Historic Churches of Panay Island, Philippines.

The church was built between 1787 and 1797 under the guidance of the Augustinian Friar and parish priest Friar Francisco M. Gonzales, OSA and the mayor or head man of the village (Gobernadorcillo) Domingo Libo.

It is built in the Baroque style; in fact, it is one of four churches in the Philippineswhich were built in an imitation of the European Baroque-Romanesque Style by the Chinese and Pilipino workers of the time. It was declared a Philippines National Historic Treasure in 1963. In addition, along with the three other churches in this style in the Philippines it was inscribed in the listing of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1993. (This church is actually the third church built in Miagao). The first was sacked and burned to the ground by Muslim/Moro pirates in 1741 and was subsequently rebuilt by the faithful. The newly constructed church suffered the same fate as the first, in 1754. It subsequently took 30 years before the residents felt confident enough to rebuild and the current church is the result.

The building was completed with forced labour (folio). The entire population for several kilometres around was required to pay a tax to help build the church. They were required bring a block of limestone and coral as well as an egg to the site once per week to be used in the construction.

The blocks of limestone were quarried in the mountains surrounding both San Joachim (to the west and north) and Igbaras (to the south and east) a distance of between 30 and 35 kilometres from the construction site. Those who failed to comply with this ‘tax’ were subjected to a severe flogging by the priest and his overseers; the standard was 25 lashes.

The eggs were mixed with crushed limestone to be used as mortar for the joints during construction. Experts today point out that if you inspect the stone work of the church closely you will note a definite yellowish tinge to the mortar used. That, they say is proof that the eggs required to be brought by the surrounding population were in fact used in the mortar mixture. That mortar has now become unstable and has been or is in the process of being replaced in various areas.

The church also served as a fortress to protect the area against Muslim/Moro slave traders and marauders who were active in the region from the late 17^th to the early 19^th centuries. It occupies the highest point of land in the town and was situated in this location to overlook the land, sea and river approaches to the town.

The buttresses on either side of the building, suggest its early beginnings as both a church and fort. The walls of the main church are 1.5 meters thick and at the buttresses they are 3 meters thick.

The artwork of the building is impressive considering when it was built. The front is adorned with intricate carvings or sculptures depicting St. Christopher crossing a river while carrying the child Jesus on his shoulder and holding onto a palm tree. In addition, papaya and guava tree sculptures complete the upper portions of the main portico.

In the alcove just below the depiction of Saint Christopher is a statue of Santo Tomas de Villanueva the patron Saint of the parish.

On entering the church through the massive carved wooden main doors, we find that it is barrel shaped and is huge; it is capable of seating some 1,200 people for masses or special celebrations.

The interior is dominated by its magnificent and imposing sanctuary, most of which is finished in gold leaf. The altar, presently in use, is the original altar from the late 1700s which had been ‘lost’ and was discovered during repair excavations made on the site in 1982.

In addition to the altar, a statue of the Birhen ng Barangay carved in limestone and dressed in traditional Pilipino clothing of the period was also found in the dig and is currently on public display next to the baptistery at the rear of the church.