There are more than a dozen chapels inside the church of San Agustin with altars from various periods and architectural styles (baroque and neoclassical) with dedicatees varying over time depending on their patrons and changes done by the friars.

Simbahan.net sits down with San Agustin Museum Director and author of the book Philippine Church Facades, Pedro Galende, OSA to talk about his recent publication and thoughts on future projects.

It was the practice in previous centuries that the mortal remains of, usually, prominent persons were buried inside the church. This was so since these families were patrons or benefactors who, in one way or another, contributed to its construction, donated precious jewels, saints, vestments and other church decorations or even paid for the upkeep of a chapel. In some instances, they sponsored the priests who were assigned there. In some other instances, they paid for the chapel or a slot for their final resting place.

A monumental work containing 160 Spanish colonial era churches from Luzon to Mindanao. This is the list of churches covered.

A monumental work containing 160 Spanish colonial era churches from Luzon to Mindanao

At the far end of the church interior is the presbitery where one can find the altar mayor or main altar. It is made of carara marble and was installed in 1934 which replaced the original made of wood.

The huge retablo just behind it catches the eye. Its top is crowned by the image of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove with Saint Augustin at the lower center dressed in white robes flanked by two angels. The grand niche contains the statue of St. Paul.

Trompe l’oeil is French for fools the eye. It first appeared in the Philippines in San Agustin church in Intramuros where the ceilings and walls are decorated with it. At first, one would think that these are carved decorations, a perfect play of light and shadows until upon close scrutiny, the three dimensional effect, are infact just painted on the ceiling.

A look inside San Agustin church is a look into the grandeur of a bygone era as well as the power that the Catholic church wielded during the Spanish colonial years. One is only awed with amazement gazing at these ornate and fabulous richness and artistry.

San Agustin Church in the Agustinian monastery complex in Intramuros is undeniably, the mother of all churches being the oldest in the country despite claims from other places. Constructed from 1587 – 1607, it has survived earthquakes, typhoons, the British Invasion, the Philippine Revolution and World War II, which, was the only building left standing in Intramuros.

The religious Order of St. Augustine or the Augustinians, was the first Catholic missionary order to reach the Philippines in 1565 via the expedition led by Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi guided by the famed navigator and Augustinian friar Andres de Urdaneta. On 31 December 1575, They established the Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus in the Philippines four years after Legazpi established Manila as the capital of the then new Spanish settlement.

The simbahan and its related structures are not always permanent. There are many factors that have caused its destruction, abandonment and left to ruin. In the course of a town’s life, populations rise and fall as what happened in Calavite, Mindoro where the constant Muslim slave raids greatly decimated the populace.

Strictly speaking, conventos refer to houses for a religious group like nuns and monks but here in the country, it has evolved to mean a parish house or rectory. A residence of the parish priest, it is originally called a casa parroquial. Generally, it is attached to the simbahan either in line with the façade or at the back, or separated from the church like the one from Sibonga, Cebu.

Conquest and colonization of the archipelago was not an easy task for the ruling Spaniards as they have made not a few enemies who were intent of sabotaging their efforts. Not only are the enemies limited within the country but outside powers like other European colonizers were lusting to expand as well.