Cebu Philippines: Patrocinio de Maria Church in Boljoon
Of all of Cebu’s churches, it is the church in Boljoon which best gives one a sense of the Philippine colonial past. The church of Boljoon is the oldest remaining original stone church in Cebu and is relatively well-preserved. It was declared for conservation and restoration in 1998.
The first buildings were probably ruined during the Muslim raid of 1782 that destroyed almost all the entire town. Fr. Ambrosio Otero started the reconstruction of the new church in 1783 and Fr. Julian Bermejo finished the church and had a stone fence built to enclose the convent and the church as an added protective measure. In 1880 an old organ was installed and to this day, the organ is still at the choir loft, although it is in danger of getting worn out.
The style of the church is pseudo-baroque-rococo and is the same style and pattern with the churches in Argao and Dalaguete with the exception of some Rococo decorations on the panels and along shallow pillars. The Church of Patrocinio de Maria in Boljoon is a genuine showcase of old and complicated carvings and adornments. The Spanish churchyard beside it is still present up to this day. It has one of the most unusual tower because aside from being Islamic in character, it looks more like a fortress. It has a rectangular belfry, built in 1701 and is still present up to now. The tower has four windows where the cannons were placed to defend against Muslim pirates. It was said that the sound of its silver bells supposedly reached Oslob and Alcoy which is the Southern most town of Cebu, but in 1802, they were stolen by Muslim pirates. Because of their weight, the Moro vinta allegedly sunk. The bell was never recovered. The interior is beautifully decorated. It has a main nave and transept and has twenty-eight pillars, two meters thick and made of mortar and lime, which support the walls as thick as the pillars. There used to be a communion rail with ornate silverwork but it was never recovered after it was looted.
The Boljoon Church is the oldest remaining original stone church in Cebu. In 1999, the National Historical Institute declared it a National Historical Landmark. The following year, the National Museum declared it as a National Cultural Treasure.
Patrocinio de Maria Church is located in Boljoon which in the southern part of Cebu. It can be reached by land. There are many busses and v-hire vans that ply the route to the town. Car rentals are also available.
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