Fascinated by the Churches – Part Trois

I’ve been to Boljoon several times now. But each visit is definitely different. This time Bro Bear and I got the chance to visit the museum and took pictures of the watch tower and the adjacent cemetery.

The church’s roof was replaced with galvanized sheets. The shingles (tisa in local term) were taken out and down as part of the restoration program. According to the villagers, the parish is still gathering funds to buy the shingles that would be placed on top of the existing roof.

With the roof in place, the wooden ceiling has finally given protection. We were able to get near the altar and took pictures of the old wooden retablo and the images.

Looking at the retablo made me remember Bro Bear’s explanation of the words horror vaccui. It’s made of hardwood that were probably taken nearby. The retablo is painted in white and gold but were made colorful by several small patterns and in-lays.  The people of Boljoon should be thankful that in spite of several raids and attacks, their beautiful church was spared.

Boljoon now has the oldest remaining original stone church in Cebu. The church is more like a baroque-rococo style, with thick walls made of local stones and lime. Possibly because it served as a fortress during the Spanish colonization, and with the efforts of Fr. Julian Bermejo who ordered a dozen or so watchtowers built as a defense network, the church of Patrocinio de Maria survived.

We had a glimpse of Boljoon’s historical and cultural significance when we visited the museum at the ground floor of the church’s convent. Bro Bear had great accounts and thoughts on the musuem and the church complex in his site. Click Bro Bear.

From Boljoon, we travelled back to the town of Alcoy and visited the church of Sta. Rosa de Lima. Alcoy is known for its  dolomite and reputedly it claims to have one of the biggest dolomite deposits in the world. Dolomite is a sedimentary carbonate rock containing calcium magnesium carbonate with several industrial uses.

The church is found a block away from the highway, slightly elevated and hidden by rows of trees. It looked modern now but traces of the old church remained such as the clover-like window at the pediment, the decorative pillars and its gothic style.  The convent still retains its old form.

We did not linger much in Alcoy for we moved on to the neighboring town of Dalaguete. It was long known before that the St. William Parish church resembles the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Argao. Dalaguete’s church was newer (built in 1802), but that of Argao is better-planned.

The form and structure of the church (a pseudo-rococo) is much like the Argao church with the facade divided only by four ornately-carved vertical lines that extend up to the pediment. A small niche could be found atop the main arch flanked by windows on both sides. It also has a camarin delos campaneros or the bell-ringer’s quarter, that low structure connecting the church and the bell tower.

And just like Argao church, it has a striking painted ceiling and wooden retablo. It was painted in the 1930’s by Canuto Avila. In and around the church complex are old structures like the watchtower that looks like an elevated gazebo, the old church perimeter wall, the mortuary chapel  (osarium) with some stone carvings and the huge convento.

 Our visit to St. William the Hermit Church (San Guillermo el Ermitano or St. William the Great) was the last stop before we returned to the city. In two days, we rounded up 14 churches in 13 different southern towns.

Driving back to city and passing several town, I realized that Cebu has several jewels still scattered in several areas down south. These gems may have been preserved and protected under the cloaks of faith and the religion that primarily served as a front for the island to kneel in front of Spain, Cebu’s old churches are living reminders of how life was centered on this faith, centuries and centuries ago.

Personally, it was a visita iglesia a bit of spiritual undertaking but mainly it was more for cultural and historical appreciation and awareness, a re-trace of my roots and beginnings as a Cebuano, an acceptance of the past and an enlightenment or understanding of what I have become.

I fully accept the fact that I would never be allowed to get hitched in any of these old churches. But knowing that the people before us had put in hard labor, blood, sweat and life to erect these structures of worship that protected my ancestors against attacks, raids, storms and wars, it is but fitting that at the very least I should come and visit these churches and express my heartfelt gratitude for the life I have now.