THE PIPE ORGAN OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHEDRAL

The Cathedral Organ- The 2nd largest pipe organ in the Philippines THE PIPE ORGAN OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHEDRAL

A tourist attraction right at the heart of Ozamiz is the pipe organ found in the choir loft of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral. It is the only existing pipe organ in Mindanao and one among the few throughout the country.  How did the city acquire such a beautiful pipe organ? An Irish Columban priest, Father Sean Lavery, was in charge of the liturgical and musical development in the Immaculate Conception Cathedral. While training the choir and teaching the people to sing, he realized the need for an organ, not just any organ but a real organ. His dream became also the dream of the people of Ozamiz City. With the help of the people, funds were raised through donations and a musical extravaganza organized by Father Lavery and Mrs. Julia Adelaida N. Abinales raised enough money to buy the pipe organ.

Father Lavery asked the help of a German priest, Father Herman Schablitzki S.V.D., who came to Ozamiz City to get the specification needed to guide the organ builders in Germany. It took two years to build the organ. Two companies; namely, Ed­ward Wagenback of Limburg, Germany and August Laukuff Werkershein, Germany were involved in building the organ specifically for the tropics. All electrical connections were of silver while the chest and the console were of white oak. The organ has 1,936 pipes; 1,512 of which are flute pipes and 424 are reeds. The larg­est pipes and lead are only few inches long. The console has three keyboards, two of which are manuals and one pedal. It has thirty (30) stops. The organ is equipped with an electric blower and is completely noiseless.

When shipped to Ozamiz City the organ was contained in twenty-three crates. Father Schablitzki himself assisted by one carpenter and one electrician assembled the organ in six weeks. The installation of the pipe organ was completed on May 31, 1967. On this day, Father Schablitzki first played the organ dur­ing the Wednesday novena of our Lady of Perpetual Help. It was inaugurated on July 16, 1967; the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel observed all over the world and the feast day of Our Lady of the Triumph of the Cross observed in Ozamiz City.

The Immaculate Conception Cathedral is an excellent home for the pipe organ. Having perfect acoustics, it deserves an organ which an expert describes as the “The largest and the finest organ in the Philippines outside Manila”.