Bajo las Campanas

15/08/2025

15 de Agosto: Solemnidad de la Asunción de la Santísima Virgen Maria al Cielo

Sharing exterior and interior photos of the five most prominent heritage churches in the Philippines dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady.

The belief that the Blessed Virgin Mary was assumed to heaven has been held deeply by the early Christians. As early as the 5th century (before the schism of the eastern and western churches) the feast was already instituted in the Christian Calendar. It is believed that Our Lady, by the Grace of God, did not experience death, had only fallen asleep, and was taken up to heaven - body and soul. This belief was declared a dogma by Pope Pius XII in 1950.

Some of the most popular heritage churches in the Philippines are dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady.

15/08/2025

15/08/2025

8.15.25 feast of Our Lady of Assumption

The ongoing timber retrofitting of the Choir Loft at Saint Joseph Parish in Las Piñas, home of the Bamboo Organ, is currently in progress. This work is being prioritized in accordance with the Conservation Management Plan (CMP) developed by RDG Architects and team consultants. Structural engineers have determined that the floor joists and girders of the choir loft have reached their age and stress limits, necessitating this retrofitting work.

We make sure that we secure the National Treasure, the Bamboo Organ.

✅️ Cultural Agencies compliant. (NCCA, NHCP, NM)
✅️ Parish & Stakeholders coordinated.
✅️ Diocesan Properties authorized.

14/08/2025

MANILA AS AN ARCHDIOCESE
On August 14, 1595 Pope Clement VIII issued a papal brief that established Manila as an archdiocese with Nueva Segovia, Caceres, and Cebu as suffragan dioceses. The illustration from the Anales Ecclesiasticos de Philipinas shows this connection of Manila, giving birth to her daughter-dioceses.

11/08/2025

11 de Agosto: Santa Filomena, Virgen y Martir

Sharing a then-and-now comparison of the town church of Fulay (Alcala), Cagayan dedicated to Saint Philomena of Rome.

She was a princess of Greek origin, born to parents who had converted to Christianity. At 13 years old, she consecrated herself to Our Lord and took a vow of virginity. She was coveted by Emperor Diocletian to become his wife, but had refused. She was tormented due to her refusal, and was beheaded after all of her wounds have miraculously been healed. In 1804, her relics were discovered, and through her intercession many miracles were reported. She is considered a wonder-worker.

There is only one heritage church in the Philippines dedicated to Saint Philomena, and it is located in Alcala, Cagayan. Originally a visita of the parish of Nassiping, the old town of Fulay separated from its matrix in 1843. It was renamed Alcala in honor of Governor General Francisco de Paula Alcala de la Torre.

The parish was established by the Dominicans two years later in 1845. Its current church was built in 1880 by Fray Casimiro Gonzales OP and is the widest church structure in the whole of Cagayan. Its facade took inspiration from the Chisea del Gesu in Rome, and it originally had three aisles. The church burned down at the outset of WWII, and is currently roofed as a single-nave structure.

11/08/2025

Sharing snaps from our Visita Iglesia: Lenten Tour of Heritage Churches last April 05, 2025 in Batangas Province. We thank all of our dear participants for taking part in this trip. Happy to have brought everyone to these beautiful temples and shared knowledge regarding their history.

We also thank Cucina del Jardin at Paradores del Castillo - Taal and Appleville Resto-Bistro Batangas City for our sumptuous meals. Most special thanks to the parishes that we have visited for the warm welcome 🙏🏽

10/08/2025

10 de Agosto: San Lorenzo de Roma, Diacono y Martir

Sharing a then-and-now comparison of the town church of Bigaa (Balagtas), Bulacan dedicated to Saint Laurence of Rome.

He was of Iberian origin, and became one of the seven archdeacons of Rome during the reign of Pope Sixtus II. As one of such, he was entrusted with the care of the church treasury. According to tradition, when asked to surrender the riches of the church, Saint Laurence distributed the temporal properties, and presented the less-fortune faithful as the church’s true riches. He was martyred by way of grilling, thus he is named patron saint of cooks.

There are a few heritage churches in the Philippines dedicated to him. One of them is this parish of Bigaa established by the Augustinians in 1596. Believed to have been constructed in 1805, the present church possesses a unique bell tower that is rather incorporated into the wall of the church, instead of being built as a separate structure. Its facade was modified in the 1960s when the decorative niche was replaced with a Romanesque arch. In 2014, the parish refurbished the church interiors and replaced the Spanish-era retablos lost during WWII.

10/08/2025

10 de Agosto: Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso de Palañag

Sharing photo of s portion of the main retablo of Parañaque Cathedral where the image of Our Lady of Good Events is enthroned.

In 1625, a beautiful, brown wooden statue of Our Lady carrying the Christ Child was found at the house of a native of Palanyag named Catig in the barrio of Don Galo. Fray Juan de Guevarra OSA successfully negotiated for the image to be brought to the church of Palanyag for public veneration. The Virgin was enthroned with much pomp on the 10th of August of that same year.

Due to the many miracles attributed in praying before the image, it was given the title Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso, or Good Events. Since then, she occupied the central niche of the main altar, and is recognized as the Patroness of the Diocese of Parañaque. The image was canonically crowned in 2000 as decreed by Pope St. John Paul II.

The Rococo throne of the Virgen de Palañag was crafted by RDG Ecclesiastical Architecture

08/08/2025

08 de Agosto: Santo Domingo de Guzman, Fundador del Orden de Predicadores

Sharing photos of the five heritage churches in the Philippines dedicated to St. Dominic Guzman, that our group have visited in our past tours

Saint Dominic Guzman was a born to a Spanish noble family, and is believed to have descended from the Counts of Caleruega. He became a canon of the Cathedral of Osma, and later founded the Order of the Preachers. He is also credited for the propagation of the Holy Rosary, thus the Dominicans have a special affinity to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.

In the Philippines, the Dominicans were charged in evangelizing the Cagayan Valley, Ytuy Valley (Nueva Vizcaya), Yvatan Islands, Pangasinan (including Northern Tarlac) and Eastern Bataan. Thus, the very first churches in these areas were dedicated to Saint Dominic Guzman

They have also been responsible for establishing some parishes in Zambales, Cavite and Western Laguna during their brief administration of the said areas. They are most notable for the schools that they have established, primarily the University of Santo Tomas, the Philippines’ oldest.

Saint Dominic Guzman is the patron saint of astronomers and natural scientists.

08/08/2025

Apologies for the confusion brought by our advertisement of LUMANG SIMBAHAN: HIGHLANDS OF LAGUNA TOUR. The said event will be held on 23 August 2025