The page spread containing my photos, except for Betis Church interior

Third page showing Batanes heritage churches

In an article written by Mico Manalo entitled VISITA IGLESIA: 7 Expressions of Art and Faith, my photos of the churches of Guiuan in Samar, Sta. Ana in Manila, interior of Tayabas church in Quezon and the Batanes churches of Mahatao, Ivana and Sabtang.

While the author seems to know these churches, he still propagates the myth that Gustave Eiffel of France’s Eiffel Tower fame built the San Sebastian Minor Basilica in Quiap, Manila, the only steel church done in neo-gothic architecture in Asia.

I’ve been a photo contributor for Mabuhay for some years now, including other churches in last year’s visita iglesia write up. This month of May, my first article with them plus photos got published.

The facade of the fortress-church of Capul in Northern Samar

For so many years, I’ve been wanting to visit the Capul fortress-church complex in Capul Island, Northern Samar but it was only last weekend that I finally made it. And I was in awe of the structures.

The fortress church of Capul guarded the embocadero, the passageway from the Philippines to the Pacific Ocean. The galleon, the lifeblood of the colonial economy, passed this way on its annual trip to Acapulco, hence, the strategic importance of this islet off the Samar Coast.

- Rene Javellana, author, Wood and Stone for God’s Greater Glory

It is unsure when the Jesuits arrived in Capul, but Javellana posits 1610 according to data that the Jesuits were working in Capul that year. The first structure was made of wood and light materials and was an important mission with Calbayog as its visita.

Not much is known when the church and the surrounding wall were built or when it was finished but in 1768, the last Jesuit priest of Capul, Fr. Esandi died on one of its ramparts during a Moro raid. After the Jesuit expulsion,of the same year, the Franciscans took over.

The bell tower was built in 1781 by Fray Mariano Valero and repaired the church. In 1869, it was made a separate parish. In 1898, the Franciscans opened a gate at the side wall facing the sea with its entrance arch pediment bearing the order’s seal and year.

The grand and baroque cemetery chapel of San Joaquin, Iloilo

The old cemetery chapels located in the camposanto built during the Spanish colonial era is one of the interesting religious heritage structures in the country. Unfortunately, many don’t have the focus they deserve. Only a few remain that still exists in the Philippines and their deterioration continues to this day.

This Top 10 list is a good start and that Filipinos should visit or be aware of. This listing is in no way complete as there are still some places that I have to visit but do note that this list covers cemetery chapels found outside of Metro Manila. Unfortunately, I haven’t found any cemetery chapels in Mindanao. Another note, this doesn’t include mortuary chapels which are found beside or infront of the church.

This is my entry for the Pinoy Travel Bloggers’s blog carnival hosted by The Pinay Solo Backpacker.

1 San Joaquin, Iloilo
Perhaps one of the most beautiful in the country, the cemetery chapel in San Joaquin, Iloilo is a head turner as one passes by the highway. A gated entrance leads to a grand staircase and on to this beautiful baroque structure that always awes visitors.

The cemetery chapel of Cabatuan, Iloilo has stylized bas relief

2 Cabatuan, Iloilo
Cabatuan in Iloilo is known mostly for its massive and beautiful church with a retablos made of sandstone. But few know that its cemetery chapel along the highway has one of the most stylized skull and cross bones in mortuary art during the Spanish colonial period. More info and images here.

Tabaco City cemetery chapel in Albay is unique for its construction material

3 Tabaco City, Albay
The cemetery chapel in Tabaco City is one of the well preserved structures in the Bicol region. It uses black lava stones abundant in the area, similar to the construction material of the old church. It has interesting bas relief details at its facade.

Tayabas's Santuario de las almas

4 Tayabas, Quezon
The Santuario de las almas in Tayabas is one of two cemetery chapel found in the municiaplity. This beautiful structure is one of the biggest in the country and where Spaniards and Filipino elites were used to be interred. Though located a few hundred meters from the basilica, it faces it directly.

Tayabas cemetery chapel in Quezon is unique with its twin towers and architectural style

5 Tayabas, Quezon
The cemetery chapel in Tayabas, Quezon is interesting as it is one of a few chapels with twin belfries, similar to Lucban, in the same province, which is now in ruins. What makes it more interesting is the use of Gothic architectural style which is represented by the trefoil pediment reminiscent of Lucban church and the lancet blind niche, central niche and entrance.

Nagcarlan's cemetery chapel done in the baroque style

6 Nagcarlan, Laguna
Nagcarlan in Laguna is famous for its underground cemetery, the only public catacomb in the country. Like the simbaan a bassit in Vigan, it has an espadana at the top serving as its pediment, a pair of blind oculi and a central niche. It is also the highlight of a circular cemetery.

Vigan's Simbaan a bassit in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

7 Simbaan a bassit, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Historic Vigan City is admired for its old structures and one of these is the cemetery chapel also called Simbaan a bassit. Done in the neoclassical style and adorned with a pair of volutes at the side (a baroque style) and some floral details, its the only one that has an espadana (top part where the bells are hung) in the Ilocos region.

The Calamba cemetery chapel in Cebu City is unique for its beautiful and unusual bas relief of death

8 Calamba, Cebu City
Of the cemetery chapels listed here, its only the Calamba chapel that has been refurbished and renovated badly with the front added with a badly designed portico and the lower portion cemented. This chapel is interesting for its bas relief located at the center of the pediment. It shows death with a scythe, crowned and holding an hour glass which readily drives down to men his mortality.

The quaint baroque cemetery chapel of Laoag City

9 Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
Tucked in one of the least visited places in Laoag City (well, except during 1 November), the cemetery chapel of this city is one of the bigger ones but quaint and built in subdued baroque style. Like Saravia, it is one of the few intact brick cemetery chapel in the country.

Saravia's cemetery chapel with brick facade

10 E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental
E.B. Magalona, formerly Saravia, in Negros Occidental has a beautiful cemetery chapel that is located near the highway. Of the many places I’ve visited, it is one of the very few brick structure that has an intact facade that I have seen. However, the interior has been renovated already and the roof has been replaced. More info here.

The beautiful and interesting facade of Minalin Church in Pampanga, declared as National Cultural Treasure, 27 October 2011

Baroque retablo mayor. CLICK TO ENLARGE

Capilla posa, a rare feature in Philippine churches is intact and complete in Minalin. CLICK TO ENLARGE

This is an important milestone for heritage advocates and an achievement by the local Commission on Cultural Heritage, Restoration and Conservation (CCHRC) chaired by Architect Owen Francis Canlas.

A National Cultural Treasure is defined as:

…structures that represent built heritage, and which possess outstanding historical, cultural, artistic and/or scientific value that is significant and important to the country and the nation.

Minalin Church is not only an architecturally interesting structure but it has outstanding features that make it unique among other Spanish colonial era churches not only in Pampanga but also in the country. It is also the second NCT in the province after Betis Church in the municipality of Guagua.

The fresco located at the kumbento dated 1619 showing a map of the town. CLICK TO ENLARGE

NCT declaration plaque

Inside, the baroque retablo mayor at the presbytery is a sight to behold. But one of the most treasured piece in the church complex is located at the second floor of the kumbento, just near the grand staircase. Here, a fresco on the wall shows a map of the town and a painted image of a woman has a date written on it: Ano 1619.

The church is also the only one of its kind with intact capilla posas at the four corners of its atrium. This feature is common in Latin America and in the Philippines, only three churches have this one: Minalin, Navalas in Guimaras (the chapels are located two in front and two at the back of the church) and Argao in Cebu, where, unfortunately, only one is original and renovated while the rest were replaced with modern ones.

Download Now: Minalin Church NCT Declaration (107)

Front wall with huge pillars crowned with finials

It is not known when the old cemetery of Anini-y in Antique, just at the side of the main road and a few kilometers from the town center, was built but the design is the same with the neighboring town of Tobias Fornier (formerly Dao). It consists only of wall with massive rectangular pillars. The front has lower walls and the pillars crowned with finials while the back has higher and the pillars not decorated.

The entrance at the front has two massive pillars, bigger than those found at the walls and I assume that it supported a canopy before. Now, only a modern and cement arch that is very incongruous with the architecture connect these two with an iron wording that reads:

Mabanhaw kami (We will be resurrected)

The walls are made from cut coral stones, just like the church and ruined kumbento.

Ruins of the original kumbento found at the back

The construction of the original kumbento (parochial house) of Anini-y was continued by Fray Jeronimo Vaquerin when he arrived 1878 and finished it a year later. During World War II, it was almost totally destroyed and the current structure was built over the ruins. One can still see the form of the 19th century edifice, made from cut coral stones, although, only the lower portion still exists. The kumbento is located a few meters left of the church.

Detail of the main inscriptions of the primary bell of Anini-y Church baptized with its patron saint

Upper portion of Anini-y Church belfry

The belfry of Anini-y church consists of three tiers with a quadrilateral base and the remaining two tiers octagonal and capped with a dome. It is located at the right side of the facade and is attached to the church. It is a simple structure with the details only limited to decorative columns, finials at each corner and dentils along the margin of the tiers and, from afar, looks imposing, looming over the facade. There are windows at each level but not at all sides.

Entrance is via a steel staircase inside the church which is just beside the entrance to the baptistry but seem unstable as it wobbles when one is at the top flight. The original entrance was accessed through the choirloft which is now missing.

The belfry is made from coral stones. This is much evident when one comes up the stairs. There are exposed mamposteria while some surfaces have been covered with cut coral stones including the barrel vault leading to the landing. The window facing the front has been added with a grill

The original wooden staircase is gone except for a piece that is still attached to the wall. Instead, it now has a free standing steel spiral staircase with a cement base leading to the next level where the bells are located.

There are a total of five bells in Anini-y Church, with some, having been recast sometime in 1986 with their esquilas (wooden counterweights for bells that are rotated) scattered at the back of the presybtery.

Bell 1. San Juan de Nepomuceno. Remaining original bell dedicated to the patron saint and is now placed at the floor of the church with the following details:

30 @ 18 lbs
DEDICACADA A S. JUAN NEPOMUCENO
SIENDO CURA PARROCO DE ESTE PUEBLO DE ANINI EL R.P.F. BERONIMO VAQUERIN
ANO 1898
H SUNICO Y HOS JOABONEROS 50 (this is the famous foundry of Hilario Sunico who supplied many bells and window grills in many churches around the country)

Bell 2. No inscriptions

Bell 3. Paris8h of San Juan Nepomuceno
Anini-y, Antique
ALBEMI
P.C. ARISTOZA METAL CRAFT, CADIZ CITY, NEG. DEL NORTE

Bell 4. Same with Bell 2 but additional inscription of Potenciana

Bell 5. 20 @ 18 lbs
ANO DE 1897
FUNDICION DE H SUNICO Y HOS
JABONEROS 50

Cover of the newest visita iglesia download

This is a series focusing on the churches of pre-war Intramuros in Manila, a Visita Iglesia that can be followed as a guide when touring around Intramuros. Click the image at the right to access other churches in other provinces.

A free downloadable and printable PDF guide is now available for those who would want to tour Intramuros and the places where the seven major churches, except for two, used to be found within the walls. This freebie showcases the eight structures in the historic walled city. This feature initially appeared in this post.

Two sample page spreads: Franciscan Church and the map. CLICK TO ENLARGE

The churches included in this free download are the following:

• Manila Cathedral
• San Agustin Church
• Recollect Church
• Franciscan Church
• Sto. Domingo Church
• Lourdes Church
• and the two churches of San Ignacio by the Jesuits

This download features archival images.

Check out also the rest of the visita iglesia downloads.

The beautiful rock hewn baptismal font, undated

The baptistry of Anini-y Church is located at the base of the belfry with a vaulted stone ceiling made of corals. It has two large arched windows and the walls are a meter thick. When one enters the main portal, it is at the left through an arched entrance. Two things that will readily catch one’s attention:

• the baptismal font, and
• the niche with decorative elements

The baptismal font is really interesting. While most churches have these made of marble with a simple finish and usually, etched with the date, except that of Carcar, the one in Anini-y is made from rock hewn stone with decorative bas relief on its surface. I haven’t seen any dates etched on the surface.

For the niche, it has stylized decorative corinthian columns, urn like finials, a fascia with dentils and below it are a series of rosettes. What makes this different from other churches I’ve seen is that instead of the common triangular pediment, a fanlike projection with a base takes it’s place. This motif is also copied at the presbytery which is modern.

Interior of Anini-y Church showing the supports of the supposed choir loft

The interior of Anini-y Church is austere and lacking the rich details of some old churches like San Agustin. When Fray Jeronimo Vaquerin built the present church, it only had the unfinished main arch of the presbytery when the revolution swept in 1898. The roof and backwall got destroyed during the typhoon of 1973 and has been rebuilt.

There is nothing much to see at present but the arches and pillars near the main portal provides is interesting as it used to hold the choir loft. The ceiling is also unusual as it uses galvanized iron sheets and when one converses at the ground, it echoes.