only verbal, allowing them to safekeep the chandeliers,” he added.
He said the chandeliers were made sometime in the 1970s or 1980s, with a gothic design that reflects the traditional beauty of the old Mandaue church.
“These chandeliers have no official name; but through time, people began calling them the ‘Mandaue Chandeliers,’” he added.
Representing faith and memory
According to Balankig, the chandeliers hold more than just artistic value as they represent faith, identity and memory for the people of Mandaue.
“Before I was assigned here, I already heard stories about these chandeliers,” he said.
“The people of Mandaue have been longing to see them back, because they are a part of their faith and their history as Mandauehanons,” he added.
The priest said after several rounds of coordination and discussions between the two parishes, the return was quietly facilitated earlier this month.
To ensure the Badian church would not be left bare, a different set of chandeliers from Mandaue was exchanged.
“The parish in Badian has always known that these chandeliers belong to Mandaue. There was mutual understanding that one day, they would be brought back,” Balankig said.
He said the chandeliers’ return also supports the shrine’s ongoing preparations toward becoming a basilica, an aspiration that requires three major elements which are historical significance, strong devotion, and architectural and artistic value.
“The return of the chandeliers is part of fulfilling that third element, the artistic and architectural beauty of our church,” he explained.
The priest also revealed that the chandeliers, though still beautiful, have aged through the years. Their antique finish has dulled, and some parts need repair.
For now, only minor fixes will be made to prepare for their lighting ceremony on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
“In the meantime, we’ll do short-term repairs so that the chandeliers can be properly displayed for the ceremony,” Balankig said. “Later on, we’ll have major restoration work, repainting, replacing some glass parts, and ensuring they shine again like they used to.”
The lighting ceremony will mark not only the chandeliers’ physical return but also a symbolic rekindling of faith and heritage among the Mandaue’s Catholic community.
“What we are witnessing is more than just the return of old chandeliers, it is the return of a piece of our story as a people,” Balankig said. “These chandeliers have seen generations of Mandauehanons pray beneath their light. Bringing them back is like bringing back a part of our soul.” / ABC