Tuesday, February 03, 2015

San Agustin Church-Intramuros, Manila.

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San Agustin Church (Spanish: Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción de María de San Agustín) is a Roman Catholic church under the auspices of The Order of St. Augustine, located inside the historic walled city of Intramuros in Manila.
The present structure is actually the third Augustinian church erected on the site. The first San Agustin Church was the first religious structure constructed by the Spaniards on the island of Luzon. Made of bamboo and nipa, it was completed in 1571, but destroyed by fire in December, 1574 during the attempted invasion of Manila by the forces of Limahong. A second church made of wood was constructed on the site. This was destroyed in February 1583, in a fire that started when a candle set ablaze the drapes of the funeral bier during the interment of the Spanish Governor-General Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa.
The Augustinians decided to rebuild the church using stone, and to construct an adjacent monastery. Construction began in 1586, based on a design by Juan Macías. The structure was built using hewn adobe stones quarried from Meycauayan, Binangonan and San Mateo, Rizal. The work proceeded slowly due to the lack of funds and materials, as well as the relative scarcity of stone artisans. The monastery was operational by 1604, and the church was formally declared complete on January 19, 1607, and named St. Paul of Manila. Macías, who had died before the completion of the church, was officially acknowledged by the Augustinians as the builder of the edifice.

The San Agustin Church is patterned after some of the magnificent temples built by the Augustinians in Mexico, its present edifice was built in 1587, and completed, together with the monastery, in 1604.The atmosphere is medieval since “both church and monastery symbolize the majesty and equilibrium of a Spanish golden era.”

The massive structure of the church, the symmetry and splendor of the interiors (painted by two Italians who succeeded in producing trompe l'oeil), the profile of the mouldings, rosettes and sunken panels which appear as three-dimensional carvings, a baroque pulpit with the native pineapple as a motif, the grand pipe organ, the antechoir with a 16th-century crucifix, the choir seats carved in molave with ivory inlays of the 17th century and the set of 16 huge and beautiful chandeliers from Paris.

The interior of the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila. Adorned for special wedding

This church is massive and majestic. Its medieval atmosphere will make you feel the grandness of the Catholic Church during the Spanish golden era.

San Agustin courtyard

This church dome is located right above the staircase that leads to the museum.

Museum halls of The San Agustin Church

At the entrance stands a 3,400 kg bell, taken down in 1927 from the belfry damaged by the 1863 earthquake. This museum showcases an important collection of medieval Spanish, Mexican, Chinese and Filipino art treasures. Originally the monastery of the adjacent San Agustin Church, it was converted into a museum in 1973.

The vaulted ceiling is beautifully painted and, you can get to see parts of this close up if you go into the museum.

Old Churches in the Philippines

Monday, February 02, 2015

Assumption Parish-Santa Maria,Ilocos S

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The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion), commonly known as the Santa Maria Church is the parish church of Santa Maria in Ilocos Sur province, Philippines
The parish of Santa Maria started as a chapel-of-ease (visita) of Narvacan, its neighboring town to the north, in 1567. The influx of the settlers after the full conquest of the Ilocos Region by the Spaniards greatly increased the population of Santa Maria. The chapel became an independent ministry in 1769 and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary depicted as Our Lady of the Assumption. Besides economic progress, evangelical missions were expanded. The mission at Santa Maria, located on a narrow flat plain between the sea and the central mountain range of Luzon, close to the interior settlements, made Santa Maria as the center of both the religious and commercial activities.
According to the legend, before the Santa Maria Church was built on its present site, the Virgin Mary was enshrined at a different place called Bulala. The frequent disappearance of the Virgin Mary from her previous place of enthronement only to be found perched on a guava tree that grew where the present church is located, had led the townspeople to move the church to its present location.
Construction of the present church was started in 1765. In 1810, the bell tower was built during the renovation of the church and furnished with a bell the following year. During the renovation of church complex in 1863, the protective wall around the sides of the hill was constructed. After the bell tower was remodeled the same year, its foundation must have gradually settled down making the imposing structure slightly leaning or tilting as it appears today. The convent was greatly renovated in 1895.

Old Churches in the Philippines

Sunday, February 01, 2015

Virgin Mary Parish -Baclayon, Bohol

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La Purisima Concepcion de la Virgen Maria Parish Church (also The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary Parish Church), commonly known as Baclayon Church, is a Roman Catholic Church in the municipality of Baclayon, Bohol, Philippines within the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tagbilaran. Baclayon was founded by the Jesuit priest Juan de Torres and Gabriel Sánchez in 1596, and became the oldest Christian settlement in Bohol. It was elevated as a parish in 1717 and the present coral stone church was completed in 1727. The Augustinian Recollects succeeded the Jesuits in 1768 and heavily renovated the church since then.
The Jesuits, the first evangelizers of the Baclayon, planted the first seed of Christianity in Bohol upon the request of Doña Catalina de Bolaños, mother of the encomendero of Bohol island, Pedro de Gamboa to Father Antonio Sedeno, mission superior of Leyte and Samar. In November 17, 1596, the first Jesuits, Father Juan de Torres, SJ and Father Gabriel Sánchez, SJ , came to Baclayon. At that time, a Catholic chapel is already existing inside the encomienda.
In 1717, Baclayon was elevated as a parish. The present stone church constructed under the Jesuits was finished in 1727. When the Jesuits were expelled in the country in 1768, the Augustinian Recollects immediately succeeded them in the late part of the same year in administering the spiritual needs of the people of Baclayon. Renovations on the church was done during the administration of Father Pedro de la Encarnación, OAR (1839–1854), Father Antonio Úbeda, OAR (1856–1859, 1861–1868) and Father José María Cabañas, OAR (1870–1898). The church was saved from destruction that might be brought by American soldiers in exchange for food and water in 1901

The church entrance is flanked by an arcade leading to the narthex. The entrance to the choir loft and the carosa for the images of saints is found on the right and left side of the narthex respectively. Since the floor inside is lower than the ground outside, a new floor made of wood (particularly molave) was installed in 1852 which was later replaced by brick tiles from 1874 to 1875.

Reddish paintings on wooden panels commissioned by Father Antonio Ubeda from 1856 to 1859 can be found inside the church. These are the Ascension of Our Lord and Pentecost on the doorway; and two portraits of the Doctors of the Church. A third portrait belonging to the set of Doctors of the Church is on the church museum while the fourth portrait is lost. The paintings Agony in the Garden and Crowning of Thorns, also commissioned by Father Úbeda, is currently housed at the San Agustin Museum in Intramuros, Manila. The works of art are done by Liberato Gachalian.

Murals, mostly replaced by monochromatic tin sheets, were also present on the church's ceilings. Though most ceiling paintings were unpreserved, an original work of Max Aya-ay in 1957 can still be seen on portions of the crossing. The walls were originally adorned with wooden images of Stations of the Cross commissioned by Father Ubeda in 1859 which were later replaced by European-made images.

One of the largest earthquakes to hit Bohol struck the island at 8:12 AM on October 15, 2013. The center of the M7.2 earthquake was near Sagbayan, Bohol. Centuries-old churches in Bohol, including seven churches on Baclayon, Dauis, Dimiao, Loay, Loboc, Loon and Maribojoc, declared as National Cultural Treasures, were damaged. The church of Baclayon sustained major damage with its collapsed portico and bell tower.
The Diocese of Tagbilaran plans to restore the Church of Baclayon and all other churches destroyed by the earthquake. Together with government agencies, pre-restoration works are currently on-going.

CHURCH RESTORATION – The restoration of quake-ruined centuries-old Baclayon Church starts, giving material momentum to Bohol’s recovery effort in heritage aspect. The provincial government with the national government in securing fund and assisting the religious sector in rebuilding or restoration of antiquated churches toppled by the strong tremor. The National Historical institute and National Museum responded to the effort. The Baclayon Church is just one of the several icons of Boholano faith totally or partially destroyed by the 7.2 magnitude major ground shake. The reconstruction of the priceless monuments of religious culture has highlighted Bohol as the country’s learning center for heritage restoration and preservation, according to the Bohol governor who is seen as a poster boy of Filipino resilience to calamity.

Old Churches in the Philippines

St.John the Baptist,Bato,Catanduanes

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St. John the Baptist Church (Bato, Catanduanes)
St. John the Baptist Church was created in 1830 and finished in 1883. It is situated in the town proper. It was built on the site of the first cross planted in Catanduanes to mark the grave of an Augustinian friar, Diego de Herrerra. Herrerra died there in 1576.
St. John the Baptist Church is a very simple, Classical structure. The main portall is topped by a clean semicircular arch gramed by pilasters. The wall is leveled to the side to deviate from absolute flatness. A cornice divides the the church into two levels. The bell tower serves as the church's entire second level which is crowned with a dome. The whole church is topped with a large white cross. The absence of a pediment is noticable.

Bato Church retained its exteriors made of mortar and coral lime stones despite the test of time. It’s one of the dominant structures in the island with thick and massive walls. The interiors are a bit of contrast however as there were alterations done on the ceiling as well as the altar.

Old Churches in the Philippines

Santuario del Santo Cristo -S J,Manila

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The Santuario del Santo Cristo, situated in San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines, also known as the Church of San Juan del Monte, was a church and convent that was built in 1602-1604 by the Dominican Friars of the most holy rosary on a land that was donated to them by Capitan Julian De Cuenca. During the Chinese uprising 1639, both structures were destroyed and burned during the Chinese uprising in 1639 and was rebuilt in 1641. It was again set on fire in July 1763 during the brief 18-month British occupation of Manila. The current church and convent were constructed in 1774 and has been renovated many times during the mid-1900. It is noted for its historical importance when it was used as a shelter by the Katipuneros during the 1898 Philippine Revolution. This sanctuary is the seat of the Cofraternity of Santisimo Cristo De San Juan Del Monte approved by Pope Innocent X on March 4, 1648.

The Dominicans arrived in the Philippines in 1587 and had founded the Santo Domingo Convent in what we now call Intramuros. In 1602, 15 years after they arrived in the country, the Dominican Fathers came to San Juan which was not yet San Juan del Monte, but the mountains of San Juan. A few clusters of nipa huts scattered on the property of a certain Captain Julian de Cuenca, who had been granted an encomienda along the San Juan River banks, where cattle was bred and raised.