 Lipeños visit this place often without knowing that this church, The San Sebastian Cathedral, is the product of the townsmen’s motivation to build astonishing huge churches to compete with other cities nearby for the seat of the archdiocese in 1910. On that same year, Lipa was chosen by Most Reverend Jospeh Petrelli, D.D, to be the Diocese covering the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Quezon Marinduque and Mindoro and later made the seat of the Archdiocese. It was constructed simple and bare without the murals and paintings until the 19th century when the colorful and extravagant images were drawn on the walls and ceilings. San Sebastian Cathedral is raised from rough-hewn, rectangular stone and has a six-storey octagonal bell tower that rests on a rectangular base of the small dome on top. | The San Sebastian Cathedral also features a grand baroque designed pipe organ which is the only one in Batangas Province and one of only 59 units in the Philippines. |
| How to get to San Sebastian Cathedral in Lipa City: There are two ways to get to the church: 1.) Commute by jeep going to the city proper from Calamba, Tanauan, Batangas City, San Jose, Rosario or San Juan or by bus from Manila to Balagtas or Tambo exit then jeep to the proper. 2.) By private vehicle from Manila, take South Luzon Expressway to Tambo exit, turn right and drive pass Robinsons and Mcdo by taking the right lane straight to the proper. San Sebastian Cathedral CM Recto Ave., Poblacion, Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines Tel. No. +63 (43) 981-1160 Schedule of Mass Sunday : AM 5:00 6:00 7:00 8:15 and 9:30 PM 3:00 5:00 6:00 and 7:00 photo credits : Amy Bautista |  |