6 Catholic churches with rich ties to Philippine history

Some say that the Barasoain Church got its name from the term “Baras ng Suwail”, which translates to “dungeon of the defiant,” representing the Filipino’s resilience against oppression during the Revolutionary period. However, Jose P W Tantoco, the former president of Bulacan Historical, Inc, insists that the name comes from a group of missionaries from Barasoain in Spain who arrived in Malolos. While the etymology may be obscure, the church boasts a rich history. On January 21, 1899, the Malolos Constitution was drafted and ratified here, marking a significant step in forming the First Philippine Republic. A few months later, the Philippine-American war erupted, and American forces captured Baraosoain and Malolos. Today, the Barasoain Church stands as a symbol and landmark of Malolos City, holding monumental significance as an icon of heritage.

The original town of Taal was founded in 1572 by Augustinian missionaries along the banks of the Taal Lake. Fr. Diego Espinar began construction of the Basilica de San Martin de Tours, simply known as the Taal Basilica, in 1575. Over the years, the church has been reinforced with stronger materials but was ultimately destroyed in 1754 during the biggest eruption of the Taal Volcano. This disaster ravaged the entire town, prompting the people to move to the town’s current location, south of its original position. 

In 1755, the construction of a new church was initiated by Fr. Martin Aguirre, but was later destroyed in 1852 during an earthquake. Four years later, another church was built by Fr. Marcos Anton, designed by the architect Luciano Oliver and is now the Taal Basilica we see today. It holds the title of the largest church in Asia and was declared one of the Philippines’ National Shrines on January 16, 1974.

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This Baroque Church, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was built in 1786 by Spanish-Augustinian missionaries and is considered to be one of the most beautiful architectural masterpieces in the country—drawing design inspirations from Filipino and Spanish culture. On the centre of its facade is a coconut tree with profound lore. According to an old Philippine legend, the coconut tree is the only thing that sustains a mother and her two children for life. Its watchtowers were built to help defend the town and its people against raids by the Moros, and the church’s interiors had plenty of secret passages for citizens to escape through. Because of these features, some refer to the structure as the Miag-ao Fortress Church.

The Manila Cathedral was initially built in 1571 as a parish church under the patronage of Mary, La Purissima e Inmaculada Concepcion. Like the rest of Intramuros during the Second World War, it was bombed into ruins. Years after the war, under the design of famous architect Fernando Ocampo, reconstruction began—this time made to bear a striking Neo-Romanesque facade. On December 7, 1958, the building was consecrated, and the high altar was followed three days later.

The Manila Cathedral is the first cathedral in the Philippines and has been the premier location for many major holy events. Popes Paul VI, John Paul II, and Francis have all visited the Cathedral, which Pope John Paul II elevated to the rank of a basilica on April 27, 1981. 

The San Guillermo Parish Church is recognised as a National Cultural Treasure named after Bacolor’s patron saint, William the Hermit. The first iteration of the church was built in 1576 by Augustinian friars on the land of Don Guillermo Manabat but was destroyed in 1880 by an earthquake. In 1886, a new church was built and is what we see today. However, during Mount Pinatubo’s eruption in 1991, the town was coated in lahar and buried the church—leaving only the upper half of the bell tower visible. Despite the elements being unkind to the structure, citizens of Bacolor excavated the altar and retablos and restored it into a place of worship.

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