Cebu Metropolitan Catheral

1 Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
In 1595, the Diocese of Cebu, together with Nueva Caceres and Nueva Segovia was established as suffragan dioceses to the Archdiocese of Manila.

The mother church of the diocese, it was first made of nipa and wood. In 1689 the first stone church was started but due to the perennial lack of funds, even with the promised P10,000 given by the King of Spain and staggered for the next 10 years, construction has, time and again been delayed, later demolished (and transferred to the adjacent lot) and built again.

The current structure was built between 1829 and 1863. In 1865, the church was expanded and renovated but was overtaken by the 1898 revolution. It was finished by Bishop Juan Bautista Gordo during his term.

St. Vidal is the patron of the cathedral.

Liloan Church

2 Liloan Church
Liloan was established as a parish in 1845 under the advocacy of San Fernando del Rey with the Augustinian Recollect Fray Vicente Dolores as its first parish priest.

Originally a visita of Cotcot, it was under the care of the Jesuits in 1737 and even before they were expelled from all Spanish dominions, the town was returned to the Augustinians during the 1740s. Liloan was part of their early missions.

The current church was started in 1859 under Fray de Santa Lucia and was finished 21 years later. Wood used for the construction came from Leyte. The rectory, which used to stand near the rear end of the church was built six years earlier but was demolished in the 20th century.

This church has still extant cargo y data, record books that shows that the workers who built the edifice were paid and not a product of forced labor.

Compostela Church

3 Compostela Church
Compostela was established in 1865 through a diocesan decree and was handled by the Augustinian Recollects who took charge of the northerneastern part of Cebu. The edifice was constructed by Fray Manuel Alonzo and was originally composed of a stone facade while the rest were made of bamboo and nipa.

The church was renovated and expanded in the 1970s to accommodate parishioners with the coral stones now made as decorative items within the church vicinity. Only the facade and a small portion, actually a pillar at the sacristy, remains of the stone structure.

St. James the Apostle is the patron saint.

Danao Church

4 Danao Church
Danao was part of the original north Cebu Augustinian missions and was transferred to the care of the Augustinian Recollects in 1744.

Fray Manuel de Santa Barbara is credited with the building of the original stone structure around 1755. During World War II, it was damaged with only the facade and walls standing. Renovation was done right after but from 1981 – 85, a major renovation was done that greatly altered the church save for the facade and belfry.

The church is cruciform and has one of the beautiful facades in the province.

Santo Tomas de Villanueva is the patron.

Poro (Camotes) Church

5 Poro (Camotes) Church
Poro, one of the 3 towns that are in the Camotes group of islands off Carmen was administered by the Jesuits as early as 1737. It was established as a separate parish only in 1847 under the advocacy of the Sto. Nino.

The parish was first held by Fr. Florentino Dalmacio, a Secular but was later turned over to the Augustinian Recollects for administration with Fray Nicolas Gonzales as parish priest.

A single naved church, it is made of coral stones with buttressed sides which, during a 20th century renovation was grazed off. Only the facade and walls are original while the interior has been modernized. The belfry is also a later addition.

The wooden convent that used to stand a few meters from the church has long been demolished and a modern concrete one was built at the side sporting the original hardwood flooring of the former.

Some of the bells of the church were distributed and can still be found in some chapels within Poro.

The beautiful centuries old icon of the Immaculate Concepcion of Oslob which was spared from the fire that gutted the church. The white sky is reflected on the plexiglass protecting it.

On 26 March 08, an 8 hour fire gutted the more than a century old kumbento (parish house) and church of Oslob in Cebu. What was left were the thick stone walls and belfry as well as an icon of the parish patron. This is my tribute to this beautiful and historic church.

I visited the Basilica del Sto. Nino, the Augustinian convent in Cebu last 31 October to take photos around the church for a future post at my travel blog, langyaw.com. When I went out, I was surprised that the centuries old icon of the Inmaculada Concepcion (Immaculate Concepcion) of Oslob Church was just outside, encased in clear plexiglass and there were two long lines infront where people waited to come close and touch it.

The church of Oslob will be rebuilt but it is estimated to cost as much as 30 million pesos. Other than the second collection during mass, the icon visits several churches within Cebu to raise funds. During the time that I was there, the Basilica was just one of the stops in Cebu City.

It’s the first time for me to get upclose and touch the icon. It’s really beautiful and ancient. It is made of hardwood and about 5-6 inches in thickness. The folk relief is just stunning. Except for a blackened portion at one part of the bottom, there’s no trace that will indicate that it just survived a fire. I was just beside it and I can’t just help but marvel at this masterpiece.

While people were lining up infront, there were also many who were gathering behind the icon, touching and taking photos. They were abuzz about one portion where a faint trace forming a woman’s face can be discerned. While many say that it might have formed there miraculously, I would say that it is nothing but just some random pattern.

The mortuary chapel in Calamba, Cebu City is notable for its stylized skeleton relief that finds no parallel in Cebu.

The cemetery and mortuary chapels in Cebu are not as grand as those in Iloilo and are in different degrees of condition with most having been renovated and one in near collapse. For purposes of identification, I should clarify the two: cemetery chapels are those structures that are within the cemetery perimeter. It was in the 19th century that churches complied with the king’s edict to relocate these away from churches. In more affluent towns, these burial places were fenced and a chapel was built either at the center or at the far end. The mortuary chapel are structures that were built typically within the church compound either beside it or infront. It was where masses were said or a wake was held.

In the island province of Cebu, the presence of these structures are quite rare and are usually concentrated in areas that were under the Augustinian order. In this post, I have included those that can be found only in Cebu City (Calamba), Oslob, Boljoon, Sibonga, Argao and Dalaguete.

The mortuary chapel in Calamba, Cebu City is impressive because it has the most stylized skeleton relieve anywhere else in Cebu.

Built in 1863, the cemetery chapel of Calamba is the only extant structure in Cebu City and it originally belonged to the parish of San Nicolas. Of all the structures found in Cebu, it has the most stylized and biggest skeleton relief found at its pediment. It has a crown on its head, a staff in its right hand and at its left, holding a box containing an hourglass.

There used to be a small bell atop it. Below the pediment, you have this array of skull and crossbones and at the top side of the portal is a pair of skull and crossbone medallions. A floral rosette (or is this a stylized wheel?) can be found at the sides. The date of completion is etched atop the door. This structure is built at the center of the cemetery but unfortunately, an ugly canopy that doesn’t harmonize with the architecture was added infront.

Dalaguete cemetery chapel in ruins

Dalaguete mortuary chapel beside the church

Located at the backside of the cemetery, the one in Dalaguete (left) is a ruined structure. Its roofless with debris and human bones scattered at its floor. It has a very simple facade. A finial is located atop a rounded pediment. No relieves are found.

The mortuary chapel on the other hand (right), located just beside the church, is quite impressive and doesn’t look like one. At first, I thought that this was a stylized belen (nativity scenes during Christmas) but at the back of the structure is a skull and cross bones relief. The facade originally have impressive carvings detailed with symbolism of the church, Christ and the Augustinian Order but because of the deterioration, they covered the parts with cement. Now, the rich details located below the fascia can no longer be seen.

Sibonga cemetery chapel

The cemetery chapel is located at the center but it is in such bad condition that it is in danger of collapsing. Vegetation has grown on almost all the external parts and if this will not be addressed, the roots will further weaken the stones. It is another different style, the only one with a dome. Curiously, it has two entrances at both facing sides.

Like in Dalaguete, open coffins with one still bearing a dried out corpse and bones are scattered at its floor. Niches have been filled and some have been enlarged to accommodate the bigger sizes of modern coffins. It’s a very much neglected structure.

Oslob cemetery chapel

Oslob mortuary chapel infront of the church

Oslob is one of three municipalities in Cebu that have both cemetery and mortuary chapels. The cemetery chapel is located at the back end of the cemetery and it’s form resembles that of Argao. However, niches have crept infront of it and a canopy was cemented that now mars and hides the architectural details of this structure.

The mortuary chapel is located infront of the church. It has the skeleton with a staff and hourglass relief at its pediment. Only the facade remains as part of the original structure.

Argao cemetery chapel

Argao mortuary chapel infront of the church

The cemetery chapel of Argao (left) is located at the far end. When I first saw this in 2005, it was in ruins with the roof caved. When I came back this year, I was surprised and happy to see that they have restored it.

The mortuary chapel, on the other hand (right) was recently “rediscovered.” It is a beautiful structure that has wonderful details at its facade and, like the cemetery chapel, has a relief of St. Michael. There used to be a structure infront of it that hid this chapel and with a revitalized tourism effort in the municipality, they have torn it down. I just hope that they will eventually clean the vegetation growing at the pediment. As romantic as it may seem it does weaken the structure and the roots will eventually damage the stones. A more detailed post can be found at the Cebu Cathedral blog.

A skeleton with a staff and an hourglass carved at the pediment of Calamba (Cebu City) mortuary chapel built in 1863

Cebu doesn’t have the impressive colonial era cemeteries of Iloilo. There’s no ornate polygonal cemetery chapels like that of San Joaquin, Cabatuan and Janiuay. However, it does have its own surprises that would also delight lovers of these heritage structures.

Having gone around these areas for a few years now, I can’t help but notice the carved relieves of skull and cross bones lining the walls or skeletons, perhaps representing Death, carrying a staff and an hourglass decorating the pediment of the cemetery chapel. These two are quite common.

These cemeteries were built in the 19th century and those that are featured here are found in Cebu City and in the southern towns of Oslob and Boljoon which were under the Augustinian Order. In the north, I haven’t found these yet except remnants of walls. There are also relieves found in a few other towns but usually these are just skull and cross bones.

Unfortunately, like the fortifications that still exists in this island province, these are in bad condition and are in danger of crumbling to oblivion.

For the first part of this post, and the first of the visita iglesia series, I am featuring the Augustinian built colonial era churches in Cebu where the oldest city in the country is found and is considered the cradle of Christianity in Southeast Asia. These churches stretches from the heart of the old district of Cebu City down the southeastern coast ending with the municipality of Oslob. In between are about thirteen of these structures that the order founded and built. Note that I’m not including the churches of San Nicolas, Alcoy, Mabolo and Opon as the originals were either long gone and replaced with new edifices or have been heavily remodeled. Cordova was not included also due to lack of photos.

Basilica del Sto. Nino

1 The Convent and Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño in Cebu City is the sanctuary and center of the Sto. Niño de Cebu devotion in the country where the image of the Holy Child, brought during the Magellan Expedition that arrived in the country in 1521 and rediscovered in 1565 by one of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi’s men is venerated under the custody of the Augustinians.

The first structures were made of light materials but were razed by a fire in 1566. It was only during the third attempt, that the structure was made of stone but was again destroyed by fire.

The present structure, made from coral stones hewn from Panay and its wood from Talisay and present day San Fernando is probably the fourth to be built, was started in 1735 and finished in 1739. The facade is said to be a blending of Muslim, Romanesque and neo-classical features.

In 1965, during the occasion of the quadricentennial of the christianization of the Philippines, heavy restoration work was undertaken.

Pardo Church

2 The beautiful and imposing Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva in Pardo, which is still part of Cebu City, just along the main road is such a sight. Originally a part of the matrix of San Nicolas, it became an independent parish in 1866.

The first church was made of light materials and was replaced by a second one but, unfortunately, it was destroyed in 1877 by a typhoon. It was made of stone and tabique pampango with nipa roofing and connected to the convento.

The current structure was started at about 1880. based on the plans of the Spanish engineer-architect, Domingo Escondrillas, adopted the Latin-Byzantine order for its facade noting that no other church in the district have this kind of architecture.

Its massive belfry is integrated into the center flanked by two smaller towers. When viewed from a distance, it looks like a fortress.

Talisay Church

3 As early as 1589, the first recorded rebellion in Cebu happened here when a Spanish colonist acquired land and angered the natives of the area.

Talisay eventually became, like Banilad, an hacienda of the Augustinians. It was part of San Nicolas and was declared as an independent parish in 1836 under the advocacy of Sta. Teresa de Avila.

The second structure to be built on the site, the current stone church was constructed between 1836 – 1848 by Fray Juan Soriano. It is one of the unique churches in the country with its Graeco-Roman style of architecture which is shared with only a few churches in La Union, Pampanga and another church in Cebu, Carcar. It is marked with a recessed pediment and entrance covered by a porch and flanked with massive bell towers.

During World War II, it was one of very few structures left standing while the rest of the town was leveled. A good part of the church, including the convento, was destroyed but the facade survived unscathed.

This church has been dealt with in more detail starting with this post.

Minglanilla Church

4 Just before reaching San Fernando is the town of Minglanilla with its Church of the Sacred Heart of Mary standing proudly at an elevated area overlooking the coast. The present structure was started in 1886. This was preceeded by a temporary church which might have been built in 1856.

This church is just one of five structures built by the Augustinians in Cebu that have hints of Gothic architecture. The rounded arches of the windows and portals are said to be Baroque and blends well with the former. The lateral low structures were added later.

San Fernando Church

5 The Parish Church of San Isidro Labrador rests at the center of a spacious ground. Ever since it became an independent parish in 1858, the only religious structure that existed was made of light materials.

It was in only in 1870 that the current church was started during the curacy of Fray Miguel del Burgo, however, probably due to lack of funds, it was only finished in 1886. The belltowers, incongruous in size and made of cement were only added later. A coat of paletada used to cover the the walls and facade but has been stripped. The interior has also been renovated and is now modern looking.

The style of the church is Gothic as one parish priest considered it to be serious and majestic for this type of building. It was designed by the same architect who did the church in Pardo.

The convento, made of stone in the lower level and upper parts of wood still exists but has been converted into a school.

Naga Church

6 The small but impressive Parish Church of San Francisco de Asis in Naga is a gem.

One who visits or just passes by this church can’t help but take a second look at the intricate geometric patterns and whimsical figures of cherubs playing musical instruments, human faces, rosettes and other floral designs on its pediment contrasted by its bare lower part. At it’s side, two columns are crowned with minaret like domes. According to Coseteng in her book “Spanish churches in the Philippines,” the heavy embellishments of the facade is reminiscent of Islamic and Mexican art called “tequitequi.”

Naga became an independent parish in 1829 and the church was built in 1839 based on the plans of the Augustinian Bishop Santos Gomez Marañon. During World War II, the belltower located at the left side, if facing the facade, a portion of the triangular pediment as well as the convent were destroyed. The current belfry and convent were added in 1979 and mid 70’s respectively.

Much of the interior has been renovated.

Carcar Church

7 Built on a hill with a good view of the coast, the Parish Church of Santa Catalina de Alejandria in the newly declared City of Carcar is one of the beautiful churches in Cebu. It is probably the second or the third structure to be built in 1860 at the present location after it relocated from the original site in Barrio Valladolid when it was burned during one of the many Moro slave raids.

The facade is Graeco – Roman with a massive arch. Its twin belfries topped by a minaret-like design, no doubt Muslim inspired, is one of its distinguishing feature. The statues of the 12 apostles at the patio, with that of Judas located at a good distance were added later.