This unique church was built between 1859 and 1869 in the settlement that was founded in 1591. Construction started in 1859 and was completed in 1869. Friar Thomas Santaren was the parish priest between 1855 and 1866 and oversaw most of the project. It is built of limestone quarried in Igbaras and sea coral gathered along the seashore in the immediate area.
But, what makes this church truly unique is its facade. Nowhere on the facade of the church are there any renditions of religiously oriented artworks. Rather, the facade memorializes the victory of Spanish forces over the Moroccan (Moors) army at the Battle of Tetouan.
More recently, during WW II, in fact on January 29th, 1943 the guerrilla leader of Panay, Col. Macario Peralta ordered the church and homes in the town set ablaze to prevent them from being used by the Japanese occupiers.
On closer inspection, the fact that the church was heavily damaged by this fire can be seen even today in the black soot that covers many areas of its facade.
note the soot marks along edges