Boso-Boso church - Antipolo City

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Located at Antipolo’s old township, Sitio Boso-Boso, Barangay San Jose, the Boso-Boso church is a remnant of the 16th century. Franciscan missionaries arrived in Antipolo area in pre-Spanish colonization era, 1578, and established the oldest church in Antipolo City. In 1591 they were replaced by the Jesuits who organized the village into a parish. It was destroyed during the Second World War. It

The first church was built as a mission church by the Franciscan missionaries sometime in the late 16th to early 17th century. The Jesuits eventually took over the mission there in the 17th century who began constructing a new church made of stone and brick, It was turned over to the seculars in 1768 when the Jesuits were expelled from the Philippines.

In 1880, an earthquake caused significant damage to the church. Owing to the dwindling population in the area, the damaged portions of the church were not rebuilt.

In 1930, the Americans planned to build a dam in Boso Boso, Thus, the remaining inhabitants were ordered to resettle elsewhere. The dam project was eventually abandoned due to a discovered earthquake fault line, yet the people did not return until the time of the Japanese occupation. Even then, whatever that was left of the church was subsequently burned down by the Japanese, leaving only the lower portion of the original church facade intact.

As the area was eventually resettled, administration of the parish was taken over by the Camillian order in 1986 who helped organize the restoration of the church. Restoration was completed in 1995,preserving the original remaining façade of the old church with the rebuilt portions built as close as possible to the simple, sparse architecture of the old structure.

Historical Marker

Facade, first version

Bell Tower

Wall, left side

Buttress

Wall of the Apse (behind the Altar)

Arch Portal leading to the Bell Tower

Nave and Choir Loft

Narthex

1. Old Churches in the Philippines

Boljoon Church - Cebu.

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The Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio de Maria Parish Church (Our Lady of Patronage of Mary Parish Church), commonly known as Boljoon Church, is a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to the Our Lady of Patrocinio in the municipality of Boljoon, Cebu, Philippines, under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu.

It has been declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines and a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. It is also under consideration for the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Philippines as a member of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines (Extension).

Boljoon (also spelled Boljo-on) began as a small Christian settlement named Nabulho. It became a visita of Carcar in 1599, and a small chapel was placed under the advocacy of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was elevated to a parish on October 31, 1690, based on the decision of Father Francisco de Zamora, Provincial of the Augustinians, as a result of the increasing number of Christians in the area. The decision was implemented upon the appointment of Father Nicolás de la Cuadra as its first parish priest on April 5, 1692. As early as 1732, the Augustinians proposed to leave Boljoon, owing to a shortage of priests; they eventually left on September 27, 1737. Administration of Boljoon was later transferred to the Jesuits. The Augustinians returned to Boljoon in 1747 in exchange for Liloan, Cotcot and Maraling from the Jesuits.

In 1782, earlier buildings in Boljoon were destroyed by pirates. The present church of Boljoon was built by Augustinian priest Father Ambrosio Otero in 1783. Construction of the church was continued by Father Manuel Cordero in 1794 and completed by Father Julián Bermejo in 1841. Father Bermejo also built other structures as part of Boljoon's defense network, such as the watchtowers and blockhouse. The church was later restored by Father Leandro Morán, the last Augustinian priest of Boljoon, who served from 1920 to 1948. The following year, the Archdiocese of Cebu took charge of Boljoon. Father Zacarias Suñer was appointed as the first secular parish priest of Boljoon in 1958.

In 2007, restoration work was performed through the Boljoon Heritage Foundation, with funding from the Cebu Provincial Government.

The church was declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute in 1999, and it was listed as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2001. It is the only church in Cebu listed as a National Cultural Treasure.

It is also a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Philippines under the Baroque Churches of the Philippines (Extension) nomination, along with the San Pedro Apóstol Parish Church in Loboc, Bohol, La Inmaculada Concepción in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, San Matías in Tumauini, Isabela, and San Isidro Labrador in Lazi, Siquijor.

The church is a fortress church, built of coral stones and located on a hill near the sea. It originally served as a watchtower for possible Moro raids. The church is known for its original terra cotta roof tiles and its distinct folk art or Filipino Baroque style, predominantly on its choir screen and pulpit. Twenty-eight pillars support the 2-metre (6.6 ft) thick walls made of mortar and lime. Its ceiling paintings are the work of Miguel Villareal, a native of Boljoon. The three gates and the walls of the church are made of coral stones and were constructed from 1802 to 1808 under the auspices of Father Bermejo.

1. Old Churches in the Philippines

The Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral

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The Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, also as The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of St. Vitales (consecrated to the blessed name of Jesus and dedicated to the saint), or The Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Vitales is the ecclesiastical seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cebu in Cebu, Philippines. Cebu was established as a diocese on August 14, 1595. It was elevated as a metropolitan archdiocese on April 28, 1934 with the dioceses of Dumaguete, Maasin, Tagbilaran, and Talibon as suffragans. Before being raised as a primatial church in Cebu, the temple was the first church in the Philippines dedicated to St. Vitales and built near the fort in April of 1565 by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Fray Andrés de Urdaneta.

Construction of the cathedral took many years due to frequent interruptions, brought about by lack of funds and other unexpected events. At one time, funds meant for the building of the cathedral were diverted to the moro wars. The death of an incumbent bishop who spearheaded the construction/reconstruction and vacancies in the office were also factors.

The architecture of the church is typical of Spanish colonial churches in the country, namely, squat and with thick walls to withstand typhoons and other natural calamities. The facade features a trefoil-shaped pediment, which is decorated with carved relieves of floral motifs, an IHS inscription and a pair of griffins. The Spanish Royal Coat of Arms is emblazoned in low relief above the main entrance, reflecting perhaps the contribution of the Spanish monarch to its construction.

During World War II, much of the cathedral was destroyed by Allied bombings of the city. Only the belfry (built in 1835), the facade, and the walls remained. It was quickly rebuilt in the 1950s under the supervision of architect Jose Ma. Zaragosa, during the incumbency of Archbishop Gabriel Reyes.

In 1982, a mausoleum was built at the back of the sacristy at the initiation of Archbishop Julio Cardinal Rosales. It serves as a final resting place for the remains of Cebu's bishops and clergy. Cardinal Rosales, who died three months after inauguration of the mausoleum, is interred there along with Archbishop Manuel Salvador, a coadjutor archbishop of Cebu, and Archbishop Mariano Gaviola, the archbishop of Lipa (1981–1993). The remains of Bishop Juan Bautista Gorordo, the first Filipino and Cebuano bishop of Cebu, are also interred there.

The cathedral was renovated for the 75th anniversary celebration on April 28, 2009 of the elevation of Cebu into an archdiocese. An application is pending at the Vatican for the cathedral's elevation into a minor basilica in honor of St. Vitalis, an early Christian martyr. His feast day coincides with the day the image of the Sto. Niño de Cebu was found almost 450 years ago, as well as the anniversary of the elevation of Cebu into an archdiocese.

Since early of 2014, the present rector and parish priest of the cathedral is Reverend Monsignor Ruben Labajo, PC

History

Before dispatching to the Philippines, Legazpi was mandated to build a church near the assigned fort by the Spanish Crown. When the Spaniards landed in Cebu, it was the feast of St. Vidal (April 28, 1565) and they honored the saint as their patron and advocate. His feast is kept every year, and his day observed.” On May 8, 1565, the sites for the Spanish quarters and the church of St. Vitales] were chosen' and the site of the house where the Sto. Niño was found 'as the site of the Monastery of the Name of Jesus [now Basilica del Santo Niño] . . . and from the said house the child Jesus was brought to the... church in solemn procession, and with the great devotion, rejoicing, and gladness of all the men. Arriving at the church, they all adored it, and placed it on the principal altar, and all vowed to observe, sanctify, and celebrate solemnly as a feast day each year, the day on which it had been found.'” Juan de Medina, prior of the Sto. Niño convent (circa 1603), alluded to the days of discovery of the Sto. Niño and said the tradition was continued that the image was “taken out, and carried in procession to the cathedral, after a paper has been signed, by decree of the justice, that it will be given back to the same religious.”

It is known that the first church is the Cathedral now because by 1598 there were two churches besides it in Cebu: San Nicolas (founded in 1584) and the Sto. Niño convent to which the two churches would administer the natives, while the first Cebu bishop Pedro de Agurto would cater to the Spaniards in the St. Vitales church chosen as the cathedral. When Cebuana anthropologist Astrid Sala-Boza effectively settled the controversy of the site where the image of the Holy Child was found, she also showed the metropolitan cathedral as the first erected church. Many times the church was destroyed and rebuilt, even being raised as Cathedral it suffered many destruction.

1. Old Churches in the Philippines