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Nan Zapanta: There’s a certain look to Europe. History built into the everyday. While much has changed, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) continues to expand across the world—reaching Europe through houses of worship built and restored for one clear purpose.
Nan: Europe’s religious landscape tells a long story—of belief, change, and time.
Paul Barnett: The city of London is an old city. It’s one that has been around since, well, even before the Roman times. And it’s full of old buildings, ancient history, ancient culture, but also very modern.
Nan: But in spaces once built for faith, are people now drawn more to the past than to worship itself?
Paul Barnett: It’s not a religious country anymore, I think. I think recent surveys have said that we are the most secular country in Europe, if not one of the most secular in the world now, sadly.
Nan: English Cathedral studies show visitors often come for heritage, architecture, tourism, or quiet reflection, and not necessarily worship.
Nan: After the re-establishment in the Philippines, the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church Of Christ continued its mission into North America in the 60s and reached Europe in the 70s starting with its pioneering congregation in London, England.
And in that same decade, to Germany, Austria, Greece, and Italy—followed by France, Spain, and Sweden in the 1980s.
By 1994, the Church Of Christ had now reached over 10 countries.
On July 27 of that same year, the late Executive Minister, Brother Eraño G. Manalo, traveled to Rome for a pastoral visitation, marking a key milestone in the Church’s history through its registration in Rome and the establishment of the Ecclesiastical District of Europe.
Paul Barnett: The local congregation of Battersea, when I first started attending, was in the current building, but that has only just been bought in 1994. Prior to that, there was an old building nearby in a place called Latchmere, and it was actually where I was baptized in 1998. We moved because Battersea was just growing too much.
Nan: Over time, as more worshippers gathered across the continent, the need for more houses of worship became clear.
Lito Valencia: During that time, because when we bought this place, so—this is not in good condition.
Paul Barnett: The Church of England were the ones who previously owned the building. The Diocese of Southwark. It was not being used, it was redundant. It was closed, almost. There was nobody attending anymore. And so we renovated it partially at the time. But by the time I joined, it was already in need of more renovation.
Nan: This growth continued despite the very clear and seemingly overwhelming challenges.
Susan van Leuveren-Avila: We hadden geen eigen kerk, dus we moesten iedere keer een kamer of huren om een kerkdienst te houden.
(We didn’t have our own [house of worship], so we had to rent a room every time to hold a worship service.)
Het was een hele moeilijke Mjd omdat je bent abankelijk van andere mensen die eigenlijk niet jouw geloof begrijpen.
(It was a really tough time because you’re dependent on people who don’t really understand your faith.)
Anastacio Martin Jr.: Antes, la capilla estaba en el sótano de la Calle Tarragona 108. El local de Horta fue adquirido en el año 2012 y anteriormente era propiedad de los Testigos de Jehová. Debido al amor y la preocupación de la Administración de la Iglesia De Cristo, el Hermano Eduardo Manalo, se compró el edificio por la misericordia y el amor de nuestro Señor Dios.
(Before, the chapel was in the basement on Tarragona Street, number 108. The Horta location was acquired in 2012 and previously belonged to the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Thanks to the love and care of the Church Of Christ Administration, Brother Eduardo Manalo, this building was acquired through the mercy and love of our Lord God.)
Nan: Over time, and across great distances, the care of the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, for the members of the Church Of Christ remained in view and numerous houses of worship were purchased, renovated, and dedicated across the continent. In the United Kingdom, places such as Newport, Wales; Manchester, England; to Belfast, Northern Ireland; to mainland Europe, in the major cities of Rome and Milan, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and central parts of Europe, as well as Hamburg and Dortmund, Germany.
Segundo Licud: Teniendo el deber de cuidador del edificio de adoración. Es un privilegio poder estar cada día en esta magnífica casa de adoración donde se refleja y se siente el amor de Dios.
(As the caretaker of the house of worship, it is a privilege to be here every day in this beautiful house of worship, where the love of God can truly be felt.)
Jerry Bartolome: When the Iglesia seal was being mounted outside, that seal is the landmark of the chapel.
Edna Solda: It’s of great, great, great importance to every member to be able to have a place of worship. It makes us peaceful in our lives. Makes us complete.
Nan: Throughout the region, Gothic architecture has long influenced architectural design, most prominently in religious worship buildings.
Raymond Frank: The buildings in Europe are older, they have more of a distinct look. Most of the time we can’t do too much because of the—these are the size of the buildings, or they have existing designs that we choose to incorporate. We try to keep it and just restore it and maintain it as much as we can.
Carlos Mateu Fernandez: Hay personas invitadas que han entrado en la capilla actualmente que aún recuerdan las butacas que utilizamos en el santuario que ya eran de la antigua iglesia, incluso del cine que había antes de la iglesia anterior.
(There are invited guests who have entered the chapel recently and still remember the pews we use in the sanctuary, which were from the old church, even from the cinema that used to be there before the previous church.)
En el exterior era como un edificio todo liso y ahora pues es con una cerámica con dibujos, acompañado por un mármol oscuro y el sello, el escudo de la Iglesia De Cristo que llama mucho la atención.
(On the outside, it used to be a completely plain building, but now it features ceramic tiles with designs, complemented by dark marble and the Church Of Christ’s emblem, which really stands out.)
La capacidad de nuestra congregación de Barcelona es sobre 1,300, 1,400 asientos.
(The capacity of our congregation in Barcelona is about 1,300 to 1,400 seats.)
Como tenemos la gran fortuna de que es la capilla más grande fuera de Filipinas, tuvo mucho trabajo, en especial el suelo. Cuando lo cambiamos y tuvimos que elevarlo porque era plano. Estaba con unas colas muy fuertes porque era como moqueta y madera. Y eso al sacarlo trajo mucha complicación. Y tuvimos que rascar que nos dejábamos las manos ahí rascando y luego lo enmoquetamos y ha quedado perfecto.
(We are fortunate that it is the largest chapel outside of the Philippines- and it required a lot of work, especially with the floor. When we replaced it, we had to raise it because it was flat. It had very strong adhesives because it was a combination of carpet and wood. Removing it caused a lot of complications. We had to scrape it off, and we ended up scraping our hands in the process, and then we covered it with carpet, and it turned out perfectly.)
Peter Rumpf: Ja, als wir das Haus, gekauft haben, war es sehr düster.
(When we bought the house, it was very gloomy.)
Dieses Gotteshaus war früher ein Gemeindesaal für Zeugen Jehovas, und wir haben es ihnen abgekauft.
(This house of worship used to be a community hall for Jehovah’s Witnesses, and we bought it from them.)
Der gesamte Eingangsbereich wurde nach hinten verlegt, was bedeutet, dass die gesamte Eingangstür, die sich an der Seite befindet, nach hinten verlegt wurde. Dadurch haben wir viel mehr Platz für die Brüder und Schwestern zum Sitzen.
(The entire entrance area has been moved to the back, which means that the entire entrance door, which is on the side, has been moved to the back. This gives us much more space for the brothers and sisters to sit.)
Nan: Many of the acquired properties within the region carry historic value, with some protected by law to preserve their exterior facades.
Jorgen Tijen-Afat: In principe zijn er niet echt veel wijzigingen aangebracht, want dat mocht niet van Stadsherstel. Want het is een monumentaal pand. Alles wat binnen is gebeurd, is alleen erop gezet. Alles wat origineel is, ligt nog steeds erachter.
(Basically, not many changes were made, because Stadsherstel didn’t allow it. It’s a historic building. Everything that was added inside was just placed on top; everything original is still behind it.)
Verven mocht wel, en natuurlijk zijn de banken in de kerk vervangen door nieuwe banken. En de vloer, het is een hele nieuwe vloer.
(Painting was allowed, of course, and the pews in the church were replaced with new ones. The floor is completely new )
Jorgen Tijen-Afat: In het begin zag het er heel erg vervallen uit, want al jaren hebben er geen activiteiten of bewoning plaatsgevonden.
(In the beginning, it looked very run-down, because for years there had been no activities or occupancy.)
En nu de Kerk er in zit, zie je dat het echt leeft.
(And now that the Church is in there, it really came to life. )
Het gebouw meer dan 200 jaar oud is. Het is een bakstenen gebouw, niet geïsoleerd.
(The building is over 200 years old. It’s a brick building and not insulated.)
Wat heel veel mensen misschien niet weten, een paar honderd jaar terug was de kerktoren afgebrand en dat is helemaal weer opgebouwd.
(What many people might not know is that a few hundred years ago the church tower burned down and was completely rebuilt.)
Nan: The vision of the Church Administration was realized through the purchase and renovation of these houses of worship throughout Europe.
Nigel Imber: I was here in the dedication of the church in 2014. Brother Eduardo Manolo was here. It was a very special occasion. I really feel great to be part of something. It makes me feel valued and to be working with the other brethren and making the house of worship beautiful, making it look great for God.We have ran big charity events. Really, really engaged with the Birmingaham community.
Roël Kendall: Ik ben rustiger geworden [sinds dat ik deel uitmaak van deze local congregation], want ik was vroeger wel zoekende naar geloof, vooral binnen de kerk dan zeg maar, en dan ook als christene. Maar ik vond dat, en dat vind ik eigenlijk nog steeds, andere kerken die van het christendom afstammen, daar vind ik geen aansluiting bij zoals ik dat hier [in de Kerk van Christus] heb gekregen.
(I have become calmer [since I became part of this local congregation], because I used to be searching for faith, especially within a church, you know, and also as a Christian. But I felt, and I still feel, that in other churches that stem from Christianity, I couldn’t really connect the way I have here [in the Church Of Christ].)
Vanessa Gauert: Es ist umso mehr wichtig, dass wir wirklich in jedem Teil der Welt und auch in jedem Teil Deutschlands sozusagen eine Kirche haben, der wir uns zuwenden können.
(It is all the more important that we really have, in every part of the world and also in every part of Germany, so to speak, a church that we can turn to.)
Es ist nicht nur die Kirche Christi hier in Hamburg, wo ich mich zu Hause fühle, sondern es sind verschiedene Kirchengemeinden auf der ganzen Welt.
(It is not only the Church of Christ here in Hamburg where I feel at home, but there are various congregations all over the world.)
Ich finde, natürlich haben wir die Technologie, mit der wir unseren Glauben teilen können, weil es ist einfacher. Wir haben zwar YouTube oder andere Social-Media-Kanäle, über die wir unseren Glauben teilen können, aber die wirklichen, wahren Lehren Gottes, die werden uns ja im Gottesdienst gelehrt. Das heißt, für uns ist es immer das Gotteshaus, wo wir Gott am nächsten sein können.
(YouTube or other social media channels through which we can share our faith, but the real, true teachings of God are taught to us in the worship service. That means for us it is always the house of worship where we can be closest to God.)
Nan: The presence of the Church Of Christ in this part of the world currently spans over 40 of the 46 countries in Europe.
Marco Boni: E oggi, Fratello Eduardo, io vedo un filo continuo. Cioè quello che fa fratello Eduardo è esattamente la continuazione del processo, diciamo così, di sviluppo e di amministrazione della Chiesa di Cristo. Ed è positiva la cosa. Per me è molto positiva perché quello che sta facendo è veramente grande.
(Today, Brother Eduardo, I witnessed a continuous thread. His work is a continuation of the Church Of Christ’s growth, administration, and development. I view this very positively because what he is doing is truly remarkable.)
In ogni cosa che la Chiesa riesce a fare oggi e che continuerà a fare è la mano di Dio.
(Everything the Church does today, and everything it will continue to do, is guided by God.)
Paul Barnett: If we’re fortunate enough to be granted our own place of worship, then it’s incumbent on us to care for it properly, to look after it in every aspect, not just spiritually, but also practically, also physically. If you have a garden, make it nice. If we have function halls, use it properly. And guard it 24/7. C herish it and respect it as the house of prayer and place of worship, where you go to pray, to meet God, to bring all your requests to God.
Nan: On a continent shaped by centuries of belief, tradition, and reform, the true Church stands united—its houses of worship built and preserved for one enduring purpose: to gather, to pray, and to worship God.
Nan: Thanks for joining me on this episode of Blueprint, where, in the end, everything is part of God’s plan.
