National Shrine of St. Joseph, Mandaue City

The centuries old San Jose Church is the only church in the Philippines that has a life-like “Last Supper” with Jesus and his 12 apostles called Señor de Cena. It is one of the rarest religious relic in the orient. During the early years of the Spanish dominion in the Philippine archipelago, the church was the center of the Spanish authority. Catholic priests and missionaries preach Christianity as their first and important task upon reaching the Philippine shores.

In Mandaue, the Jesuits or the Society of Jesus controlled the religious affairs because they were barred from entering Cebu City by their rival religious order, the Augustinians and was forced to look places to minister the gospel northward from Cebu City. At first a small chapel was erected in Estancia. In 1601 the construction of the church started in its present location. The main part of the project was finished about 1638, but although the church was continually used, it suffered alterations and additions so that it was completed in its final form only in 1848.

- Official website of Mandaue City