Santo Tomas de Villanueva Church, also called Miagao Church or Miag-ao Church, is a Roman Catholic Church, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and National Cultural Treasure located in the town of Miagao in the province of Iloilo, Philippines.
Table of Contents
History
Miagao was one of the first missions of the Augustinians in Panay, and it took more than a century before it became a parish. It was a visita of the following: Oton, Tigbauan (1580), San Joaquin (1592), and Guimbal (1703).
In 1731, it became a parish although it was only in 1734 that Fr. Fernando Camporedondo was assigned there. The church used to be located near the shore in a place referred to as Ubos, which translates “lower area” in the local language. Moro raiders attacked and destroyed it in 1741 and 1747.
Fr. Camporendondo transferred the church in another site when he served again as parish priest between 1744 and 1750. Again, it was attacked by the Moros in 1754.
The present-day stone church was built by Fr. Francisco M. Gonzales in 1787 on a site that was chosen for its strategic location on a hilltop and thus more likely to be defended from any assaults coming from the sea. Raw materials were from other places such as the building blocks of stone that were procured from San Joaquin and Igbaras.
Its construction was finished in 1797, and improvements were made in the next following years: Fr. Francisco Perez in 1839 who built the left tower, Fr. Agustin Escudero in 1864, and Fr. Jose Sacristan with the interiors in 1880.
Miagao Church was restored after the damages it sustained during the Philippine revolution. It was struck by fire in 1910, damaged in the World War, and earthquake in 1948. Restorations were carried out after the war, between 1960 and 1962, and in 1970.
Architecture
Miagao Church is made of yellow sandstone. Its facade is framed by two, four-story bell towers with heavy-set conical buttresses in the corners of their bases. These bell towers are pierced with arches, the upper two levels have decorative finials, and they are topped with pyramidal roof.
The facade is a beautiful eruption of Western and local motifs in elaborate stone carving. One enters the church through an archway, and it is decorated with flowing foliage. It is hemmed by attached columns whose capitals bear classical elements and a cartouche. The columns are connected to the outer posts with curvilinear moldings, and in between are a coat of arms and St. Henry of Bavaria (in the gospel side), and the Pope and papal insignia (in the epistle side). Above the archway is the niche of the patron encircled by an ornate cartouche. It is flanked by a purely decorative row of rosettes, and an upper row of dentil and balustrade.
The fusion of Christian and native icons is found in the pediment. An image of St. Christopher is holding on to a coconut tree for support. He is dressed in local garments, and on his back is the Holy Child. The rest of the pediment is filled local plants such as papaya and other flora in vases, and it is pierced with two big round apertures.
In the interiors, one can see a ribbed barrel vault ceiling. The church is rectangular, absent of any transepts. Arch apertures are found in the nave walls, including the entrances from the side. The walls are supported by posts with Ionic capitals. In the frieze is a series of rosette motifs.
Heritage
The Philippine Historical Committee installed a Level II historical marker in Miagao Church on February 16, 1963. The church was declared a National Historical Landmark by virtue of President Decree No. 260 that was issued on August 1, 1973. Then on December 11, 1993, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines. In December 2014, the National Museum of the Philippines declared it as a National Cultural Treasure.
Celebration
The feast of St. Thomas of Villanueva is held every September 22, while the town of Miagao celebrates the Salakayan Festival.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of Santo Tomas de Villanueva Church in Miagao, Iloilo from November 25, 2024 to December 1, 2024. Please reach out to the church for an updated schedule. Additionally, you may also want to view mass schedules of churches in Miagao.
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
- 6:00-7:00 AM
- 8:00-9:00 AM (Facebook Live)
- 10:00-11:00 AM
- 5:00-6:00 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Santo Tomas de Villanueva Church in Miagao, Iloilo |
| Address | Zulueta Avenue, Poblacion, Miagao, Iloilo |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | (033) 315 8001 |
| web.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Status | Parish |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of Sts. Philip & James |
| Patron | St. Thomas of Villanueva |
| Feast day | September 22 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage | Heritage Church |
| Completed | 1797 |
| Age since completed | 227 years |
| Builder | Fr. Francisco Gonzales |
| Style | Baroque-Renaissance |
Nearby Churches
References
- Miagao. Panublion. Ateneo de Manila University. Retrieved from original post on October 26, 2022
- 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 26, 2022
- Miagao Church. National Historical Commission of the Philippines. October 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2022
- Simbahan ng Miag-ao. National Historical Commission of the Philippines. October 2011. Retrieved October 26, 2022
- List of National Cultural Treasures and Important Cultural Properties of the Philippines. Official Gazette. Retrieved October 26, 2022
- PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 260, August 01, 1973. Supreme Court of the Philippines E-Library. Retrieved October 26, 2022
- Miagao Church. Municipal Government of Miagao. Retrieved October 26, 2022
- Randy Madrid and Jorge Ebay. History of Miagao Church. Municipal Government of Miagao. October 26, 2010. Retrieved October 26, 2022
- Rrentoria, Harold L. O.S.A. Augustinian Philippine churches in world heritage list for 21 years now. The Freeman. December 14, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2022
- Baroque Churches of the Philippines. World Heritage Convention – UNESCO. Retrieved October 27, 2022
- Two Iloilo Landmarks Cited. Provincial Government of Iloilo. Retrieved October 27, 2022