What if a felled tree revealed a divine secret? That’s the story of Kambal na Krus Chapel. This small chapel holds a powerful history. It is a testament to faith and a symbol of hope for many.
The Kambal na Krus Chapel is a visita in Tondo Manila. It falls under the jurisdiction of St. Joseph de Gagalangin Parish. The chapel serves six barangays. Its Feast Day occurs every third Sunday of March.
Our story begins on March 23 1922. A young laborer named Crispino Lacandaso was chopping wood. He worked on a vacant lot at 1885 Juan Luna Street. The tree was an old sampalok tree around a hundred years old. Lacandaso struggled to cut the trunk. Finally he cleaved it in two. He saw a dark cross imprinted on both halves of the wood. The crosses were on a base.
This discovery of the Kambal na Krus or Twin Crosses was considered a miracle. Devout Catholics were amazed. The wood pieces were encased in glass. People flocked to the site from all over the city. A small chapel was built to enshrine the wood.
The Kambal na Krus Chapel has undergone renovations over the years. A major renovation in 2009 added a second altar. Two more floors were added to the structure. The second floor became the new choir loft. A rooftop area and bellcote were added on the third floor. The altar was overhauled. The chapel received new liturgical vessels. In 2013 the facade of the first storey was redesigned. It was made to look like it was built in the 19th century. The two crosses outside were changed into a wooden cross. The wall was changed into adobe.
During the fiesta people visit the Kambal na Krus Chapel to venerate the crosses. They show gratitude for the past year’s blessings. On Maundy Thursday many people select the chapel. They choose it as a station for the Visita Iglesia pilgrimage.
The Chapel’s Discovery Day is on March 23. However the actual celebration is on the third Sunday of March. A triduum of Masses precedes the fiesta day. Two Masses are celebrated on the feast day itself. One is in the morning. The other is in the afternoon. A procession follows. The fiesta commemorates the miraculous properties of the twin crosses.
The trunks have darkened making the crosses less visible. They flank a carved figure of crucified Christ. One piece is slightly larger than the other. Both are adorned with metal rays or rostrillos. Embroidered cloth serves as capes.
In 2022 the Kambal na Krus Chapel celebrated its centennial anniversary. A Pontifical Solemn Mass was presided over by Charles John Brown. The Community Fiesta was held on March 20 2022. It was presided over by Jose Advincula.
The Kambal na Krus Chapel stands as a beacon of faith. It reminds us that even in the most ordinary of things a miracle can be found. The story of the twin crosses continues to inspire. It invites us to reflect on our own crosses. It calls us to find hope and salvation in faith.