San Antonio de Padua Church, also known as St. Anthony of Padua Church and Barotac Nuevo Church, is a Roman Catholic Church located in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, Philippines. It was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1997.
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History
The town of Barotac Nuevo was established in 1710. Its name roughly translates to mud, with nuevo added to distinguish it from another municipality of similar name in the north. Interestingly, the Barotac Nuevo that was founded by the Augustinian friars counted Anilao, Banate and Barotac Viejo as visitas. It became a parish in 1810.
Simon Raymundo Protacio is one of the prominent historical figures, having led the town when it was founded. According to tradition, he negotiated for the separation of Barotac Nuevo from the nearby town of Dumangas by giving the governor general a gift, a white stallion named Tamasak. However, it was only in 1833 that the Augustinians assigned Fr. Ramon Peaguda as parish priest. Previously, the church was under the patronage of St. Francis of Assisi and then it was changed to St. Anthony of Padua.
The present-day Barotac Nuevo Church was built by Fr. Julian Yturiaga starting in 1876 and it was completed by Fr. Eustaquio Torres and Fr. Calixto Gonzales between 1882 and 1888. Its consecration took place on Christmas Eve of 1893. It replaced an earlier Romanesque place of worship that was built between 1710 and 1750, but it was destroyed due to an earthquake in 1758. That earthquake was not the only disaster that struck the church. It caught on fire in the early years of the 20th century. Moreover, the invading Japanese forces made it into a headquarter upon the outbreak of the Second World War.
Restoration occurred over the course of its history. The most extensive took place in 2002 when among the constructions were the adoration chapel, convent, parish hall, parking area, and improvements in the facilities of the cemetery.
Heritage
Barotac Nuevo Church, convent, and cemetery were declared National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute (presently the National Historical Commission of the Philippines) through Resolution 1 issued in 1997.
Architecture
San Antonio de Padua Church in Barotac Nuevo is a Neoclassical structure made of brick, coral, and stone. From its appearance, one can surmise the church towers that frame the facade are unfinished and awaiting installation of belfries. A belfry was added in the epistle side in 1966, albeit it is of contemporary style. In effect, it stands in contrast with the Spanish colonial-era rubblework.
Eight pilasters divide the front church wall into vertical sections. An archway serves as portal to the interiors, and it is flanked by niches of the images of Mary (epistle) and Sacred Heart of Jesus (gospel) which could be seen in old photographs taken in 1893. The image of the patron is installed above the archway, in a small pedestal a few inches from the cornice. The rest of the church wall is pierced with apertures in the form of arches. Meanwhile, the pediment is plain and topped with a cross.
The church is shaped into a cross, and above the crossing is a dome with lantern windows and cupola. The buttresses are rectilinear by the nave walls. Reconstructions have re-shaped the side entrances: an arch of concrete that is framed by yellow stones.
Across the church is the Monfort Plaza, so named after the Monfort brothers responsible in introducing the sports of football in this part of Iloilo. Its football field is where practices and matches are held. The town of Barotac Nuevo is popular as the football capital of the Philippines.
Celebration
The feast of St. Anthony of Padua is held every June 13.
Services
Parish office. The parish office is open from 8:00-12:00 noon and from 2:00-4:30 in the afternoon from Tuesday to Sunday. It is closed on Mondays.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of San Antonio de Padua Church in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo from November 18, 2024 to November 24, 2024. Please reach out to the church for an updated schedule. Additionally, you may also want to view mass schedules of churches in Barotac Nuevo.
Monday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Tuesday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Wednesday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Thursday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Friday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Saturday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Sunday
- 5:00-6:00 AM
- 7:00-8:00 AM
- 9:00-10:00 AM
- 4:00-5:00 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | San Antonio de Padua Church in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo |
| Other Names | Barotac Nuevo Church |
| Address | Gomez Street, Ilaya Poblacion, Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo |
| Country | Philippines |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1710 |
| Age | 314 years |
| Status | Parish |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of St. Jude Thaddeus |
| Patron | St. Anthony of Padua |
| Feast day | June 13 |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 1888 |
| Age since completed | 136 years |
| Consecrated | December 24, 1893 |
| Builder | Fr. Julian Yturiaga |
| Style | Neoclassical |
Nearby Churches
- Saint Augustine Church in Dumangas, Iloilo
- St. Isidore the Farmer Church in PD Monfort North, Dumangas, Iloilo
- St. John the Baptist Church in Banate, Iloilo
- St. Raphael the Archangel Church in San Rafael, Iloilo
- Sta. Rita de Cascia Church in Anilao, Iloilo
- Sts. Peter and Paul the Apostle Church in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo
References
- Paul Dumol, PhD, Grace Concepcion, PhD, and E.J. Ofilada (August 15, 2020). Research Update: Foundation Dates for “The Pueblos of Panay”. Center for Research and Communication. Retrieved October 29, 2022
- Church, Convent, and Cemetery of Barotac. National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Retrieved October 29, 2022
- 1997 Board Resolutions. National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Retrieved October 29, 2022
- Barotac Nuevo. Provincial Government of Iloilo. Retrieved October 29, 2022
- Barotac Nuevo Church. Filipinas Heritage Library. Retrieved October 29, 2022
- Ordoñez, Nico. Barotac Nuevo. Philippine Daily Inquirer. April 26, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2022