St. Hyacinth Church (or San Jacinto Chapel) is an elevated church whose construction dates back from 1604, or more than 100 years older than St. Peter’s Cathedral. Used as American headquarters in the Filipino-American war of 1899, it was reconstructed afterward by the Americans.
The oldest bell in the Far East is in San Jacinto Polona Parish Church, in Camalaniugan. Forged in the year 1595, it was brought to Manila in 1937 as part of the attractions during the 33rd International Eucharistic Congress.
Alcala Philomene Church, built in 1881, is the widest church in the province, measuring 30 meters wide by 90 mtrs. long, yet is made principally of bricks.
St. Peter’s Cathedral is the biggest Spanish-built church in the Cagayan Valley region. Its construction was completed in 1767; it suffered massive destruction in World War II but was rebuilt and is now considered one of the most beautiful works of art in the country and the world today.
Lal-lo was one of the first four cities in the Philippines (the others being Manila, Cebu and Naga). The first bishop of the Lal-lo diocese, Miguel Benavidez, O.P., was also the founder of the University of Santo Tomas.
The Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat, in the western part of Cagayan, houses a statue and image of Mary which was first enshrined in Lal-lo in 1604 (then known as Nueva Segovia). The image is credited with miraculous cures.
Malasiqui was once a mere settlement. Several families grouped together for mutual protection from wild beasts and lawless elements. As the settlement progressed, the Spanish authorities took advantage of the situation and sent missionary priests to spread the gospel.
According to legends, three missionary priests were initially sent to the settlement. Upon reaching the place, they found out that the settlement was located in the middle of thick woods and tall grasses inhabited by dangerous animals. The settlement was surrounded by creeks. A man whose brother became a historical figure lives along the banks of the north creek. This man was popularly known as Balolong. He is the brother of the famous Juan de la Cruz Palaris who led the revolution against the Spaniards in 1763.
Balolong planted a tree near his house and the tree grew very big that it is easily seen within the neighborhood. The tree was called “Bengal.” Because of the big tree, the north creek area is usually referred to as “Bengal nen Balolong.” Later on, the creel was to be known as “Bengalbalolong.” It is now more popularly known as Binalbalolong. These creeks that surrounded the settlement were known to be too dangerous during rainy season because of the swift current. Now, the south and north creeks are dormant.
As the three missionary priests surveyed the area, they found the small paths penetrating the thick woods and tall grasses. These small road passes connect the houses in the settlement. Ferocious wild pigs locally known as “animoloc” were abundant in the area. Having surveyed the settlement, two of the priests did not seem to admire the place. One of them remarked in Spanish “Mala” meaning “No good.” The other readily nodded in agreement and was heard to have replied in Spanish “Si” meaning “Yes.” But the third priest was determined to settle with the other two so he was heard to have protested in Spanish saying “Yqui” meaning “So what?”
The natives who heard the short dialogue (but did not understand the language) thought all along the priests gave a name to the settlement. They heard the priests uttered the following words in succession “Mala-si-yqui.” From that moment on, the settlement (now a big town) is to be known as Malasiqui.
PARISH OF SAN ILDEPHONSE MALASIQUI 1699
The parish of Malasiqui was formerly a “visita” of San Carlos, In 1665, it became a town with the venerable Fr. Juan Camacho as founder and first pastor. The original town of Malasiqui was located some two kilometers to the east of the road leading to Villasis. After an uprising in 1660, the town was transferred to the present site in 1661-1662.
In 1746, the construction of the church and the convent was started by Fr. Luis Delfin. These buildings were burned in 1763. In 1770, another convent was built, around 1773 the constructed new church began under Fr. Tapias, and it was completed in 1790. On February 29, 1820 another conflagration gutted down the town together with the church, the convent and the parish archives. Again, the building of a new church began in 1823 and was also burned. A provisional church and a convent were again put up, but this crumbled during the earthquake in 1880. In 1882, Fr. Juan Cordova constructed a new church which was inaugurated in 1885. This was partly destroyed in tremors of 1892, but was repaired by Fr. Salvador Millan. It measures 70 meters long and 18.50 wide. Meanwhile, the old convent was converted into Malasiqui’s first Catholic School. Later date, a new Catholic Rectory was inaugurated by Msgr. Madriano Madriaga on July 2, 1972.
The Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church was built in 1711 by Rev. Miguel Covarrubias and it houses the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. He constructed this church in fullfillment of the vow he made during his youth. The second church was built in 1750 by Bishop Isidoro de Arevalo, repaired and improved in 1876-1877 by Bishop Francisco Gainza. The image was solemnly crowned by the Rt. Rev. Guillermo Piano on September 20, 1924.
The concept for the building the Basilica Minore came from Archbishop Pedro P. Santos in 1960. Construction began on April 18, 1976, but was delayed for a number of years due to finance problems and was not completed until September, 1981.
On May 22, 1982 it was dedicated as The Church of Nuestra Señora de Peña de Francia and it wasn’t until May 22, 1985 that the Church was given the title of “Basilica Minore” from Rome after a request from the third Archbishop of Caceres, Leonardo Z. Legaspi.
The Peñafrancia Basilica Minore houses an image of the virgin Mary that was sculpted in 1710. It was commissioned by Miguel de Cobarrubias who moved to the Philippines from Spain with his family and believed that the virgin Mary had helped him numerous times in his life.
Below are pictures of the current state of the basilica taken by my husband during his business trip in Naga last week.
The patron saint of the San Carlos City is Saint Dominic de Guzman. He is the founder of the Order of Preachers and credited for performing miracles in the city. Among them was the minimal damage to the city caused by the return of the Americans to the islands during the close of World War II. The parish church built in his honor was once the biggest in Luzon. The parish of San Carlos is the oldest in Pangasinan.
Roman Catholicism remains the faith of majority of San Carleñians, although there are other denominations that co-exist peacefully in the city. Discrimination of religion is discouraged, though religious practices that seem bizaare and unacceptable by society is widely looked down upon.
The religion of the people of Pangasinan is predominantly Christian, although few are strict believers and continue to practice their indigenous beliefs and rituals, like most of the people of the Philippines. Spanish and American missionaries introduced Christianity to Pangasinan. Prior to the Spanish conquest in 1571, the predominant religion of the people of Pangasinan was similar to the indigenous religion of the highland Igorot or the inhabitants of the Cordillera Administrative Region on the island of Luzon who mostly retained their indigenous culture and religion. Pangasinan was also influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism before the introduction of Christianity.
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, Pangasinan is Most Reverend Oscar V. Cruz.
Pangasinan is known as a land of miracles. Whether this remains to be proven or not, the main pilgrimage centers of Pangasinan are the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag (reputed to be the pilgrimage capital of the North), the Shrine of Our Lord Jesus Christ the Divine Treasure in Calasiao (known to be patron of the sick), and Saint Dominic de Guzman Parish Church in San Carlos City. The Founder of the Dominican Order is credited for the countless miracles that saved the city and province from disaster and for guiding the lives of many Pangasinenses.
The church itself is simple with the façade flanked by two square columns wherein the main attraction of the church is the statue of the crucified Christ. The feast of Santo Cristo Milagroso or “
Today, the Sto. Cristo Milagroso attracts devotees just like the Black Nazarene of Quiapo ant the faithful pay homage to Apo Lacay inside the Church. These are annual pilgrimages to the shrine and there is an impenetrable crowd in the church on the first Friday of every month.
The church, classified by experts as Baroque, is famous for its antique wooden altar (retablo) which is still being used. An old choir loft and the pulpit have been preserved but no longer functional.
The beautifully carved three-layered retablo is divided into eight niches, each occupied by saint. Two pairs of three-tiered slender columns flank the church’s façade. A statue of the parish’s patron saint, St. William the Hermit, in the church façade greets visitors and devotees. Magsingal became an independent parish in 1676 and the feast day of St. William the Hermit is celebrated on February 10.
Miracles are attributed to the parish’s patron saint, St. Vincent Ferrer, thus attracting pilgrims from far and near. The church façade has two layers of columns divided by ornate architraves. The convoluted cornices in the church’s top section add beauty to the structure. Octagonal columns top with mini-domes rise from the base on both sides of the church’s façade. The ornate wooden pulpit is still preserved. The parish was established in 1795 and the feast day of St. Vincent Ferrer is celebrated on April 5.
At the end of Vigan’s
As founded in the church’s marker, the original church was a chapel of wood and that erected in 1574 on orders of Juan de Salcedo, the conquistador and Founder of Villa Fernandina (now Vigan). Historian Benito Legarda writes that the “construction of the cathedral to replace the dilapidated church of San Pablo was authorized by the celebrated Governor Jose de Basco y Vargas in 1786, and the cornerstone was laid on January 31, 1790.” The church itself became a cathedral when the seat of the Diocese of Nueva
