St. William Cathedral, Laoag City. One might wrongly dismiss this church as negligible in a visit to Ilocos Norte. A person may conclude that its importance lays solely in the fact that it is the chief edifice of Roman Catholicism in this province. At least that was how I regarded it in the past. It looked as if a three year-old child had designed its disproportionate façade. It appeared small, even squat and thus pales in comparison to its majestic, albeit sinking, bell tower. This week, however, I get to visit this church two times in as many days not as a tourist but as a pilgrim. I went to the place as a worshipper. And because of this, I saw more than a building. I saw a magnificent monument of faith.
St. Nicholas Church, San Nicolas, I.N. I had neglected this church in the past. Maybe it was a case of “being so near yet so far“ or of anyone of those expressions that I love to use yet fail to fully understand. It seemed to me that it is a minor church, even ordinary, compared to the other big churches of Ilocos Norte. It appeared that way every time I would pass it by on my way to Laoag. Its pragmatic importance lies on the fact that it is near my destination city and thus serves as a mere landmark.
So, this week, I resolved to visit the church. It will be one of the seven churches I will visit this holy week. And the resolution came to pass last Holy Wednesday. And what impression do I have of this church now? Let us just say, “First impressions do last.” The church have been too dolled up.
St. Augustine Church, Paoay, I. N. Woe it is to anyone who fails to visit this glorious breathtaking testament to Catholic Filipino faith! I just had to visit it for the nth time. What is new is that I resolved to relish its beauty. I will not have companions tugging at my sleeves complaining about the heat of the sun or the many other sites we have yet to visit. I went to Paoay alone and via public transport. It’s easy since so many jeepneys are plying the Laoag-Batac-Paoay route.
This church never fails to amaze me. It just sits there in the middle of the plain and it appears as if it will do so till eternity ends. Its interior is a big disappointment though. It’s ceiling is not that of the Sarrat Church which can be likened to an intricate lattice of giant woods suspended fifty feet from the ground. Its floor tiles are not as well preserved as that of the Baccarra Church and it does not anymore preserve the sanctity that even the busy St. William has.
St. Roch and St. Gabriel Churches. In Banna and Nueva Era, respectively. These churches are not among the major catholic churches in Ilocos Norte. In other words, they are not tourist sites. I decided to get out of my way to visit them anyway. First, I have my planned visit to seven churches; my personal version of the visita iglesia. I had a mere glance of the Immaculate Concepcion Church in Batac for I was too lazy to get off the jeep. The Sarratt Church, for its part, I have seen so many times. So I need two churches to give me the numbers. Secondly, Banna and Nueva Era are important places to me. It’s my Uncle Victor who facilitated the completion of the new St. Roch Church when he was yet a young priest. I spent a summer vacation there when I was in high school and I just have to see how it turned out. Nueva Era is where the paternal cousins of my mother live. I have grown up knowing one of them merely by name and that is my Tito Boy. And they were supposedly six brothers and sisters! And so I injected into my visit to them a tour of the church.
The two churches are the size of a regular chapel in Central Luzon or Manila. Seven or eight of them could have fitted easily inside the St. William Cathedral. Obviously they have not been constructed with an overflow of funds. Nevertheless, they are beautiful to me. Like the cathedral, they had people in them. Not tourists, but locals. Worshipping. To think that I was in Banna on Good Friday night and Nueva Era on Sabado de Gloria afternoon. People were guarding the Santo Enterio in one and preparing for the Easter Vigil and the Salubong in the other. They too are testaments of a faith that is pulsing with life.
St. Joseph Church, Dingras, I. N. This church has made this particular Ilocos visit uniquely special. It is a newly discovered wonder.
I do not know if I have seen this church in the past but did not pay it too much attention. Or maybe I have not really seen it though it’s on the road going to Banna given that it is hidden behind gigantic acacia trees. But what I have seen this week has left me awestruck. The reason is that the St. Joseph Church is actually a “Rurog.”
My cousin said that it’s Ilocano for “skull”, but, given the church’s context, I surmise that this word can also mean “ruins” for that is how the Dingras Church is and a historical marker from the national government describes it so. The church has been that way since a 1913 earthquake practically destroyed it save for its walls. But the people did not give up on the edifice; their dream was and still is to rebuild it.
It is a large church. Perhaps it is the largest in Northern Luzon and therefore to repair it requires tremendous sacrifice and generosity on the part of the faithful. The past fifteen years, they have been able to put up a new roof over it, and there were minor repairs performed but there is so much work to be done. Time seems to be finally catching up on the church since the top of its façade is leaning towards the interior threatening to crumble anytime. The people of Dingras both here and abroad seem to know this for they are taking action to save the beloved “Rurog.”
My hope and prayer is that they achieve this goal and that other people from other places help them. For then it shows that this particular church belongs not so much in the past but in the very present; that this structure is not only an expression of their ancestors’ faith but more importantly of theirs.
St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Baccarra, I. N. I hope to visit this church tomorrow, Easter Sunday.
rurog - means skeleton.
TumugonBurahinCome to think of it. Your unlce vic has been constructing and rehabilitating churches ang appurtenant structures since his first parish assignment. Burgos, Banna, Batac, Bacarra and now the most challenging - Dingras.
I can't remember if I have told him that they have to check the foundation of the church. Dingras is an alluvial deposit with large boulders beneath it.
That is certainly the reason why it has crumbled so manny times.
saramsam - something to eat.
TumugonBurahinthis brings to mind the simple things we had for merienda. . . after lunch, around two to three pm. . . after the afternoon siesta or a game of "mapanen" .
What did we have for merienda. Sampalok, crisp mangoes, siniguelas soaked, the longer the better, in Ilokano vinegar (so actually it is pickled.) The thought makes my mouth water. Usually we bought this at a corner store for one centavo.
What is the game of "mapanen". We played this in the yard of the Baltazars,Mimi's. There were only two houses then, one on each corner. We liked to play the game here because of the large yard and many hiding places. We would divide ourselves into two groups one group on each road on the west and east of the yard. At the shout of "mapanen" (lets go) Each player would find a place to hide himself and to find by stealth the "enemy". I chuckle to recall the hiding places. On top of trees, inside a toilet, a bath cubicle, besides the pig pen. Tia Cion would always be exasperated since we would also use her potted plants as cover. This was a war game. A casualty was made by calling out the player's name. Once your name was called, you had to get out of the game. The group which first loses all of its players is the loser. After a game we would repeat it until one by one we got tired and begged off. Our only reward for the game was. . . we enjoyed it!
Ah summer days and evenings. The games in the evening were enjoyable too.
The things we enjoyed then were to be had for nothing and the rewards are so lasting.
The feeling of kinship. Memories are forever imprinted in the mind, unlike photographs which can fade or be lost.
I still enjoy the cool breeze underneath any tree more than the cooling of a mall. It is peacefull and tranquill around.