The Malate Church is a small Catholic church built in the on the shores of Manila Bay. It is one of the oldest churches in of Manila outside of Intramuros: it was begun in 1588. by Augustinian monks, and by 1591, the stone church and monastery were already were completed. If you look at the church from the air, you can see that the roof of the church is in the shape of a cross. It is customary to hold weddings and baptisms in this church.
During the brief occupation of the Philippine Islands by the British from 1762 to 1763, British soldiers took shelter here during hostilities. Later, in 1773, the church was destroyed and then rebuilt. Other serious damage to the church building occurred during the typhoon of 1868, but people raised funds for another rebuilding of the shrine, which, however, took until 1898. Finally, during the fighting of World War II, it was almost destroyed - the Japanese set fire to the church itself and the adjacent monastery. Only the walls survived. But by 1950 the roof had been restored, the chancel, vault and transept rebuilt. In 1978, the interior walls of the church were painted with frescoes, and the exterior was restored. The current facade of the church is "an interesting mix of Muslim and Baroque architecture". The imposing stone structure stands out with its cylindrical pillars, several openings and lavish ornamentation, which some find overly colourful.
The church is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary the Comforter, who is considered the patron saint of pregnant women. In 1624, a statue of the Virgin Mary was brought from Spain. Virgin Mary, which still stands at the altar today.
Just in front of the church is the small Raja Suleiman Park. It is separated from the seafront Manila Bay it is separated from the Manila Bay waterfront by Rojas Boulevard, on which there are many cafes and restaurants.
