Your Guide to Cebu Province Churches By Michelle Eve A. de Guzman
01 August 2008
With its rich history of Spanish
colonization and deep Catholic roots, the Province of Cebu
abounds with churches, both old and new, all with character
and ability to make even the most distant devotees flock and
share their lives' milestones, from baptisms to weddings,
to these churches.
St. Gregory The Great Parish, Ginatilan Cebu
Photo by: Robert L. Booc
Cebu City If you’ll ask anyone what church
to recommend in Cebu City, the province’s capital, that
person would immediately say Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.
It houses the oldest religious relic in the Philippines—the
Sto. Niño. This was given by Ferdinand Magellan to
Queen Juana when husband King Humabon was the first to be
baptized as a Catholic on April 14, 1521.
The Sto. Niño is the inspiration
for Cebu City's famous Sinulog Festival every January, and
Cebuanos' devotion every First Friday.
With approximately 60 services
given throughout the week, this church, founded by Fr. Andres
de Urdaneta on the very day the Legazpi-Urdaneta expedition
landed on the island, is indeed very busy.
As for the interiors, you
will marvel at the stones quarried from Capiz and Panay by
an army of bancas, the molave wood from Talisay, and the magnificent
architecture that has withstood all earthquakes.
The simple and elegant architecture
of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño has Muslim, Romanesque
and neo-classical features.
Our
Lady of the Sacred Heart (Capitol)
Address: N. Escario Street, Cebu City
Telephone No: (6332) 255-8516
Sacred
Heart Parish
Address: 242 D. Jakosalem St., Cebu City
Telephone No: (6332) 253-6479; 254-3950
Fax No: (6332) 255-6366
Around Cebu Province
1.
The Church of Patrocinio de Maria in Boljoon
If your wedding plans have been revolving around the debutantes
of the Filipino Spanish past, what better place to have it
than in the oldest remaining original stone church in Cebu?
What’s more, the church in Boljoon (pronounced Bol-ho-on)
has a pseudo baroque-rococo feel, with an elongated shape,
shallow pillars and Rococo decorations on the panels.
Being a constant victim
of Muslim raids then, the original church founded in 1599
was rebuilt sometime after 1783 to become a genuine showcase
of old, intricate carvings and designs.
2.
Church of San Miguel Arcangel of Argao
Considered the most rococo of all Church facades in Cebu,
this second oldest church in the island has a beautiful semi-circular
arched entrance with columns on rectangular pedestals, complete
with relief designs, eagles, and Corinthian capitals.
The church standing today
was actually the third one constructed by Augustinian priest
Fr. Mateo Perez. The first one, founded in May 17, 1734, had
a magnificent painted roof inside.
3.
Parish of Bantayan
Bantayan is the most glamorous island in the North of Cebu
because of its white beaches and breathtaking sunrises and
sunsets. The island’s famous church was built in 1893.
Cebu Beach Wedding
Photo by Ariel Javelosa Photography
So
why not combine the magnificent beach and church the
island has to offer and get married in Bantayan?
Have a beach wedding
in a church with walls made of coral stones, with centuries-old
life-size statues of saints and with an altar filled
with ancient Spanish time carvings. As an added plus,
the church belfry has resounding bells that can be heard
miles away, perfect for ringing in the new couple after
your wedding.
For the complete list of
Churches in Cebu, visit Kasal.com’s Wedding
Resources section.
