Pilar Manalo Danao

Pilár de Guzmán Manalo was born on March 10, 1914 in Punta Santa Ana, Manila, Rizal Province (now part of Metro Manila) to Honorata de Guzmán and Felix Manalo regarded by the members of Iglesia ni Cristo as the Last Messenger of God in These Last Days, months before the beginning of the First World War coinciding with the registration of the Church to the Philippine Government. Her name given by her father literally means "pillar." [1] Few months later, her father decided to move to Tipas, Taguig to teach his newfound doctrines to hometown neighbors where Pilar spent childhood with her younger sister.[1]

Pilar had five siblings named Avelina, Dominador, Salvador, Eraño (1925-2009), and Bienvenido. Eraño assumed INC leadership after their father's death in 1963.[8] She married Artemio Montes Danao, a dentist.[9]

Head Choir Director

In 1942, Felix Manalo consolidated all choir units under the post, Head Choir Director of the INC given to her daughter, Pilar Manalo Danao.[1] The post functions as overall head of the INC Music Department assigned on hymn line-ups for regular worship services and leading choristers, organists and all choir units. In the span of her leadership, she organized several classes for organists and for the choir.

Ang Himnario ng Iglesia ni Cristo (The Hymnal of the Church of Christ) is the official hymnbook of INC, written in Tagalog by Danao and first published in 1937. The latest edition of the Himnario, published in 2016 with copyright, states: "Hymns underwent several changes from recent publications, by choir directors of the church, all of which were written by Sister Pilar Manalo Danao".

Danao also composed hymns for the Children's Worship Services (CWS) and was originally included in the main hymnal. In 1996, a separate hymnal was published for the CWS entitled Mga Awit Sa Pagsamba Ng Kabataan Ng IGLESIA NI CRISTO ("Hymns for the Children's Worship Services of the CHURCH OF CHRIST").

While Danao's hymns were all originally written in Tagalog, these have since been translated into other languages such as English, Spanish and Japanese, for use at worship services and other functions of the Church locally and abroad.

Pilar Manalo-Danao Multimedia Center

The infrastructure commemorating the late Pilar Manalo Danao was inaugurated on March 10, 2014 coinciding the latter's 100th birth anniversary, by the current Executive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo. It was part of Centennial projects of the Church, which includes Philippine Arena, Philippine Sports Stadium, Honorata de Guzman-Manalo Building, Eraño G. Manalo Medical Center, Philippine Sports Center and New Era University Bocaue Campus .[12][13][14]

The building is located at the INC Central Complex, Quezon City Philippines comprising about 9,500 square meters. Classically designed but with a modern approach, the sunny-yellow infrastructure has eight levels. It consists of two basements, six upper floors and a roof deck. It has 200 rooms, serves as designated office for choir directors, songwriters and all those who part in the artistic works of the church.[12]

In the epic and biographical film Felix Manalo, Pilar is portrayed by Filipino actresses Snooky Serna and Carla Humphries respectively.[5][15][16]