Santo Niño de Cebú Basilica

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The Minor Basilica of the Holy Child (Spanish: Basílica Minore del Santo Niño), commonly known as Santo Niño Church, is a minor basilica in Cebu City in the Philippines that was founded in the 1565. It is the oldest Roman Catholic church established in the country on the spot where the image of the Santo Niño de Cebú, a statue depicting the Child Jesus was found in 1565 by Spanish explorers led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. The Holy See calls the temple the "Mother and Head of all Churches in the Philippines" (mater et caput... omnium ecclesiarum Insularum Philippinarum). The image is the same statue given by Ferdinand Magellan to the wife of Rajah Humabon as a gift over forty years after Humabon's baptism to Christianity on April 14, 1521. It was found by a soldier preserved in a burnt wooden box after Legazpi razed the village of hostile natives. When Pope Paul VI made the church a basilica in 1965, he said it was "the symbol of the birth and growth of Christianity in the Philippines.

The present building, which was completed from 1739-1740, has housed the oldest religious image in the country ever since.

Previous churches
The church of the Holy Child was founded by an Augustinian priest, Andrés de Urdaneta, on April 28, 1565. The first church and convent were built out of earth, hard wood and nipa. Both structures burned down on November 1, 1566. In 1605, Rev. Pedro Torres started the construction of its replacement. The second church was completed in 1626, but was also destroyed by fire, in March 1628. It was rebuilt immediately under the administration of Rev. Juan de Medina with stone and bricks, but construction was stopped because of problems with the integrity of the bricks being used.

Present church
Fernando Valdés y Tamon, the Spanish governor of the Philippines, ordered the church in 1735 to be constructed of hard stone. Father Provincial Bergaño, Governor-General Fernando Valdes, Bishop Manuel Antonio Decio y Ocampo of Cebu and Rev. Juan de Albarran, Prior of the Santo Niño, started the foundations of the church on 29 February 1735.[1] Construction was designed and led by Rev. Juan de Albarran, and it was completed in 1739 or 1740. The convent and library were later added and completed in 1764.

In 1965, during the fourth centenary of the Christianization of the Philippines, Pope Paul VI elevated the church to the rank of minor basilica; it remains under the care of the Order of St. Augustine.

History of the Santo Niño de Cebu

On April 28, 1565, Juan Camus, a sailor in the fleet of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, found in a modest house of the then village of Cebu the image of the Santo Niño, which at the time all agreed had been brought from Europe. Deeply impressed by this finding and aware of its significance, Legaspi ordered an official inquiry conducted; the document drawn on May 16 of the same year and still extant in the archives of the Santo Nino Convent of Cebu, tells us from the testimony of eyewitnesses that the Image was found inside a small pine box, preserved in almost perfect condition; it had on a little shirt and cap; two of its right hand's fingers were raised in a gesture of blessing, while the left hand held a globe symbolizing the world.

In a solemn procession the image was carried to the provisional Church the Agustinian Fathers were using at the time; later, another Church was built on the exact location where the image has been found; this is the site of the Santo Niño Church where the Agustinians have cared for the image and the Filipino people have venerated it through the centuries.

An earlier authenticated entry in the journal of Pigafetta, clerk in the Magellan expedition, explains the original of Santo Niño; on the day Queen Juana was baptized by Father Pedro Valderrama, chaplain on that expedition, Pigafetta himself presented her with the Image.

During the last World War, a bomb fell inside the church, but the image was found unscathed. It was one of the numberless miracles and powers attributed to the Holy Image.

In 1965 the interior of the historic church was renovated for the observance of the Fourth Centennial of the Christianization of the Philippines held in Cebu City. It was during this centennial celebration that the church, on April 1, 1965, was elevated to the rank of Basilica Minore by the Sacred Congregation of Rites with all the rights and privileges accruing to such title.

With the full cooperation and support of the Filipino people and sanctioned by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the Agustinian Fathers have built a marble chapel inside the Basilica. Construction of the chapel started in August 1975. This fitting shrine of Santo Nino now serves as the center of devotion of Catholic Philippines. Here the miraculous image of the Comforter of the first missionaries and now the Patron of the Philippines is being honored and venerated.

To preserve our religious and cultural heritage, President Ferdinand E. Marcos, since August 1, 1973, declared the Basilica and Convent of Santo Niño as National Shrine together with other historical places in the Philippines.

The Nave Santo Niño de Cebú Basilica

Historical Marker

The frescoes on the ceiling of the Basilica

Basílica Menor del Santo Niño.

1. Old Churches in the Philippines

Taal Church

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The Taal Basilica canonically known as the Minor Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours (Filipino: Basilika ni San Martin ng Tours; Spanish: Basílica Menor de San Martín de Tours) is a Minor Basilica in the town of Taal, Batangas in the Philippines, within the Archdiocese of Lipa. It is considered to be the largest church in the Philippines and in Asia, standing 88.6 metres (291 ft) long and 48 metres (157 ft) wide. St. Martin of Tours is the patron saint of Taal, whose fiesta is celebrated every November 11.

In 1575, 3 years after the founding of Taal town in its old site near the shores of Taal Lake, work began on the construction of its first church by Father Diego Espinar (O.S.A.) with Saint Martin of Tours as patron saint. The church was rebuilt in 1642 using stronger materials but in 1754, it was destroyed along with the town of Taal in the largest recorded eruption of Taal Volcano. This event led to transfer of the town and the church farther away from the volcano to its present site atop an elevated hill facing Balayan Bay. The ruins of the previous church can still be seen in San Nicolas.

Father Martín Aguirre donated the land and began the construction of the new church in 1755. It was continued by Fr. Gabriel Rodriguez in 1777 and by Fr. Jose Victoria in 1782. Fr. Ramon del Marco decorated the church, built the convent and paved the "processional" road with bricks around the atrium of the parochial building. This church was damaged by a strong earthquake on September 16, 1852. The earthquake centered near Taal Volcano, though no volcanic eruption was recorded.

Construction of the present church began in 1856 by Fr. Marcos Antón with Spanish architect Luciano Oliver, commissioned to design and manage the construction of the new church. Although it was unfinished, it was inaugurated in 1865. The huge church was completed by Fr. Agapito Aparicio in 1878, adding the main altar of Doric style measuring 24 metres (79 ft) high and 10 metres (33 ft) wide. He was also responsible for the baptistery made with tiles imported from Europe. The stone church had three naves with a grand transept and an elegant facade with Ionic and Doric orders. A small tower on the left side of the facade contained the large church bell, which in 1942, was destroyed by an earthquake.

The Nave of the Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours

Another Nave of the Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours

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Taal Basilica’s bell also considered as one the largest bell in the country. This massive instrument is 5.8 meters in circumference at the lip, 2.84 meters around the crown and 1.96 meters in height. However, in 1942, the belfry collapsed and bell fell from its location damaging and silencing it because of the earthquake. The king of the bell, as it was known before, is now hanging silently in its previous place on the restored dome.

The altar of the Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours

1. Old Churches in the Philippines

St Francis of Assisi-Sariaya, Quezon

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St Francis of Assisi Church is a Roman Catholic church in Sariaya, Quezon, Philippines. Based on the Historical marker of St. Francis of Assisi Church, the first structure was constructed in 1599. The second church was built in 1605 but was replaced by a third church in 1641. In 1703 the town was transferred to Lumangbayan but the earthquakes and floods of 1743 destroyed the church and the town caused the people to transfer to the present site. The present church was built in 1748 during the term of 2 Spanish Friars namely, Fr. Martin de Talavera and Fr. Joaquin Alapont.

The main features of the church include the old baptistery located at the first floor of the four-storey church belfry that contains old bells. Connected to the left side of the main structure is the 1922 convent that was erected during the term of Fr. Policarpio Trinidad. Inside the church is the old Retablo and two side altars containing old images of saints, and the 18th century replica of the medieval Santo Cristo de Burgos in Spain.

The walls of the church were made of red bricks embedded in masonry with adobe slabs plastered on the external surface of the walls. The original roof was made of roof bricks but it was changed to galvanized iron in 1947.

According to Eric Dedace, PRO of Sariaya Tourism Council, the present church is a product of free labor by the native inhabitants during the Spanish occupation.

The church houses the Sto. Cristo de Burgos image which is more popular than the acknowledged patron saint St. Francis of Assisi, as the former was believed to be miraculous and visited by pilgrims from far away places. According to Eric Dedace, PRO of Sariaya Tourism Council, the image was a gift of King Felipe V to the people of Lumang Bayan. In 1743, when the town site was destroyed by natural disasters and by Muslim invasion which leveled the town to the ground, the image of Santo Cristo de Burgos remained unscathed which they considered a miracle. The surviving residents wrapped the image in white cloth and then carried it further up Mount Banahaw slopes to find a much more suitable place to build a community. According to the story, the four men carrying the image rested a bit but when they tried to lift the icon, it became very heavy. They took it as another miracle and a sign from heaven that the town's people built a church on the exact site where the present Church of Saint Francis Assisi is located. The revered icon is now perpetually enshrined behind the Retablo.

Added feature of Sariaya Church's inner courtyard, the life-sized replica of Last Supper
Recent renovation was done during the term of Rev. Msgr. Melecio V. Verastigue (2003-2009). The said renovation according to Eric Dedace, resulted in the intricate opulence of the church convent and the beautification of the church patio. A Devotional Park was also constructed on the inner courtyard that includes the Parlor of Saints, The Last Supper, the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes and the Candle Shrines. Six functions halls were also added and the big Nazareth Multi-Purpose Hall. A Franciscan Museum, also known as the Museo ng Debosyon at Buhay, was also established containing old church implements, relics, old photograph reproductions as well as photos and installations of activities within the Franciscan Devotions.

The right side exterior of Sariaya Church in Quezon Province

Snapshot from the altar area of the church

Snapshot from the old choir loft of the church

Altar of St Franciss of Assisi Church (Sariaya)

Interior of St Francis of Asissi Church, Sariaya, Quezon showing the altar and ceiling lamps

The old baptistery of St Francis of Assisi Church in Sriaya, Quezon, showing the original bricks, adobe blocks and masonry used in constructing the church between 1743 - 1748.

1. Old Churches in the Philippines

Saint Augustine -Paoay, Ilocos Norte

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The Saint Augustine Church (Spanish: Iglesia de San Agustín de Paoay), commonly known as the Paoay Church, is the Roman Catholic church of the municipality of Paoay, Ilocos Norte in the Philippines. Completed in 1710, the church is famous for its distinct architecture highlighted by the enormous buttresses on the sides and back of the building. It is declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine government in 1973 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the collective group of Baroque Churches of the Philippines in 1993.
The town of Paoay was originally called "Bombay" as the earliest inhabitants believed to have come from India. The earliest historical record of the area dates back to 1593, becoming an Augustinian independent parish in 1686. Building of the present church was started in 1694 by Augustinian friar Father Antonio Estavillo, completed in 1710 and rededicated in 1896. Some portions of the church was damaged in the 1865 and 1885 earthquake but was later restored under the initiative of former First Lady Imelda Marcos.

Its walls are made of large coral stones on the lower part and bricks at the upper levels. The mortar used in the church includes sand and lime with sugarcane juice boiled with mango leaves, leather and rice straw. Its walls suggests Javanese architectural styles.

The stone facade appear as massive pediment rising from the ground and is built leaning towards the front. Square pilasters and stringed cornices divide the facade vertically and horizontally respectively. Its bottom part is plain. Gothic features are also present through the use of finials while the triangular pediment shows Chinese elements and Oriental strokes. Crenellations, niches, rosettes and the Augustinian coat of arms can also be seen. Facade is made of brick on the lower level and coral stones on the upper level.

Adjacent to the facade is a three-storey coral belltower constructed separately from the church building on the right side resembling a pagoda. It was in 1793 when the cornerstone of the belltower was laid. It stands at some distance from the church as a protection against earthquake. It served as observational post for Filipino revolutionaries against the Spaniards in 1898 and by Filipino guerillas against Japanese soldiers during World War II.

The Nave of Saint Augustine Church - Paoay, Ilocos Norte

The Nave of Saint Augustine Church - Paoay, Ilocos Norte

1. Old Churches in the Philippines

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