BOHOL VISAYAS

Baclayon Church – Inside the Ancient White Walls of Bohol

January 24, 2019July 25, 2021 Rex Lim Lim 2019, ADVENTURE, BACLAYON, BOHOL, CHURCH, GUIDE, HOW TO, ITINERARY, PINAS, TRANSIT, TRAVEL

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Baclayon Church of Bohol stands sentinel near the mangrove fringed seaside, the foreboding clouds loomed as we entered the white-washed ancient walls of the sanctum.

Baclayon Church was built in 1596 by the Jesuits, making it one of the oldest Christian settlements in Bohol and in the whole Philippines.

From the Rubbles We Rise

Table of Contents

La Purisima Concepcion de la Virgen Maria Parish Church or simply known as the Baclayon Church in Bohol is considered a National Cultural Treasure by National Museum of the Philippines. Moreover, it is also National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

Baclayon Church is also in the list UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List of the Philippines since 1993 under the collective group of Jesuit Churches of the Philippines.

Unfortunately, it was a victim of a devastating magnitude 7.2 earthquake that heavily damaged the portico, facade and its imposing bell tower in 2013 – dropping the church from the list.

This major blow to the structure disheartened the Boholanos for the cataclysmic event that damaged their heritage, that almost all the lineages of their family has come to know. But major reconstruction of the church started in 2013 and was finished by the first quarter of 2018.

Inside Out

Just like any Visayan church, the Baclayon Church is made entirely of coral stones, explaining the white washed colors of its wall and the large buttreses supporting the now fragile walls.

The facade is rather simple, the base is made up of three arches leading to the portico while the upper portions have recessed niches back in 2013 which houses St. Joseph and the Immaculate Conception that both dates back from 1885. The structure we are seeing now is heavily reconstructed by some 200 forced laborers in 1727.

The 4-storey rectangular bell tower, heavily damaged during the earthquake is now reconstructed again. Originally this is detached from the church not until it was connected after the construction of the portico in the 1700s.

It has the original 6 of 9 bells, the seventh is in the museum, while the eight one is donated to the parish of Corella, Bohol.

The interiors, which are recently renovated following the devastating earthquake, is one not to miss during a visit into this historic church. The thick coral stone walls form a cross shape with the center flanked by a high circular ceiling.

Although most of the murals on the ceiling are not preserved, one can still see reddish paintings in wooden panels by Father Antonio Ubeda from 1859.

The retablo is composed of two minor ones (gospel and epistle retablo) and a larger one (retablo mayor) on the central portion.

What I noticed inside is how colorful the interiors become during the day due to the colorful glasses installed in the walls.

These fascinating additions give a lively vibe to the church which has withstood the test of time. Inside out, this church definitely teleports you back into the past, when it was once heavily fortified against marauders from the sea.

Another one I noticed is the pulpit located near the epistle. This Baroque and Neo-Classical wooden pulpit was built in the 1870s.

It is also said that the face of the Capuchin Priest, Saint Padre Pio miraculously appeared in one of the weathered white walls of the Baclayon Church.

A funeral mass was taking place that time, and the church is almost in its full capacity, the sermon is in Cebuano, which I cannot comprehend at all.

How To Get There

From Dao Bus Terminal in Tagbilaran City which is right across the Island City Mall, take any Bus or Van bound for Baclayon or succeeding areas like Carmen, Jagna, Anda and ask the driver to drop you off at the church.

Coming up! What happened before and after this quick introduction to the age old church of Bohol. Blood Compact Shrine and the Church of Alburquerque, Bohol. Link HERE.

Bohol: Into the Tarsier Republic – Imagine Philippines, if not, all of its attractions all rolled into one ultimate destination, then Bohol is the place to be!

From the curious chocolate colored hills, waterfalls, diverse marine biodiversity, white beaches, pristine islands, clingy Tarsiers, and rice terraces, this province is definitely your one stop shop travel destination. Follow my adventure series into this Visayan Gem, as I land into my 58th province last November 24, 2018!