# Cosmopolitan Church

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The **UCCP Cosmopolitan Church** is a [Protestant](/source/Protestant) church in [Manila](/source/Manila), [Philippines](/source/Philippines).

## History

### Establishment

The Cosmopolitan Church's establishment traces back to the 1930s when 60 members of the [Central Methodist Church](/source/Central_United_Methodist_Church_(Manila)) on [Kalaw Street](/source/Kalaw_Street), [Ermita](/source/Ermita), [Manila](/source/Manila) seceded from the American [Methodist Episcopal Church](/source/Methodist_Episcopal_Church) in March 1933. The secession was led by Rev. Cipriano Navarro, Dr. Melquiades Gamboa, and Rev. [Samuel Stagg](/source/Samuel_Stagg), who were instrumental to the creation of the Philippine Methodist Episcopal Church which in turn led to the establishment of the Cosmopolitan Student Church.[1]

### World War II

The Cosmopolitan Church building was established in 1936. During the [Japanese occupation of the Philippines](/source/Japanese_occupation_of_the_Philippines) in [World War II](/source/World_War_II) from 1942 to 1944, the building was used as a base of operations by church members who joined the [anti-Japanese guerrilla resistance](/source/Philippine_resistance_against_Japan). The building was eventually seized by Japanese forces in September 1944. It was rebuilt in 1945 after the building, along with many parts of the city, were razed and bombed in the [Battle of Manila](/source/Battle_of_Manila_(1945)).[2]

### Joining the UCCP

In 1948, Cosmopolitan Church, then under the Philippine Methodist Church, became part of the [United Church of Christ in the Philippines](/source/United_Church_of_Christ_in_the_Philippines).[2]

### The Marcos dictatorship

In 1975, then-Pastor Círilo A. Rigos, along with [Senator](/source/Senate_of_the_Philippines) [Jovito Salonga](/source/Jovito_Salonga), organized the Paglingap Ministry to Political Detainees, which interceded for the release of [political prisoners](/source/Political_prisoner), and offered financial aid to their families during the dictatorship of then-[President](/source/President_of_the_Philippines) [Ferdinand Marcos](/source/Ferdinand_Marcos) and his imposition of [Martial Law](/source/Martial_law_in_the_Philippines). Over 90 detainees were freed through the effort of Rigos and Salonga's organization after five years.[3]

### Contemporary events

In 2012, some members of Cosmopolitan Church, led by the-Pastor Phoebe Dacanay, [disaffiliated](/source/Religious_disaffiliation) from the UCCP.[1]

## Building

The church currently occupies a four-story building called Rigos Hall. It was named after Martial Law-era pastor Dr. Círilo A. Rigos on May 15, 1996.[4] The naming was an effect of the ratification of a Special Church Council Resolution.[4]

The Mary Boyd Stagg Memorial Sanctuary inside Rigos Hall is the main worship space for the church. In 1999, eight stained glass panels of stained glass were installed in the Sanctuary as part of the church’s 66th anniversary celebrations.[5]

The Angela Valdez Ramos Memorial Chapel within church grounds was dedicated on January 6, 1978, in memory of Angela Valdez-Ramos (mother of [President](/source/President_of_the_Philippines) [Fidel V. Ramos](/source/Fidel_V._Ramos)), for her role in the church's [Sunday school](/source/Sunday_school).[6] The Founder's Garden, is a courtyard located between the Chapel and the Memorial Sanctuary.[7]

## References

1. ["History - Our Beginnings"](http://thecosmopolitanchurch.org/history/). *Cosmopolitan Church*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052528/http://thecosmopolitanchurch.org/history/) March 4, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 30, 2015.

1. "Cosmopolitan Church" (Plaque outside building). At the entrance of Cosmopolitan Church in Manila: Philippine National Historical Institute. 2005.

1. ["The life, love and struggles of Jovito Salonga"](https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/79963-timeline-life-jovito-salonga/)

1. "Rigos Hall" (Marker inside building). Lobby of the Cosmopolitan Church in Manila: Cosmopolitan Church. June 24, 1996.

1. "Thanksgiving Marker" (Marker inside building). Mary Boyd Stagg Memorial Sanctuary, Cosmopolitan Church in Manila: Cosmopolitan Church. March 21, 1996.

1. "The Angela Valdez Ramos Memorial Chapel" (Marker inside building). Angela Valdez Ramos Memorial Chapel: Cosmopolitan Church. January 6, 1978.

1. "Founder's Garden" (Marker). Founder's Garden: Cosmopolitan Church. n.d.

## External links

- [UCCP Cosmopolitan Church Official Website](http://www.uccpcosmopolitanchurch.org/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cosmopolitan Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmopolitan_Church) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmopolitan_Church?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.