The town’s most impressive landmark is the Aztech-like church, situated near the banks of the Wawa River. This church was included in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1994 and also declared as a National Treasure for its architecture. This fortress-like church is a premier example of Philippine Earthquake Baroque Architecture.  The construction lasted from 1699 – 1702 under the term of Fr. Antonio Estavillo and repairs were done in 1865 by Fr. Ruperto Rodriguez. A major restoration was supervised by Fr. Baldomero Real from 1889 -1898.  The official inauguration was on the 18^th of February 1896.

The only one in the country with a 24 2.5 meter (3 varas) thick massive stone buttresses that ballast the walls and two exterior stone staircases (near the main altar transept) on both sides that reached the roof of the church. Thick coral block walls (1.67-meter )  were faced with bricks and sealed with a particularly hard lime mortar with sugar cane juice.

Fourteen molave posts supports the main nave. Measuring 60 meters (72 varas) long, 15 meters (17 varas) wide and 5.10 meters (6 varas high). The transept is about 7 meters (8 varas) high.

A combination of gothic, Baroque and oriental’s Indian madjapahit designs adorn the church’s unique two-level triangular façade divided by horizontal string courses. Baroque features are seen in the elegant curving and flowing huge scrolled buttresses. On the other hand, the decorative pinnacles are of Gothic nature. Chinese and Javanese influence are also present with the gables and the crenellations and five niches respectively. The formerly molave-made arched main entrance door is now made of wrought iron. Plain with square pillars extending vertically to the pediment and capped pinnacles makes up the lower level. Rosettes, volutes, foliage, royal emblems, and coat of arms decorate the horizontal cornices that divide the huge pediment.

Twenty Seven oil paintings are hung in the interior walls supported by gold pointed wooden frames at least 1.25 meters wide. Thirteen paintings on the sacristy wall, represent the Passion of Christ while the four paintings of buen pincel represent the four evangelists. John the Baptist’s painting decorates the baptistery. The 3-storey main altar has almost life-size wooded statue and the secondary altars on each side are each fitted with golden retablos.  A large statue of Christ is found over the wooden rail of the choir loft. A majestically designed pulpit and a statue of the Holy family were imported from Spain in 1891. While the windows are still made of Capiz shells, the ceiling is covered with strangds of cana de boxo.

A separate three-storey  coral stone bell tower was primarily built with 3.5 meter high wooden posts and three bells and enlarged from 1759 to 1759 by Fr. Torres using chopped coral stones and molave braces glued together. In 1793 and 1818, the main entrance doors as well as five bells were installed by Fr. Jose Nieto correspondingly. The katipuneros used it as a watch tower during the Spanish war at the same time the local guerillas used it during the Japanese regime.

* photos compliments of Mr. Ivan Mainar, R.N.

the church with two red-topped towers

This house of worship prides itself with the most collection of female saints among all churches in the island. This is said to be the most beautiful church in the whole of Western Visayas. Sixteen almost life-size images of female saints adorn the sides of its walls. On the right side stood: Sta. Juliana, Sta. Lucia, Sta. Rosa de Lima, Sta. Teresa, Sta. Clara, Sta. Cecilia, Sta. Margarita, Sta. Marta and on its left side: Sta. Marcela, Sta. Apolonia, Sta. Genoveva, Sta. Isabel de Ungria, Sra. Monica, Sta. Felicia, Sta. Ines, and Sta. Maria Magdalena. The construction of this citadel started in 1831 under the administration of Rev. Pablo Montaño and completed under that of Rev. Agapito Buenaflor.

The church has five massive doors, with ceilings shaped as domes. It is said to be in a Neo-Classical elegance, with some details in Gothic styles. The twin belfries rise in unison into a red-sharp top, the two towers gives a visually vertical orientation of the structure and breaks the monotony of the morning sky. The church is practically situated in the middle of the town.

The church survived several earthquakes but not the war. On March 19, 1945, the church was bombed and the two belfries were destroyed and the church was partially damaged. There are originally 36 bells of different sizes but destroyed during the way when the Japanese used the tower as machine gun nests and shelled by American artillery. Under the supervision of Gov. Timoteo Consing and the parish priest Rev. Manuel Alba, the fortress was reconstructed with the support of the Molo population. The church contains remains of many prominent Ilonggo personalities.

It was the painting of biblical characters during the last part of the 19^th century that urged our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal to drop by the Molo church on his way to Dapitan in August 1896.

The relics of St. Anne is exposed for veneration every 26^th of June, her feast day.

Location          : Molo, Iloilo City

Feast Day         : 26^th July

The town was formerly called Araut. Dumangas was made parish in 1569 and in 1572 under the leadership of Fr. Juan de Alva, the construction for their church started. Until the end of the Spanish rule, their Church gained a wide popularity as a vital center of religious activities in Iloilo.

Fr. Juan Medina in 1617 built a wooden church in the new town. However, this church was burnt with the convent in 1528 during the time of Fr. Tomas Morales, another church and convent was built thereafter. On the other hand, on a Saturday, March 15, 1687 the almost 60-year old convent was turned into ashes taking along 2,000 canvass of rice stored in the camarin.

It was Fr. Juan Aguado in 1759 who proclaimed St. Agustin as the patron saint of Dumangas. He defended the town in a very famous legend. In 1777, Fr. Agustin Casan reconstructed the old citadel bounded by stone walls and high watch towers. It was destroyed by a strong density earthquake in 1787. Over 1,000 years later, in 1887, Fr. Fernando Llorente (famous Augustinian Friar for his engineering skills) began the construction of the present church. It was through force labor with the bricks locally manufactured and white coral stones were taken from nearby seashores to as far as Antique.

It was finished during the incumbency of Fr. Rafael Murillo in 1895, burnt down during the Fil-Am war in the 1900s and once again in 1946, Fr. Ramon Pampona started another set of reconstructions. Serious restoration works started in 1983 under Fr. Santiago and on the same year, a national landmark was given by the National Historic Institute through the efforts of Congressman Narciso Monfort. This Gothic Byzantine Church is said to be the first stone church of Panay.

The predominant design is gothic with flame-like arches of the main entrance and windows. The rectangular opening of the pediment distracts from the main motif. The windows are flanked by slender Corinthian columns.

Location          : Dumangas, Iloilo

Feast Day         : May 5 (Municipal Foundation Day)