Raphael and Pateet: Paoay Church, Ilocos Norte 2015

What we really love about traveling in the northern part of the Luzon Island is the rich history of each place we visit. Before the Philippines became an independent country, there were many countries who attempted to conquer and rule in the Philippines. One of our many conquerors are the Spaniards. For three hundred years, Spain governed and influence the Philippines in so many ways. Our country is originally a Muslim country. When the Spaniards came, they introduced Christianity among the Filipino people. Thus, the Philippines became, majority, a Catholic country.

Paoay Church, Ilocos Norte

One of the historical churches in the Philippines is the Paoay Church or also known as the St. Augustine Church in Paoay (Spanish: Iglesia de San Agustín de Paoay). The church was completed in 1710. The Paoay Church is famously known for its magnificent architecture and unique design.

A three-storey coral stone bell tower stands a few meters away from the church. The bell tower served as an observation post in 1896 for the Katipuneros during the Philippine revolution against the Spaniards, and again by the Filipino guerillas during the Japanese occupation in World War II.

According to historians, the bell tower also served as a status symbol for the locals. The bell would ring more loudly and more times during the wedding of a prominent clan that it would during the wedding of the poor.

Portions of the church was damaged during the earthquakes in 1865 and 1885. During an excavation inside the church in 2000, a prehistoric human skeleton and fragmented ceramics were discovered and are now in display at the National Museum. Former president Ferdinand Marcos declared Paoay Church as a national treasure and is now included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Taken from www.wikipilipinas.com

Inside the Church

There were so many visitors around the Paoay Church, who were just like us, gazing upon the beauty of the structure and design by this historical place. They said that if you want your prayer to be answered, light up a white candle and your prayers will be answered.

Stand of White Candles

During our visit, the place was pretty crowded since its summer and everybody is on their vacation mode. Nevertheless, we managed to pose and get some pretty good photos. So, if you happen to visit the Philippines, don't forget to visit Ilocos Norte!