Right
after getting my first DSLR camera, I'm
onto my first blog destination! And it's no other than, the town of the
oldest church in the province of Misamis Occidental - Jimenez! I
had traveled with triple purpose - to attend the christening of the
firstborn of my college classmate Angelie, blog about the town's national
cultural treasure, and get some shots of old houses in the municipality.
Unfortunately, I was late for the baptismal rites so I just grabbed the
chance to interview the churchkeepers who were left behind after the service.
Founded by the Augustinian recollects on the day of St. John the Baptist, June 24, 1859, the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist is at the forefront of the municipality's history. Like any other Catholic churches, the aim is not just to further spread Christianity but also to serve as a political backbone of Spanish colonial rule. When during those times, the church and state were regarded as one.
As a centuries old church, its facade tells its antiquity. It is made up of coral stones from each churchgoer who were obliged to bring one during its construction as folktales said so.
The wooden pillars along the sides are also intricately decorated. In order to preserve them from termites, careful inspection and protection are made regularly.
And never ignore the floor. Once you step on it, you can experience stepping back in time as it is made of tisa tiles. These are not just ordinary tiles. These were handmade out from clay, the ones made from make-shift ovens in the olden days.
Founded by the Augustinian recollects on the day of St. John the Baptist, June 24, 1859, the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist is at the forefront of the municipality's history. Like any other Catholic churches, the aim is not just to further spread Christianity but also to serve as a political backbone of Spanish colonial rule. When during those times, the church and state were regarded as one.
Nonetheless,
the church served as a fortress during the Spanish and Japanese wars.
There was a hidden tunnel as passageway for the townsfolk to use whenever
there were rumblings around them. I didn't fail to imagine all the chaos
the church must had been. But like a mighty fortress, it stood the
tests of times and is standing still as a cradle of Christianity in the
locality.
As a centuries old church, its facade tells its antiquity. It is made up of coral stones from each churchgoer who were obliged to bring one during its construction as folktales said so.
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| Holy Water Basin Made From Coral Stone |
The interior
boasts of its ceiling which is painted Trompe-l'oeil style. The three-dimensional illusion is something
to be compared with that of the churches in Vatican. Most importantly, the gold-plated altar hosts
a number of saint relics of course including St. John the Baptist. But sad to say, it is not the original relic anymore
because the former was stolen right before his feast in the beginning of the 21st century.
The wooden pillars along the sides are also intricately decorated. In order to preserve them from termites, careful inspection and protection are made regularly.
And never ignore the floor. Once you step on it, you can experience stepping back in time as it is made of tisa tiles. These are not just ordinary tiles. These were handmade out from clay, the ones made from make-shift ovens in the olden days.
At
present, Father Mario Magcanam is the parish priest governing the church
wherein baptism and weddings are frequently held. Even engaged couples from other places go to
the town of Jimenez just to get wed!
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