Santa Catalina Parish Church/ Simbahan ng Santa Catalina/ The Church of Santa Catalina (Santa Catalina, Ilocos Sur)

The Church of Santa Catalina:

The Church of Santa Catalina

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The Church of Santa Catalina

 

San Vicente Parish Church/ Simbahan ng San Vicente/ The Church of San Vicente (San Vicente, Ilocos Sur)

The Church of San Vicente:

The Church of San Vicente

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The Church of San Vicente

San Ildefonso Parish Church/ Simbahan ng San Ildefonso/ The Church of San Ildefonso (San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur)

The Church of San Ildefonso:

The Church of San Ildefonso

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The Church of San Ildefonso

Santo Domingo Parish Church/ Simbahan ng Santo Domingo/ The Church of Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur)

The Church of Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur:

The Church of Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur (December 2013)

The Church of Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur (Photo by hecky12 skyscrapercity.com)

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The Church of Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur (December 2013)

The Church of Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur (Photo by hecky12 skyscrapercity.com)

 

Saint Paul Metropolitan Cathedral/ Katedral ng Vigan/ The Cathedral of Vigan

The Cathedral of Vigan:

The Cathedral of Vigan

The Belltower of the Saint Paul’s Cathedral

 

About the Cathedral:

The St. Paul’s Cathedral is also known as the metropolitan Cathedral. It is considered a major religious landmark not only of northern Luzon but the country as well. Visitors must include a visit to the cathedral when in Vigan as it has been a center of Roman Catholic devotion for centuries.

The church as it stands now was completed in 1800. The original structure was built in 1574 upon the command of the Spanish founder of Vigan, Juan de Salcedo. It was a mere chapel then, made of wood and thatch. In 1641, the chapel was replaced by a church.

When the seat of the Nueva Segovia Diocese was transferred to Villa Fernandina de Vigan from Cagayan’s Lal-lo in 1758, the church was elevated to the status of a cathedral and became the center of Catholic faith in the north. Another structure was ordered by then Governor Jose de Basco to be built to replace the existing church in 1786. With the Augustinians, the cornerstone of the new church was laid in the beginning of 1790.

Overall, the cathedral follows a Baroque architectural design that has been modified by Ilocanos to strengthen the structure against earthquakes. This is now known as earthquake Baroque. Testament to the style’s effectivity is the fact that the structure’s original interior walls have remained complete.

Other influences can be observed from the architecture of St. Paul Cathedral, that of neo-Gothic, pseudo-Romanesque and Chinese craftsmanship.

Facing the cathedral, visitors are greeted by the statue of St. Paul above the main opening. There are also carvings of Fu dogs or lion dogs by the outermost doors. In the alcove are scenes of Saint Paul’s conversion.

Though some people may find that the façade is not as impressive as other churches, the cathedral’s interior is something to be admired. The presence of a silver-paneled main altar, three naves, 12 minor altars and brass communion handrails forged in China gives the inside of the church a feeling of grandeur. The area for the choir is located at the loft, making use of the big church’s acoustics.

Surrounding St. Paul Cathedral are the other historic buildings of the city. There are the Episcopal Palace or the bishop’s residence, the diocesan seminary and the Vigan Municipal Hall. It is also beside two plazas, one named after Vigan’s founder, Plaza Salcedo, and another named after a revolutionary hero, Plaza Burgos. It shows how central the cathedral’s role is not only in the religious life of the people, but the social, economic, educational and political aspects as well.

Other Pictures of the Cathedral:

The Cathedral of Vigan

Welcome Sign to the Cathedral

Historical Marker of the Cathedral

The Belltower of the Saint Paul’s Cathedral

 

 

Saint Agustin Parish Church/ Santuario de Nuestra Senora de la Caridad/ Simbahan ng Bantay/ The Church of Bantay (Bantay, Ilocos Sur)

The Church of Bantay:

The Church of Bantay

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The Church of Bantay

The Bell Tower of Bantay

Saint Sebastian the Martyr Parish Church/ Simbahan ng Borbon/ The Church of Borbon (Borbon, Cebu)

The Church of Borbon:

The Church of Borbon

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The Church of Borbon

 

Santo Nino Parish Church/ Simbahan ng Medellin/ The Church of Medellin (Medellin, Cebu)

The Church of Medellin:

The Church of Medellin

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The Church of Medellin

Our Lady of Grace Parish Church/ Simbahan ng Simala/ The Church of Simala (Simala, Sibonga)

The Church of Simala:

The Church of Simala

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The Church of Simala

 

Santa Monica Parish Church/ Simbahan ng Sarrat/ The Church of Sarrat (Sarrat, Ilocos Norte)

The Church of Sarrat:

Church of Sarrat

About the Church:

Sta. Monica Parish Church, commonly known as the Sarrat Church, is a Catholic parish church in the poblacion (Brgy. San Leandro) of the town of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte in the Philippines, about 7 kilometers (4.3 mi) east of Laoag City, the capital of the province. It was built in 1779 and was originally known as San Miguel Church. The Sta. Monica Church complex includes the convent connected to the church by an elevated three-level brick stairway.

The parish church of Sta. Monica is renowned as the largest church in the whole Ilocos Norte province, most especially the length of the nave. In June 1983, the church was the setting for the grand wedding of Gregorio Araneta and Irene Marcos, the daughter of then President Marcos.

Construction of the Santa Monica Church was began in 1779 and took 10 years to construct the whole complex. Within the church complex is the convent that was built prior to the church in 1769. Known as Casa del Palacio Real, the convent was originally used as a chapel prior to the completion of the church and the bell tower. It was later used as the Presidencia Municipal.

A devastating earthquake hit the province of Ilocos Norte on August 17, 1983, which recorded a magnitude of 5.3 (MI) on the Richter scale and an intensity 7 on the Rossi-Forel scale. The tremor sustained a major structural damage on the church’s facade as well as toppling down the bell tower.

The church is made from red bricks built in Earthquake Baroque and Neoclassical architecture. Inside the sanctuary, the ceiling is a magnificent framework of wooden roof trusses, which number to around 480 logs of hardwood molave, 75% of which dates back to the 18th century.

With its rich heritage and intricate details of architecture, coupled with the other sets of criteria mandated by the National Museum Act of 1998, the Sta. Monica Church Complex was added to the list of Important Cultural Property of the Philippines. The members of the deciding panel included Architect Augusto F. Villalon, Fr. Milan Ted D. Torralba, Ms. Anna Maria L. Harper, Fr. Rene B. Javellana and Mr. Cecilio G. Salcedo. Unveiling of the Important Cultural Property marker was held on September 27, 2009 by the National Museum director and was witnessed by the local government officials.

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Church of Sarrat