Just this past weekend, members of the Advocates for Heritage Preservation descended on the province of Pampanga to visit old churches and again admire the beauty of these heritage structures and have as much fun as we can. Four vans and a few privately owned vehicles convoyed to Pampanga and we found our way towards our first stop.
 |
| with Lea Amante Villapando |
Sta. Monica
The church of Minalin is dedicated to St. Monica. Allow me lift information from the Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Churches.
The town's Renaissance church was built by the Augustinians in 1834, rebuilt in 1854, restored and embellished by Father Isidro Bernardo in 1877 and repaired again in 1885 by Father Galo dela Fuente) and 1895 (by Father Vicente Ruiz). It is 52 meters long, 13 meters wide and 11 meters high and is distinguished by its unique triangular pediment and its array of superpositioned coupled Corinthian columns at the Facade's center.
The pediment's tympanum is broken into two levels by a horizontal stringcourse supported by coupled Corinthian columns at both ends. Above it is a lantern-like campanille complimented by balusters at the raking cornice. The semi-circular arch of the main doorway and the arch of the window above it are decorated with lavish floral carvings. Twin four-storey, low and squat octagonal bell towers flank the facade. Its frame is a whole composition. Inside the church is a transept and some beautiful retablos. Both the church and the convento are enclosed by a low stone atrium with four capillas posas (a rarity in Philippine churches. Minalin is located 69 km north of Manila.*
 |
| Sta. Monica church frescoe |
Bacolor
Church of San Guillermo
Located in Barangay Cabambangan, it is one of the oldest and largest churches in Pampanga. This church was probably built by Father Jose Coronel (parish priest from 1617- 1629) on the lot of Don Guillermo Manabat. It was damaged during the 1645 earthquake, a fire in 1672 and suffered heavily during the British Occupation. The church was restored in 1852 by Father Manuel Diaz, damaged during the 1880 earthquake, repaired by Father Eugenio Alvarez in 1886 and Father Antonio Bravo in1897. It was partially buried in six meters of lahar from Mount Pinatubo's 1992 eruption and the church's floor is almost at the level of the windows (the current doorway is the window of the choir loft)
The church measures 56 meters long, 15 meters wide, and 12 meters high. Its central nave has a well lighted transept with windows. The main retablo, side retablo and pulpit are gilded with gold leaf. The richly designed baroque facade has square ionic columns with vertical flutings and ornamented capitals terminating up to the cornice molding. The semi-circular arched main entrance has a smaller window directly above it, all profusely and intricately ornamented. The upper part of the facade has square mouldings, scrolls and volutes and a tempietto at the top resting above the stringcourse of the blind arch.. Its four storey hexagonal bell tower on the left has semi-circular arched openings and is topped by a domical roof topped by a tempietto. Bacolor is located 72 km from Manila and 5 km south of the city of San Fernando.*
 |
| Willy Layug and me |
The convoy had a brief stop at the atelier of famous scultptor Willy Layug. This unassuming artist is now world famous after having presented Pope Francis with a statue of Our Lady of Hope. A bozeto of the Madonna is currently in his workshop amongst other works currently in progress. Willy Layug is an alumni of the University of Santo Tomas' Fine Arts program. He has also apprenticed in ateliers in Madrid and Barcelona to perfect his technique in creating santos and retablos. Beautiful life-like images are strewn all over his studio where his workers have their own particular "assignments". A film directed by no less than award-winning Brilliante Mendoza on his life and art are currently in production. Much to our surprise, Willy mentioned that he is willing to give back by accepting apprentices to his workshop. What a humble artist!
 |
| Our Lady of Hope by Willy Layug |
Betis
St James the Great |
| ** photo from personalgeographic.wordpress.com |
The church is 60 meters long, 16 meters wide, 12 meters high and has a profusely ornamented, two-level, German Baroque facade with decorative, coupled columns and skillfully arranged flora, spirals and intricate curvilinear carvings decorating the projecting portico ( a later addition). The first level has windows with white painted frames and latticed panels and the second level has a stained glass rose window with a cross as the main design. A frieze decorated with geometric dentil forms, separates the two levels. Its pediment has a huge volute emphasized by two wing-like and receding decorative mouldings.
 |
| painted dome |
The wooden entrance doors are intricately carved with the "Dreams of Jacob" from the Old Testament. The huge, elaborate retablo is furnished with authentic icons. Spectacular murals of nineteenth century artist Simon Flores as well as father-and-son team of Macario and Jose Ligon (finished before World War II) fill the walls. The interpretation of the Bible is painted on the entire wooden ceiling and dome. The four-storey bell tower, on the church's right, has alternating flat and arched windows and a graceful campanille crowning at the top. Guagua is located 77 kilometers from Manila and 10 Kilometers south of the city of San Fernando.*
 |
| baptistry |
Before we headed of for lunch, we stopped at what remains of the Lopez Mansion, took our photos and then went to lunch at Aling Luring's cafe where we did the obligatory introduction of new members. Indeed the AHP family is growing everyday... After lunch, we were off to Sta. Rita, Pampanga to admire the church.
 |
| Lopez Mansion |
Church of St. Rita
The town's present masonry churh was built by Father Francisco Royo in 1839 and completed by Father Juan Merino in 1868. It is 55 meters long, 13 meters wide, 10 meters high and has a single nave, a large well-lit transept and a solid mass, Baroque like facade. The facade has relatively slender single columns, triangular windows and a pediment flanked by mini-towers and enlivened by a mini retablo. The church is flanked by a squat, foru-storey bell tower on the left and a stone-arcaded convent on the right. Santa Rita is located 79 kilometers from Manila.*
We explored the town plaza and I ended up with AHP member Esquierdo Bhel Asinas at the grounds of Villa Epifania. The heritage home is owned by the Guanzon clan and was used as the movie set of the award-winning movie Tanging Yaman starred in by Gloria Romero and Lino Brocka's Tinimbang Ka Nguni't Kulang. The house is believed to haunted. Unfortunately, it was closed and the caretaker was not in close proximity. So instead of ghost hunting, we headed to the Lansang-Ocampo residence whose family has been producing famous Pampango delicacies like turrones de mani, Sans rival and also mamon tostado. to get relief from the humidity and heat. some members soothed themselves with buko and avocado sherbet from a lady with a cart.
Then finally we motored to our last stop.
Lubao
Church of San Agustin
The church was first built in Barangay Santa Catalina by Father Juan Gallegos using light materials. The present brick and adobe church was started by Father Francisco Coronel, continued by Father Geronimo de Venasque in 1635. and completed by Father Francisco Figueroa in 1638. It was damaged during the 1645 earthquake and was enlarged in 1829 using masonry materials. Father Antonio Bravo did some repair work in 1877 while Father Antonio Moradillo worked on the interior decoration in 1893 (the murals depicting the life of St. Augustine were probably done during this time.)
The church was occupied by revolutionaries in 1898, used as a hospital for American soldiers in 1899 and in 1942, during World War II, the dome, transept and roof collapsed during the heavy Japanese bombardment. The main retablo was undamaged but sunken panels and other liturgical ornamentations done by Italian artis Alberoni were lost. It was restored from 1949 to 1954 by father Melanio Garcia but was again damaged during a strong typhoon in 1962.
The church is 82.45 meters long, 21.12 meters wide, 10.50 metershigh and has 2.54 meter thick walls. The simple, plastered Neo-Classic-style facade has a semi-circular arched main entrance flanked by engaged, fluted pilasters spanned by a lintel arrangement and flanked by small niches. Above the window is a statued niche with a small segmental pediment above it and elegant curvilinear lines flowing from the midsection. An imaginary triangular pediment masks the roof.
Its only nave was originally painted by Dibella and Alberoni, both Italian artists. The central retablo
is flanked by rectangular openings with triangular segments as well as coupled pilasters on the first level and single columns on the second level. The five-storey, 31 meter high stone and brick bell tower, still unrestored, has two square stories and three octagonal. The convent, at the opposite end of the church is profusely ornamented. Lubao is located 83 kilometers from Manila and 16 kilometers south of the city of San Fernando.*
After documenting all of these places, we went back to Manila on separate routes and we were home by sundown... There will be another trip to Pampanga in the near future... it's just begging to be explored even more...
*Tourists Guide to Notable Philippine Churches, Benjamin Locsin Layug, New Day Publishing, 2007
No comments:
Post a Comment