Inspired by Ilocos Norte's Iconic Churches

Seeing places I’ve known through a piece of art—be it a film, a photograph or a painting—gets my creative juices flowing and inspires me to explore and scribble something about them. And there’s a plethora of stuff that are worth writing about when you visit an interesting region with a diverse landscape and unique culture that’s been the subject of numerous works of art, not to mention it being one of the most enduring strongholds of Christianity in the country—the Ilocos Region.

Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol in Laoag City

Aurora Park in Laoag

Throughout my life I’ve seen several movies, TV shows, videos, pictures, paintings as well as read countless books, magazines, newspapers and other publications that featured this intriguing region in northern Philippines, whetting my appetite to experience for myself life as the hardworking, determined, and resilient Ilocanos know it. For many years, I’ve been wanting to go there but for some reason or another, my plans lost steam until the summer of 2018 when I finally set foot in Ilocandia, thanks to a weeklong escapade organized by one of my Manila-based friends.

Welcome to Ilocos Norte!

All the four provinces (Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan) that make up the region are blog-worthy, each deserving a full-length, separate narrative, starting off with Ilocos Norte, which I finally had the chance to see last year. Never mind the arduous ten-hour journey from Manila to Laoag. It’s so worth it! Impressed by what I saw that time, I vowed to return and explore the place to the hilt. That’s why I’m now on my fourth post about the province!

Javanese-inspired design of Badoc's tourist information center 

St. Augustine Church in Paoay

This time, however, I’m zeroing-in on the awe-inspiring centuries-old churches dotting the province’s picturesque landscape if only to highlight the heritage of Filipinos that they represent. Here are seven formidable churches that I believe are worth seeing during a church-hopping pilgrimage or visita iglesia, whether it's Lent or not, in the northern part of Ilocandia:

St. Andrew the Apostle Church

St. Andrew the Apostle Church (Bacarra).  The sojourn to Ilocos Norte’s churches led me to this idyllic coastal town facing the West Philippine Sea whose church immediately caught my fancy when I first learned about it. Declared a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission and a National Cultural Treasure by the country’s National Museum, I found Bacarra Church a rare historical gem worth exploring.

Destroyed by powerful earthquakes, the latest of which was in 1983, this house of prayer traces its roots to an original Baroque structure built in 1593 by the Augustinians in honor of St. Andrew the Apostle. Located in the town center, it faces the sprawling town plaza where the locals congregate and spend time with family and friends.

Bacarra Church's "beheaded" bell tower

I guess those who've seen it would agree with me that the church’s most distinguishing feature is its crumbling red stucco, dome-less or “beheaded” belfry made of corals and bricks that bring to mind some Hindu temple I've seen in many parts of Southeast Asia. Built separately from the main church, the three-story structure was hit by several tremors between 1931 to 1971, causing it to tilt a little sideward to the right. It was the 1983 earthquake that shook Luzon, however, that toppled the leaning belfry’s entire cupola.

Nonetheless, the bell tower, said to have been built in 1828, still works and has even become of one the province’s sought-after tourist attractions. Mind you, the leaning tower is one of the town’s symbols that’s featured prominently on its official seal.

St. John the Baptist Minor Basilica 

           

St. John the Baptist Minor Basilica (Badoc). Stepping into the rustic town of Badoc, I headed straight to this imposing brick-and-stone earthquake Baroque church built by the Augustinians in honor of St. John the Baptist, where the great Filipino painter, Juan Luna, is said to have been baptized. Entering the church premises, I readily noticed the newly painted structure and its sprawling expanse. Like many of its counterparts in the region, the belfry of Badoc Church stands apart from the main structure.

Buttressed walls of the church

The minor basilica's retablo mayor

The whitewashed structure looked resplendent as the warm rays of the sun shone upon it. Twelve massive brick buttresses on each side hold up the church and keep it grounded. Inside, the floor is laid with green, yellow ochre, and cream tiles as well as the prosaic red Vigan tiles. Its retablo mayor (main altarpiece) is ornately carved and painted gold, while the altar and pulpit are turquoise and gold, reminiscent of the Ilocos sky and sun overhead.

Choir loft

Rose window with the icon of the Blessed Virgin and her Child


 

Icon of La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc adorns the retablo

Home to the 400-year old revered image of the Miraculous Blessed Virgin Mary (La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc), the church often overflows with devotees who come to pay homage to the icon. Numerous miracles have been ascribed to the image of the Virgin Mary, strengthening the Ilocanos’ devotion to her. Such intense and widespread devotion became the basis for proclaiming La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc as the Patroness of Ilocos Norte on May 2, 1980.

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church


 

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church (Batac). Aside from exploring Batac Church, I’ve been wanting to visit the city to see the glass-encased coffin of the late President Ferdinand Marcos (It was on public display for years prior to his burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig in 2016). Unfortunately, it was no longer there. Just the same, I had a great time exploring the so-called "Home of Great Leaders" and its interesting landmarks, including its picturesque church.

At first glance, the peach-colored church exudes an air of Ilocano grandeur, simple yet splendid.  Located right right in the heart of the city, it was named in honor of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Gazing at it, the church seemed like some newly-built structure. Nothing about it, however, betrays its real age.

Interior of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church

In 1587, the Augustinians built what would later become the foundations of the existing church. Destroyed in 1620, it wasn’t until 1690 that it underwent massive reconstruction that took two years to complete. The present-day church had been renovated, repainted and plastered with palitada, a local mixture of lime, sand, water, and molasses or egg whites.

Its original features and authentic color give the church a Romanesque effect with traces of Italian influence evident on the recessed portals, embellished wheel windows, and inverted moldings. Heavy twin pilasters complement the large rose window and the wide opening of the main portal.

St. William the Hermit Cathedral (Laoag). I found the Laoag Cathedral such an awesome testament to God’s faith in his faithful flock. For four centuries, it was hit by a number of natural and man-made disasters—a typhoon in 1640, an earthquake in 1706 and a fire in 1843—which all seemed to conspire to reduce this house of God to rubble but to no avail. It has remained as unruffled and unshakable as the Ilocano faith, standing up to the harsh tests of time, weather and the elements.

St. William the Hermit Cathedral

Known for its Italian  design, St. William the Hermit’s Cathedral was erected in 1612 by the Augustinian friars to replace a wooden chapel, built using lime mixed with molasses, big stones, gravel and sand. Wood was used for trusses to support the roof, which was originally made of cogon grass but was later replaced with nipa. Much later, the roofing was changed to a corrugated galvanized iron sheet.

  

Interior of St. William the Hermit Cathedral

Main entrance to the church

The church's ornate retablo mayor

Rebuilt in 1880, the Laoag Cathedral has an unusual two-story façade, supported by two pairs of columns on each side of the arched entrance. The top of the façade holds a recessed niche showcasing the image of the city's patron saint, St. William the Hermit (San Guillermo de Ermitaño). Windows are made from capiz with wrought iron screens. What sets this house of prayer apart from other churches in the country is its sinking bell tower, which drops into the ground at a rate of an inch a year!

A glimpse of  Laoag Cathedral's sinking belfry

Roughly 85 meters away from the church, the sinking bell tower is probably the farthest belfry from the main structure that I've seen so far. Built by the Augustinians in 1612, the 45-meter tall belfry is also touted to be the tallest of its kind in the country. If only for that, I guess it's worth the arduous trip to Laoag! Good thing, I got to see the spiritual and cultural wonder before it sinks deeper into the ground!

The awe-inspiring facade of St. Augustine Church in Paoay

St. Augustine Church (Paoay). Said to be one of the most photographed churches in the country, St. Augustine Church in Paoay is one of the four churches which were included in UNESCO's World Heritage List of the finest examples of Baroque churches in the Philippines. I saw Paoay Church during my first visit to the province but I couldn’t seem to get enough of it. A second coming is definitely in the offing, I thought as I explored the church that time. And I did a year later!

Work on the structure began in 1694 but it wasn’t until 1710 that the church was fully completed. Parts of it, however, were damaged during the earthquakes in 1865 and 1885. Like some of the churches in the region, this house of prayer was made of baked bricks, coral rocks, salbot (tree sap) and lumber. What makes this church a standout? Well, Paoay Church boasts of 24 massive carved buttresses that support the structure, making it a typical earthquake Baroque structure that’s deemed an architectural solution to the area's natural setting that is prone to tremors.

Icon of St. Augustine at the retablo mayor 

Paseo de Paoay

The church's enormous buttresses

Both sides of the nave are lined with the most voluminous stone buttresses. Coral stones were used for the lower level while bricks were used for the upper levels of the church. Whew, such a classic beauty!

A unique fusion of Gothic, Baroque and Asian architecture, the church’s façade displays its Gothic affinity, its gables exude Chinese elements while the niches topping the walls suggest Javanese influence (reminiscent of the renowned Borobudur Temple in Indonesia). A three-story coral stone bell tower stands apart to the right of the church, serving as an observation post in 1896 for the Katipuneros during the Philippine Revolution against Spain, and again by Filipino guerillas during World War II.

Facade of St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church

St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church (San Nicolas). Being adjacent Laoag, I visited San Nicolas on the first day of my sojourn around Ilocos Norte. Separated only from the provincial capital by Gilbert Bridge, I hardly noticed that I was already in another town. Entering the town’s southern approach, I was welcomed by the grandeur of an old church as well as its bell tower and convent, all made reportedly of bricks and lime.

Found right in the heart of the quaint town, St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church stands face-to-face with the town plaza. Constructed in 1584, the same year that the town itself was founded by the Augustinians, the church was made of light materials just like the other similar structures that time. Lying right in the heart of the town, it played an important role in history when it housed Filipino revolutionaries who were fighting the Spanish colonizers and also served as headquarters of the American forces.

Interior of St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church

From what I've gathered, it's said to be one of the oldest churches in the Ilocos Region. It is believed though that its present-day structure was erected in 1701. It has a spacious front space that doubles as a parking area. Facing the northwest, you’ll get a good glimpse of the afternoon sun when you go there.

Interior of St. Monica Church

St. Monica Church (Sarrat). In this town that’s known to be the birthplace of former President Ferdinand  Marcos, there’s an interesting church that I’ve long heard about when it hugged the deadlines for being the venue of one of the most talked-about events in the 1980s—the grandiose wedding of one of the Marcos daughters, Irene, who tied the knot with one of the scions of the illustrious Araneta clan.

Facade of St. Monica Church

Arriving in Sarrat, I was greeted by the plethora of ancestral houses found all over town, foremost of which is that of the late dictator. After exploring the Edralin-Marcos ancestral house, I walked my way towards St. Monica Church. Standing prominently with its red-brick structure, this beautiful house of God that’s dedicated to St. Monica of Hippo is one of the most popular destinations in Ilocandia.

Admired for its Baroque-Neoclassical design, the Sarrat Church was built in 1669 and took 10 years to finish. I went inside and walked towards the altar. Anyone entering the church’s simple yet hallowed grounds will be dazzled by the magnificent framework of wooden roof trusses, made of about 500 molave logs. Measuring about 105 meters long (from the front to the back), the church is said to be the longest in all of Ilocos Norte!

The church's wooden trusses are made of molave

Buttressed walls of St. Monica Church

The church's stand-alone belfry

Like the other churches found in the province, the one in Sarrat has a belfry that's separated from the main church. It also boasts of having buttressed walls (a typical feature of earthquake Baroque structures) and a three-level brick bridge and staircase connecting the church with the convent.

Three-layered red-brick connecting the church to its convent

Embarking on a three-day church-hopping pilgrimage in Ilocos Norte gave me the chance to make good on one of my panatas (sacred vows). Good thing, I was able to push through with my visita iglesia in time for this year’s observance of the Holy Week. I believe it’s a must-do for all who identify themselves with the Roman Catholic faith, devout or not, Lenten season or otherwise.

At a time marked by the creeping erosion of faith brought about by the ultra-modern mentality of a permissive society, not to mention the spate of scandals that have rocked Catholicism around the world, taking a peek at these churches inspires us to hold on to our faith no matter what. Verily, the awe-inspiring churches of Ilocos Norte as well as those found in other parts of the country are historical and religious symbols that Filipinos, Catholic or otherwise, should cherish.

Shaken by earthquakes, gutted by fire, bashed by typhoons, almost reduced to ashes by wars, efforts should be stepped up to secure these churches from further harm and deterioration. Having endured the rigors of time and the elements, they ought to be preserved by all means. Not even the growing urbanization that is sweeping many parts of the region and the rest of the country should be allowed to eradicate these iconic symbols from our national patrimony.