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Manalo was born on January 2, 1925. He took up law but left his studies to become a minister in the Iglesia ni Cristo. He became general treasurer of the church and circulation manager of the Pasugo magazine. He wrote a 64 page booklet attacking the deity of Christ, "Christ-God: Investigated-False".
On January 17, 1955, he married Cristina Villanueva. They have six children. (Their eldest son, Eduardo, has been trained in the work of the church). Eraņo is said to have a warm, friendly personality, is forceful and able administrator of the church and directs all matters concerning church life.
Ten years before his father's (Felix Manalo) death, Eraņo Manalo was elected successor to his father as Executive Minister.
The Iglesia ni Cristo has increased its expansion under Erano Manalo. By 1974 it had become larger than any other single religious denomination except the Roman Catholic Church.
The Iglesia Ni Cristo's foreign mission work began in Ewa, Honolulu, Hawaii on July 27, 1968. By 1974 it had 21 congregations and nine houses of worship owned by the Church in the United States. Ten of these congregations were in California. The services are conducted in English and/or Tagalog and follow the style of those in the Philippines, and hymns are sung in English and/or Tagalog. The movement has now spread to most U.S. states and other countries also, especially in Asia, Europe and the Middle-east, in places where Filipino workers and immigrants are located. Hower, its membership is still largely filipino.