St. James Church and Catholic Rectory

In continuation to my previous post on Dr. Jose P. Rizal's 154th birthday, here's another post dedicated to our national hero.  Just a 5 to 8-minute drive away from Rizal Shrine stands the church where Rizal heard mass every Sunday during his exile in Dapitan, the St. James Church and Catholic Rectory.  It is a simple church of unpainted exterior in Baroque-style just like Jimenez's St. John the Baptist Church.  And it also has a touch of Gothic with the two bell towers by the sides of the crucifix just like the only Catholic church in Vietnam that I just recently visited, the St. Joseph's Cathedral .

   

This is a smaller and humble church compared with the said cathedral that was built by the Jesuits during the Spanish rule in our country in 1871 to honor the town's patron saint, St. James the Greater.

It surprised me to see an image of a saint riding on a horse for it was my first time plus, I'm only accustomed to St. Michael with the devil at his foot and Señor Sto. Niño, my childhood saint.  

The church's interior is even simpler with a fascinating ceiling of pink and white tiles.

Look up and you'll  be mesmerized by the hypnotic design and eventually, you'll get dizzy staring at it.

Simple as it is, there are no great treasures hidden inside the church. 

The only treasure is the word of God being preached during mass to the people of Dapitan who had preserved the conservative culture of Filipinos in maintaining peace and order to the silent town.

By the way, across the church is the relief map of Mindanao that was also one of the many projects of Dr. Jose Rizal in Dapitan.  Nowadays, this serves as a plaza where families get together after mass for the corn, samalamig, and balloons for the kids.

Visit the peaceful town of Dapitan this July 25 for its Kinabayo festival in celebration of St. James the Greater's feast day!

  

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Spiritual Sunday: Iloilo's Must-See Churches

Spiritual Sunday teaches all about life and our Big Boss.

My restless feet had brought me to two historic provinces in our country for two consecutive years in a row.  Aside from their historical features, these provinces also happen to be the home of Philippines' grandiose colonial churches.  One was Albay last year and the other one was Iloilo just this year.  

When I travel, I do away with too much shopping.  What I do is just go around for a leisurely walk, take snapshots, connect with the locals, and eat whatever food the place offers.  It has always been eat, pray, love journeys for me because what I'm after for is the experience!  So for this post, I'll be sharing about Iloilo's finest churches.

Church # 1 Jaro Cathedral

Jaro Cathedral is the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles.  I found this church very unique for it has two stairways right in front of its exterior leading to the relic of the patroness.  

  

Situated across the street is the belfry of the original church which stands as a remains after a massive earthquake that shook the place in 1948.  This belfry had been declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute of the Philippines. 

  

The pillars of the cathedral were also unique for its collection of male saints.  I just found this ironic to the name of the church which is devoted to a female saint.

Church # 2 Molo Church

Contrary to Jaro Cathedral, Molo Church is dubbed as a feminist church of Iloilo for it houses a total of sixteen images of female saints.  It is also known as the Parish of St. Anne in honor of its patron saint Sta. Ana.     

The spires of Molo Church put me in a trance, letting me experience a feel of England while watching 'em.  This Gothic-Renaissance architecture is one of its kind especially to a remote province in our country.

The interior of Molo Church is also rich in Gothic elements which is flanked by five wooden altars.  And in contrast to the pillars of Jaro Cathedral, female saints hemmed the place.

Church # 3 Guimbal Church

Guimbal Church is also known as St. Nicholas of Tolentino Church.  It is a humble church reflecting the patron saint's workings with the poor.  The facade is made of goldenrod adobe stones called igang.    

  

As a modest church, there are no extravagant paintings nor statues inside it.  But what made it distinct among the others were the saints outside it, giving a homey atmosphere and warm welcome to anyone who wants to get inside.

Church # 4 Miag-ao Church

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site of Iloilo, Miag-ao Church is a world iconic spot that has two big belfries. 

Also known as the Church of Sto. Tomas de Villanueva, Miag-ao Church is also renowned for its artistic design right on its whole facade.  It is intricately sculpted depicting the way of life of the Filipinos.

At the upper center of the church's facade is the relief sculpture of St. Christopher carrying the child Jesus.  Though the church is in Baroque-Romanesque style, it stays indigenous native to Philippine architecture for the additional coconut tree, guava, and papaya shrubs carved on it.

Going against with the church's grand exterior is its simple interior.  Nonetheless, the altar is being highlighted by a gold-plated retablo with the crucifix at its center.

  

Having gone to a handful of places of worship not just in the Philippines, every church visit is a noteworthy experience for me.  I've come to know that every church has its own story to tell and own pride to boast.  I've come to also realize that every church has its own culture that one must respect and observe while being there.  So for your church visit, take time to solemnly say a little prayer for God's presence to endow the place.

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EOS Destination #1!

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.    

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.    

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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