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| St. Anne's Church in Molo |
If there’s one place in the
country whose iconic imagery left lasting imprints in my mind, it would be
Iloilo. Together with some fellow amateur photography enthusiasts, I had the
blast of a lifetime “invading” the sacred confines of some of her breathtaking
Spanish churches as we captured the beauty of this awesome province in Panay
during the visita iglesia we had last Holy Week.
In Iloilo City alone, we
were able to bask at the old-world splendor of at least four houses of worship,
starting with St. Anne’s Church a.k.a. the Molo Cathedral in Molo district.
Said to be one of the few Gothic churches outside of Manila, this house of
prayer is renowned for its Gothic-Renaissance architecture, particularly its
distinctive twin red spires that seem to reach upward into the sky. Aside from
the towers, the church’s altar and pulpit are also largely Gothic in character
while its dome, columns and other interior designs are mostly Renaissance.
Located near the Molo Plaza,
the 180-year old heritage structure boasts of an ornately ethereal interior
whose most distinct features are the two rows of life-size images of 16 female
saints, the presence of which have
earned for it the distinction of being the only “feminist church” in the
country. Enervated after almost an hour of exploring the sanctuary, we felt the
urge to take a quick snack and found a nearby karinderia offering—what
else?—the eponymous pancit Molo! Geez, I swear there’s something about that
marvelous soup with mouth-watering dumplings that never fails to drown my
miseries.
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| Belfry of Our Lady of Candles Cathedral in Jaro |
From Molo, we headed for
another popular destination in the city, the district of Jaro. Like Molo, I
consider my visit to Jaro for the nth time a spiritually rewarding experience.
And what’s so special about this place? Well, there’s the 150 year-old Our Lady
of the Candles Church a.k.a Jaro Cathedral. With its red-brick belfry, the
Gothic-Renaissance house of worship is among the few religious structures in
the Philippines that were constructed separately from the main church. After
saying our prayers, we spent another hour scouring the sanctuary in search for
great subjects.
Feeling hungry (again!), I
broke away from the pack and went around Jaro Plaza in search for some tummy
fillers. And guess what I’ve found? Puto manapla! I’ve been craving for this
steamed rice cake for decades now and it was such a relief that I finally found
the native delicacy that’s said to be one of the Ilonggos’ homegrown delights.
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| Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Church in La Paz |
After the tour in Jaro, we trooped to the neighboring district of La Paz to catch a glimpse of the 138-year old Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Church. Bereft of any splendid features, this house of prayer only has the image of the venerated lady at the altar as its most prominent feature. However, the La Paz Church somehow stands out on its own mainly because of its spectacular Greek-inspired architecture, notably its most decorated facade.
Still, we have included this
house of worship in La Paz in our must-visit list as we all felt duty-bound to
pray in the church of the revered lady, asking God for strength, stamina and
safety as we went on with our three-day invasion of the province. Having said
our prayers, we took a ride to the market to savor La Paz’s world-famous
delicacy—the mouth-watering batchoy!
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| The original La Paz batchoy |
Sated, we went back to the
downtown area and proceeded to St. Joseph’s Church. For a while, I got this 139-year
old sanctuary confused with the church in La Paz because both of them are made
of red bricks and have twin-domed belfries and neoclassic facades. St. Joseph’s
Church, however, boasts of a more elaborate interior, including Corinthian
columns and a main altar that’s imbued with Gothic elements. Its mos precious
treasure, however, is a 17th century image of the Our Lady of the Rosary.
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| St. Joseph's Church |
Last on our list of Iloilo
City churches is the one found in the district of Villa Arevalo (or simply
Arevalo): the Sto. Niño de Arevalo
Church. Home to the third oldest image of the Sto. Niño (Holy Child) in the
country (which was brought by the Augustinians in 1781), this house of prayer
has a more contemporary design compared to other churches in the city. Some
part of it has either been damaged by fire or earthquakes and underwent
renovation through the years.
 |
| Sto. Niño Church in Arevalo |
On our way back to the
hotel, George, one of my colleagues, joked, “If there’s such a thing as a
spiritual overdose, then we’d all be dead by now having visited all those
churches!” Rico shouted back, “At least we won’t end up in hell!”
Tired, I only managed to let
out a wide grin even as the others were laughing themselves to death. Later
that night, we discussed over bottles of beer the last leg of our trip—a spiritual safari into three ancient churches
found in three quaint towns along the southern coast of the province!
 |
| St. Tomas of Villanova Church in Miag-ao |
Foremost in our list is the
world-renowned St. Tomas of Villanova Church a.k.a. Miag-ao Church, the
225-year old heritage church that’s among the five Baroque churches in the
Philippines that were included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1993. The
church is recognized as being the quintessential example of what is known as
“fortress Baroque”.
From downtown Iloilo, it
took us about an hour to reach Miag-ao, passing through the towns of Oton,
Tigbauan and Guimbal. Seeing it for the first time, we couldn’t help but marvel
at the town’s heritage structure. We ended up spending more than an hour
snapping it here, there and everywhere. To me, the visit to this house of God
is the crowning glory of our Lenten trek.
It is said that Miag-ao
Church’s fortress-looking structure with large watchtowers was built to defend
the town and its people against Moro raids. This house of prayer has thick walls
and, reportedly, secret passages. Undoubtedly, its elaborate bas-relief on its
facade is a monumental testament to the craftsmanship of ancient Filipino
master builders.
A central feature of this
facade is the large coconut tree, which reaches almost to the apex, living up
to its tag as the "tree of life" to which St. Christopher, dressed in
native clothes, carrying the Child Jesus on his shoulder is clinging to. Other
native flora and fauna and elements are also depicted. Also dominating the
second level of the facade is the well-sculpted image of the town's patron
saint, St. Thomas of Villanova.
Damaged by war, fire and an
earthquake, Miag-ao Church has been undergoing restoration work that began some
40 years ago, with funds coming from donations of local devotees and residents.
Recognizing its significance among Iloilo residents, former President Ferdinand
Marcos declared it a national shrine through PD 260.
 |
| St.
Nicholas of Tolentine Church in Guimbal |
From Miag-ao, our next stop
was the neighboring town of Guimbal where the yellow sandstone church of St.
Nicholas of Tolentine is found. Made of adobe stones called igang and coral
stones quarried from the island of Guimaras, the 238-year old structure squats on a piece of
land just a stone’s throw away from the town plaza.
Before proceeding to the
town of Tigbauan, we deemed it wise to have an early lunch at one of the
eateries along the highway. After a hearty meal, we were on our way to St. John
of Sahagun Church in Tigbauan. Like most of the sanctuaries we’ve visited, this
church can’t be missed as it’s also located near the town plaza where most
vehicles pass by.
 |
| St. John of Sahagun Church in Tigbauan |
What makes it unique among
other old houses of prayer in the country is its Latin American architectural
facade known as churrigueresque which is commonly seen in many Mexican
churches. Built some 437 years ago, it was destroyed by a massive earthquake
and a fire that hit the island of Panay some six decades ago. Its interiors
have undergone massive renovation throughout the years.
Upon entry, we were
dumbfounded to see the massive mosaic work that covered almost every part of
its interior walls. Each of the 14 Stations of the Cross are etched in
intricate mosaics, giving us the impression that we were inside a house of art
rather than a house of prayer. There’s no doubt that Iloilo’s centuries-old
treasures have stirred the very core of our beings.
But there’s more to the
province than her impressive heritage structures. Of the many charms that she
possesses, there’s one that has also etched a stirring impression on our
palates: Ilonggo cuisine. Home to authentic gastronomic delights that can
satisfy even the most discriminating taste buds, Iloilo has made an indelible
mark into the consciousness of every food-loving Pinoy here and abroad.
Like most typical dishes in
the country, simplicity characterizes Iloilo’s homegrown delights. But even
without frill and fancy, they count among the most sensational Pinoy cuisine
you’d ever get to taste. Known for their tenderness, sweetness and
graciousness, Ilonggos seem to bring these wonderful traits into their cooking,
thus, achieving something which they term as namit (delicious).
 |
| One of Iloilo's pride, talaba (baked oysters) |
Seafood forms a good part of
traditional Ilonggo fare which is usually prepared using different spices and
garnishings. Take for instance the delectable oysters that it’s famous for.
Known as talaba in the native tongue, the scrumptious bounty from the sea can
be cooked in a variety of ways—grilled, fried, baked, sautéed, boiled.
While sinugba nga panga
(grilled tuna jaw) still tops my choice of the perfect handmaiden, or pulutan,
if you wish to call it, to dear old, iced cold beer, I think talaba promises to
be an equally sumptuous alternative. So,
despite the allergies I got from this trip (probably from having eaten too much
seafood?), I still have fond memories of the impressive images that Iloilo left
in my mind. Katahom gid sang Iloilo ya! (How beautiful Iloilo is!)
In Iloilo City alone, we
were able to bask at the old-world splendor of at least four houses of worship,
starting with St. Anne’s Church a.k.a. the Molo Cathedral in Molo district.
Said to be one of the few Gothic churches outside of Manila, this house of
prayer is renowned for its Gothic-Renaissance architecture, particularly its
distinctive twin red spires that seem to reach upward into the sky. Aside from
the towers, the church’s altar and pulpit are also largely Gothic in character
while its dome, columns and other interior designs are mostly Renaissance.
From Molo, we headed for
another popular destination in the city, the district of Jaro. Like Molo, I
consider my visit to Jaro for the nth time a spiritually rewarding experience.
And what’s so special about this place? Well, there’s the 150 year-old Our Lady
of the Candles Church a.k.a Jaro Cathedral. With its red-brick belfry, the
Gothic-Renaissance house of worship is among the few religious structures in
the Philippines that were constructed separately from the main church. After
saying our prayers, we spent another hour scouring the sanctuary in search for
great subjects.
Last on our list of Iloilo
City churches is the one found in the district of Villa Arevalo (or simply
Arevalo): the Sto. Niño de Arevalo
Church. Home to the third oldest image of the Sto. Niño (Holy Child) in the
country (which was brought by the Augustinians in 1781), this house of prayer
has a more contemporary design compared to other churches in the city. Some
part of it has either been damaged by fire or earthquakes and underwent
renovation through the years.
It is said that Miag-ao
Church’s fortress-looking structure with large watchtowers was built to defend
the town and its people against Moro raids. This house of prayer has thick walls
and, reportedly, secret passages. Undoubtedly, its elaborate bas-relief on its
facade is a monumental testament to the craftsmanship of ancient Filipino
master builders. 
Damaged by war, fire and an
earthquake, Miag-ao Church has been undergoing restoration work that began some
40 years ago, with funds coming from donations of local devotees and residents.
Recognizing its significance among Iloilo residents, former President Ferdinand
Marcos declared it a national shrine through PD 260. 
Before proceeding to the
town of Tigbauan, we deemed it wise to have an early lunch at one of the
eateries along the highway. After a hearty meal, we were on our way to St. John
of Sahagun Church in Tigbauan. Like most of the sanctuaries we’ve visited, this
church can’t be missed as it’s also located near the town plaza where most
vehicles pass by.
What makes it unique among
other old houses of prayer in the country is its Latin American architectural
facade known as churrigueresque which is commonly seen in many Mexican
churches. Built some 437 years ago, it was destroyed by a massive earthquake
and a fire that hit the island of Panay some six decades ago. Its interiors
have undergone massive renovation throughout the years. 
Upon entry, we were
dumbfounded to see the massive mosaic work that covered almost every part of
its interior walls. Each of the 14 Stations of the Cross are etched in
intricate mosaics, giving us the impression that we were inside a house of art
rather than a house of prayer. There’s no doubt that Iloilo’s centuries-old
treasures have stirred the very core of our beings.
But there’s more to the
province than her impressive heritage structures. Of the many charms that she
possesses, there’s one that has also etched a stirring impression on our
palates: Ilonggo cuisine. Home to authentic gastronomic delights that can
satisfy even the most discriminating taste buds, Iloilo has made an indelible
mark into the consciousness of every food-loving Pinoy here and abroad.
Like most typical dishes in
the country, simplicity characterizes Iloilo’s homegrown delights. But even
without frill and fancy, they count among the most sensational Pinoy cuisine
you’d ever get to taste. Known for their tenderness, sweetness and
graciousness, Ilonggos seem to bring these wonderful traits into their cooking,
thus, achieving something which they term as namit (delicious).
While sinugba nga panga
(grilled tuna jaw) still tops my choice of the perfect handmaiden, or pulutan,
if you wish to call it, to dear old, iced cold beer, I think talaba promises to
be an equally sumptuous alternative. So,
despite the allergies I got from this trip (probably from having eaten too much
seafood?), I still have fond memories of the impressive images that Iloilo left
in my mind. Katahom gid sang Iloilo ya! (How beautiful Iloilo is!)
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