History of Molo Church, Molo, Iloilo City, Philippines
The Molo Parish Church is one of the
most beautiful churches in Western Visayas. It is an awesome imposing edifice
of massive white corral rock lording over the Molo Plaza.
The only Gothic church in the entire country outside of Manila,
Molo Church was constructed in 1831 under Fray Pablo Montaño and further
expanded and finished by Fray Agapito Buenaflor in 1888 under the supervision
of Don Jose Manuel Locsin.
Its two belfries had around 30 bells of different sizes ranging
from small handbells to big campaniles making a musical tone.
The Gothic character of the church is manifested not only in its
two pointed towers but also on the pointed arches at the main altar and four side
altars, pulpits and confessionals.
On August 4, 1886, national hero
Jose Rizal dropped at Molo on his way back to Manila from exile at Dapitan in
Mindanao. He went to see his friend, Raymundo Melliza who showed him the
church.
In his diary, Rizal wrote, "We went to Molo to see the church
painted by a lad who has left the locality. The church is pretty (iglesia
bonita) outside with paintings inside mostly copies of biblical scenes by Gusty
Dore."
Actually, there were two painters who painted the murals inside
the church Mariano Mabunay and Jesus Huervas.
The church was so strong that it withstood several strong
earthquakes in the past. During World War II, it was the evacuation center of
the civilians supervised by its parish priest, Msgr. Manuel Alba.
One of the original
towers which was a Japanese machine gun nest, was destroyed on March 18, 1945,
when shelled by the artillery of the United States Liberation Forces bringing
its bells crumbling to the ground.
After the war, restoration of the
damaged parts of the church was undertaken by Msgr. Alba and Gov. Timoteo
Consing, Sr.
The church, which is dedicated to Santa Ana, the mother of the
Blessed Virgin Margy, has larger than life images of female saints lined in two
rows (eight on each side) inside the church, each standing on a pedestal
attached to a massive stone pillar and under the Gothic style canopy.
These saints are Sta. Marcela, Apolonia, Genoveva, Isabel,
Felicia, Ines, Monica, Magdalena, Juliana, Lucia, Rosa de Lima, Teresa, Clara,
Cecilia, Margarita and Marta.
At the main altar is the statue of Sta. Ana teaching the scripture
to the child Mary with the Holy Trinity at the top.
The right side has Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, San Judas Tadeo, San
Esteban and Sta. Rita de Casia.
As observed by many, while the
female saints are kept inside the church, the streets around the vicinity of
the parish are named after the male saints, namely San Jose, Antonio, Marcos
and Pedro simply showing how the Moleños give protection to the Moleñas.
At the ceiling of the dome are paintings of the four evangelists.
Recently, murals of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection were
added at the sides of the main altar. Biblical scenes and paintings of San
Miguel and San Rafael were also added at the door.
On the steps of its doors are the rare piedra china.
Further restoration of the church is still undergoing through the
supervision of Engr. Timotel V. Consing Jr and recently, in coordination with
the National Historical Institute through the efforts of Senator Franklin
Drilon.
In 1992, the National Historical
Institute installed a marker on the church declaring it a national landmark
through the representation of Sir Knight Rex S. Salvilla.
Here is the list of the parish priests of Molo since 1975: Father
Jose de Carvajal, Leon Magbanua, Hermogenes Magallanes, Felix Gonzaga, Andre
Picson, Luciano Nicolas, Pablo Montano, Juan dela Cruz, Jose Sitchon, Agapito
Buenaflor, Leonardo Lazaro, Juan Hofilena, Cornelio Salas, Miguel Diocson, Circiaco
Serrano, Nicolas Valencia, Miguel Alba, Polecarpio Parcon, Fernando Capalla and
Fr. Felipe Parian Jr.
Rev. Fr. Tomas Delicana is the
incumbent parish priest. His assistant is Rev. Fr. Jesus "Toto"
Mana-ay.
Location of Molo Church: Molo, Iloilo City, Philippines
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