Philippine Tourism News

One of the several antique treasures of Laguna is the Church of San Santiago Apostol. The church and its convent was erected in 1646 but was destroyed by fire in 1717. The Franciscans built a stronger church on the same year but was ruined by an earthquake in 1880, was rebuilt again but was ravaged again by earthquake in 1937. The present structure was built in 1939.

The church’s facade shows a mixture of Filipino and European influences. The facade was carved out of solid stone which shows curlicues as well as calachuchi flowers. The church is cherished by the people for two things which are the large antique paintings and the more ancient icons of San Santiago Apostol and the Santo Intiero.

The large antique paintings are displayed in the church. Two of them are depictions of St. Christopher with the Christ Child resting on his shoulder. The other two paintings show teachings of the Bible and the missionary work of the Franciscans. The two pictures of St. Christopher are essentially identical, if not for the difference in the background and the clothing. The fresco painting shows the saint in red trousers with a bolo tied to his waist while he climbs a coconut tree against a backdrop of bahay kubos. The other painting shows the saint clad in European clothing with the background showing stone structures. The two paintings are displayed side by side on the left wall by the main entrance. The two other paintings are equally great in age and size. The one on the right wall near the altar shows the Franciscan missionaries spreading Catholicism and helping the people. The one on the right wall near the entrance shows the three possible places where the soul can go after the body dies; the fiery inferno, the dreary purgatory and the glorious heaven. The antique icons of San Santiago Apostol and of the Santo Intiero were brought by the Spaniards in 1580. Several miraculous occurrences have been attributed to these images.

The Church of San Santiago Apostol deserves recognition and reverence not simply because of its age or what’s inside it but because of the unwavering faith and piety of the people.

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