FOREWORD: I’ve been off my blog for a while, and there’s no justifying this but to admit my sloth. Hayy… For weeks, I’ve merely gotten off my bed to spare myself some bread and soda (weird combo, by the way), ’cause I’d rather eat the books dutifully waiting to be devoured in my mini-shelf. Which is what I did actually, so I was able to finish Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and White Teeth by Zadie Smith (Fun reads! :)) during this hibernation period. But I digress.
Here’s the paper I submitted to my Kas 1 (Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas) Prof. Regulus P. Tantoco in my first semester at the university. Please don’t mind the silly writing style, haha. I just thought it fitting to post this now, since it’s the season of lent, and the subject of this paper largely tackles some matters of religiosity. Well, it’s actually more of a narrative of my experience during our educational field trip to Bulacan, a province famed for its many a church and quite a number of historical towns. Anyway, just read on…
I’m no history buff. Some may even attest to the fact that I could be the lamest student when it comes to this subject. But I love travelling. It is my heart’s desire to go to every imaginable wondrous place in the planet. And from there, I get to learn bits and pieces of information concerning the history of that certain place, or its cultural background, or the beauty of its towns and people. That’s why I’m a fan of educational field trips. Thus, it was no surprise when I quickly jumped at the opportunity of having to behold the wonders of Bulacan, when our amiable history professor told us about our forthcoming trip to this reputed province.
Bulacan is known as the country’s melting pot of the past and present, the countryside and the urbane, and the old and the new. Just a few minutes north of Manila, Bulacan serves as a refreshing and welcome respite from the day-to-day hassle and pressures of city life. The province is noted as well for being the cradle of many Filipino heroes—the birthplace and home province of a number of courageous men who shaped the nation’s history. But above all, Bulacan seats as a center of faith and devotion in the East, for in its towns rest many of the greatest churches of the world. Inspired by this notion, I had this welling excitement for what lies ahead of me in this field trip. The night before the momentous day, I did a little research about the places of worship that we were going to stop at, before finally hitting the haystack.
I. Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes—San Jose Del Monte: Haven for Reflection and Thanksgiving
Still groggy and exhausted, I hauled a sigh of relief as soon as the bus finally spied an open space to room its monstrous bulk. We’re almost in our first destination by the instant my phone registered 8:12 in the morning. Before I finally alight the bus, I stole a peek at the window and confirmed my speculation: the weather wasn’t really in great mood. I just hoped that our first destination would give a glimmer of vigor not just to us, but also to the sky. That’s when the thought occurred to me: what is with the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, anyway?
THE GROTTO OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES IN SAN JOSE DEL MONTE
The church wasn’t at all what I had expected. With the gales still blowing and the drizzle still sputtering, nature seemed to amplify the imposing impression of the church so much that I was almost teetering with amazement while standing there in front of its façade. Truth be told, my pre-conceived mental image was actually of an exceptionally old Baroque church, daunting in its massive structure and red-bricked walls, a place that dates back to the Spanish era. But I couldn’t be more out of kilter. Here instead was a magnificent structure both in its enormity and in the splendor, whose style of architecture perfectly fits along the lines of “classic meets contemporary.” I stood there for another moment or two, my wet clothes sticking to my skin, a little tired and breathless for having to walk a considerable distance just to get to our first destination, yet I was nothing except awe-struck. I knew right then that my day had still a lot of amazing things in store for me.
Several thousands of people from different walks of life go to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes Basilica Church every year, especially during the holy week to reflect, give thanks and offer prayer to the blessed Our Lady. In essence, the church is part of the six-hectare Lourdes Shrine Complex privately owned by devout Catholic couple Horacio Alvendia Guanzon and Anita Guidote-Guanzon. The entire complex was inaugurated on 11 February 1965 as an act of thanksgiving of Anita.
It was in 1961 when Mrs. Anita Guidote-Guanzon learned that she only had barely six months to live. She decided to live through her remaining days by going on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. There, she prayed for the Our Lady to grant her the courage to face her impending death. Much to her shock, she was declared cured of her cancer upon return from France. As a sign of her thanksgiving, she resolved on erecting a grotto on her native land that is an exact replica of the one in Lourdes Grotto in France. This, according to her, is for the sole purpose of letting the people witness and experience the miracle that befell her. After more than four years of backbreaking tedious work, she finished building the grotto—Mrs. Guanzon’s greatest gift to humanity in this part of the world.
We strolled around the complex and took in the immensity of our surroundings. The owner’s family ancestral house, the medical clinic and orphanage set up by the Guanzon couple stand on the slope closest to the entrance of the shrine. Behind the main church and down a bending trail is the famed Grotto, itself, with its small “Miracle Spring” cavern. This is where every churchgoer prays in silence for good health for long as they hear the miraculous water gush from the falls. Looking up, you could actually see the innumerable crutches lined up hanging on the rocky formation around the grotto. According to the locals, those were the crutches of people treated by the miracle of Our Lady.
As we were about to move on to our next destination, we had our last glimpse of the resplendent statue of Our Lady of Lourdes gazing out at the complex amphitheater. I checked the time and heaved a sigh of dissatisfaction. We could’ve stayed longer, I thought to myself pensively.
II. National Shrine of the Divine Mercy—Marilao: Oasis of Faith and Devotion
I had finally managed to recover from my “Grotto hangover” as soon as the bus gradually lurched to a stop for our second destination. I glanced at my phone; it’s just past 10:00 in a rainy Tuesday morning. I fumbled for my umbrella underneath my seat, and felt the despair at seeing how near the thing was in approaching its imminent death. Two of the hinges were broken. How could it even withstand the rain? I thought to myself. Knowing nothing about fixing an umbrella, I just decided to take out my jacket and just put the hood on over my head. Nothing was going to ruin my day’s second adventure.
THE FAÇADE OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE DIVINE MERCY IN MARILAO
Our next top intrigued me very much; it is a famous destination among Catholic pilgrims and followers in this once sleepy town of Marilao, located just north of Manila. I even remembered my classmate back in high school who boasted about how he had a great time during his trip to this amazing shrine complete with museums, chapels and all, as part of their Visita Iglesia. Indeed, once dubbed as a “one-stop” church, the Divine Mercy Shrine (Filipino: “Pambansang Dambana ng Dakilang Awa ng Diyos”) is a Diocesan parish that rests on a rocky hilltop located at Santa Rosa 1, just inside the Marilao Parish compound.
Before I got on this trip, I did my little homework the night ago. Obviously, the religious sanctuary not only houses a huge collection of Catholic artifacts, for it also has its own share of the town’s amusing history. I didn’t know that the first Eucharist here in the country was actually celebrated at this site on 2 February 1992, during the Feast of the presentation of Our Lady. What’s more, I learned that the church was initially established as a quasi-parish on 30 November 1991, but was relieved to be an independent parish, three years later. Just before it reached its tenth founding anniversary, the Divine Mercy Shrine was consecrated at last on the year of the Great Jubilee. It was elevated to the status of a National Shrine by Archbishop Orlando Quevedo of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
Judging from afar, the shrine looked plain and small to the point that you would actually think you landed on the wrong church. As soon as you squeezed past through the tight alleyway at the main church’s left side, however, you would be welcomed by a huge sight of a modern-looking shrine looming pearl-white and gilded at the edges. There was such a refreshing feeling brought forth by the immaculateness of the structural design the church stages—just definitely fitting for a pilgrim’s spiritual and religious journey.
Upon arriving at the shrine’s interior, I was welcomed by the majestic elegance of the main altar featuring the life-sized painting of the image of the Divine Mercy. Around the icon were the statues of the seven archangels, which seemed to complement the stained-glass backdrop of the elevated altar. On one side was the colossal icon of Virgin Mary regal and splendid on her cape. You could actually hear mutterings of intentions from the churchgoers as they paid their respect to the Divine Mercy or through the intercession of Virgin Mary and other saints, whose statues also stood humble on the other side of the altar. One image I immediately recognized was that of Saint John Paul II, with his signature smile and subtle-featured face. The statue also showed the second-class relics of the saint’s mitre (papal headwear). With all of these around you, the overall mood inside the shrine is undeniably trickling with faith and deep reverence from the devotees.
My head was pounding, perhaps because of waking up too early for the field trip. I told my buddy (we were all grouped into two’s) about this and we decided to take a breath of air outside the main church. As soon as we stepped out, my head was swimming with a different kind of confusion. The outside of the shrine looks nothing like your ordinary church, serene with green lawns and meticulously groomed gardens. It was something even beyond that. Local church leaders have definitely done a major leap in converting the area into a religious theme park.
All around us were the awe-inspiring fourteen Stations of the Cross. The vast area depicting a model of the Calvary, which is in fact a donation, has that calming effect to the thousands visitors of the shrine. We decided to take a walk around there, but later laughed at ourselves for starting the station misguidedly. Unwittingly, we began at the Fifth Station. Much to our amusement, we just stood for a while on the Crucifixion and just took advantage of the picturesque site by taking some snapshots.
We continued our stroll a little longer, until we decided against finishing all the stations. I found a nice place for a short rest, just at the side of the office where car blessings are performed. The seats we found were the church pews artfully crafted out of fallen trees. I looked around us and saw that just at the back of the shrine was a place dedicated for life-size images of saints. Not far from that site was the cottage-like chapel we got to earlier. It is where devotees go to light candles, as they ask for guidance from the Divine Mercy.
Minutes passed before we finally got to our feet and headed for another notable respect of the Divine Mercy Shrine: the Guadalupe Chapel. Found at the church basement, the chapel houses the famous painting of Our Lady enthroned with its flowing water that countless pilgrims ascertain could heal. But the painting wasn’t the one that got me standing there in disbelief. It was the sheer discovery that, just a rock away, we could actually go back to our first destination in the Rosary Hill: The Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes. Just nearby the grotto was another amazing site, the grotto of the Resurrection of Christ. There were other noteworthy places, too. Beside the Adoration Chapel at the lower part of the shrine is the building of the future Pilgrim Center, and Retreat House situated just at the back of the shrine.
We were like Cinderella as we wound our way through every part of the shrine that we forgot to visit; just minutes before the clock finally ticked its hour hand, we went to the parish’s Little Poland Museum that features a pseudo-version of the house and basement where Pope John Paul II once lived. The memorabilia and artifacts that are stored there truly amazed us, as they linger history with touch of religion at the same time. Soon, we circled back to the chapel where St. Faustina had her first vision of the Divine Mercy, located just beside the museum. Thereafter, we finally made the most out of our Php. 10.00-entrance fee as we stopped at the eerie Prison Cell where St. Maximillian Kolbe was martyred.
But just like Cinderella, we had to face the end of the good time. As we were embarking on the bus once again, some realizations came sweeping over me. Personally, I’m not a devout Catholic. I seldom go to church or attend to every Catholic practice. That was why when I caught sight of the overcrowded covered theatre, I was beyond speechless. Nothing could really stop this people from expressing their fervent devotion to the Divine Mercy, even amidst the torrential downpour. Weather is, frankly, nothing compared to the devotees’ faith that through prayer, peace and solicitude, the Divine graces would overflow them. Seeing these pious believers, I realized that the Philippines has definitely become one of the oases for the apostolic faith, and we are doing a terrific job fulfilling the two-pronged task of proclaiming and entreating God’s mercy to the rest of the world.
III. St. James the Apostle Church—Plaridel: Surmounting the Test of Time
The phone’s clock registered 2:33 P.M. by the time we all filed out of the bus. Our third destination was somewhere I looked forward going to, especially because of its rich historical background. Popularly named as Plaridel Church, the St. James the Apostle Parish Church is famed for being one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. As rich as its culture is the religious credence it offers to churchgoers; the parish church venerates St. James the Apostle (Santiago in Spanish), the patron saint of Spain, blacksmiths, equestrians, veterinarians, laborers, and soldiers as well as those who have arthritis: no wonder why many people, even foreigners, go at great lengths just to visit this church.
THE FAÇADE OF THE ST. JAMES THE APOSTLE PARISH CHURCH IN PLARIDEL
Geography-wise, the famed parish church sits as part of the center of hubbub in the town of Plaridel ([old name: Quingua] derived after the pen name of Gen. Marcelo H. Del Pilar), Bulacan, located just across the Municipal Hall. In fact, as we were walking down towards the church, we first passed by the hall and were momentarily charmed. Just in front was this monument of three Filipino soldiers erected in memory of the heroes of World War II (1941-1945). Another attracting feature was the distinct elevated gazebo just adjacent to the monument of the war heroes. Distracted for a moment, I hadn’t realized that if I would just turn my head 180 degrees, I’d be seeing our next destination in its glory. As soon as I found this out, we went straight away, headed for the Plaridel Church.
The first thing that hit me was the pang of disappointment. The entire stereotypical notion I had as to old churches being enormous and all suddenly vanished upon reckoning the sheer size of the church. It’s actually just small compared to other churches we had already visited, but what’s good is that it made up for its lack of enormity by showcasing its crowning pediment. From afar, the sight of this the pediment was definitely arresting, particularly due to its intricate design. It took me a while before figuring out that those were actually triangular patterns and floral embellishments that filled the inner space within the pair of volutes comprising the said elaborate arch. A token from the Spaniards, I thought.
I began to tick my mental “list of things to note” one by one. If you’ve already come across the images of other churches other than the Catholic ones, you might also judge amiss the Plaridel Church as of Moorish influence owing to its minaret-shaped dome. I was quite guilty of such mistake at first, but quickly spotted my blunder after noticing a row of ample-sized relieves of ramilletes, angels and saints lined up in between the church’s volutes. Among the saints, the only one I recognized was St. Agustin, taking into account the pierced heart symbol—the insignia of the Augustinians—that the monument displays. Crazy as it may sound, but those “outside-the-church” icons were already a vista to behold, for there weren’t much to see on the church’s façade. I just settled on believing that it was probably the Augustinians’ wish to preserve an aura of simplicity by retaining the facade nude in appearance. Whatever the reason was, the lofty and tapering bell tower the local residents refer to as Simborio, at least, harmonizes with the austerity of the façade.
With a heave on my shoulders, I started towards the church, ready to capture every little marvel that would catch my attention though my camera. Just as I was about to step inside, I caught glimpse of the church marker near the column at the anterior end of the façade. I quickly rummaged through my bag to grab my Samsung handheld, but my hopes ebbed away after learning that the battery had only two bars remaining. Fearing that it might die even before the field trip’s end, I decided to save its remaining breath and just tried to bear in mind whatever the marker says.
Just as what our professor told us during the ride, Plaridel Church, formerly known as Church of Quinga, was the first church built in the old town or “Lumang Bayan”—sometimes called, “Lumang Poblacion”—located near the river. It was through the concerted initiative of the Augustinian friars that the mission chapel was founded under the jurisdiction of Parish of the Immaculate Conception. The sect was led by then Rev. Father Pedro Vasquez in the years 1580-1595. In 1605, however, the chapel was elevated to the status of independent parish named Parroquia de Santiago Apostol, and was transferred in downtown under the supervision of Rev. Father Diego Pardo. At the time, the church was formally named as the official town church of the newly conceived Pueblo de Quinga, a town now separated from the town of Malolos, where it was first under. In 1722, decades after its construction, a renovation was finally put forward.
At that moment, I took another once-over of the church and was impressed for the second time around. It literally stood the test of time for almost four centuries, yet the Plaridel Church still looks grand and well tended. Indeed, there may have been a number of renovations already implemented, considering how well the material conditions of the church were kept up to present.
I continued reading the rest of the marker. Quite astounding was the following trivia I learned: in 1800s, the administration of the church was turned over to the town’s first Filipino parish priest, Rev. Father Victorino Lopez, who later joined the revolutionary movement as a leader under the command of Captain Jose Serapio of Santa Maria (another town in Bulacan). The marker further stated that the church and convent were temporarily converted into a hospital and barracks by the American troops in 1839.
As I clarified earlier, I’m not a history buff. But all of the information I learned about the Plaridel church made it so intriguing that it piqued my curiosity at best. After the whole field trip, I immediately fired up my search engine and looked for additional tidbits of information regarding the 400-year old parish church. What I found out nearly knocked the breath out of me.
If you’d stroll around the town of Plaridel, the first word that would pop into your mind is “quiet.” That word alone is already enough to describe the serenity of the place, amidst its being modernized and all. That’s just the same impression that marked on me, but for the nth time that day, I was mistaken. Back in the old days, the church witnessed the historic Battle of Quingua during the Philippine-American war in part of the defense of First Philippine Republic against the Northern Campaign of the American soldiers. The battle was spearheaded by Filipino Lt. Colonel Pablo Ocampo Tecson of San Miguel, Bulacan under the dominion of Gen. Gregorio del Pilar and during which Col. John Stotsenberg was killed on 23 April, 1899.
Adding to its niche in Philippine history, Plaridel Church also played an essential role during the British occupation (1762-1763), for it was here that the money and jewels of San Agustin and the entire Augustinian mission in Intramuros, Manila were kept. More so, I later discovered that the St. James the Apostle Parish Church is about to celebrate its 411th Foundation Anniversary on 27 September this year. Another fun fact I had unearthed was this juicy treat: the Parish Church of Santiago Apostol has already been the location of many notable TV series, including GMA Network’s Fantaserye Darna(2009), Zaido(2007), Iglot(2011) and afternoon drama series, Nita Negrita(2011), and Broken Vow(2012).
Had I known all of these facts during the field trip, I could’ve stayed longer. But all I could do on that day was to grasp the historical spectacle that had befallen my eyes. Sooner, I headed inside the church and sauntered around the area together with some of my classmates and local churchgoers. The church’s interior was all you could expect for a structure built way back in the occupation period: thick columns commonly referred to as flying buttresses, massive big doors made of fine quality wood, Baroque-inspired hallways and most of all, the beautifully adorned altar.
Cinematic feel is one thing the parish church unequivocally provides for its visitors. The structures from both the exterior and interior somehow resemble those in classical sepia-toned movies. I even had some goose bumps just thinking that perhaps what I was seeing at that time was the Philippine version of Notre-Dame Church in Paris. You would really get that vibe once the exquisiteness of the Plaridel Church sinks into the depths of your consciousness.
Walking back to our bus, I meditated on how blessed we—the younger generations—are to have the opportunity to lay our eyes on this genuine Filipino cultural heritage. Beholding the beauty of the Plaridel Church from outside and from within is like flipping through the pages of a book containing the history of more than four centuries. Fortunate is the modern generation, indeed. Sudden epiphanies like this always render me proud of my roots and appreciate the significance of history more.
IV. Santisima Trinidad Chapel—Malolos: The Fallen Church
The weather seemed to worsen by the time we were approaching our fourth destination. Even without checking my phone, I knew that it was already way past 3:00, which was supposedly the time of arrival for our next top. My hopes faded away, for I knew there would only be a short span of time left for me to dig up the skeletons of “Bisita ng Santisima Trinidad” or historically known as La Santisima Trinidad de Malolos.
THE FAÇADE ARCH OF THE BISITA SANTISIMA TRINIDAD IN MALOLOS
Located in the northernmost region of the town of Malolos, the barrio Santisima Trinidad is almost five kilometers away from the town proper. This historic Barrio existed during the Spanish era. In fact, it was named Santisima Trinidad in honor of their Patron, the three personas of the Blessed Trinity. Folklore has it that the image of the Blessed Trinity was found in a rice field being plowed by a farmer, long time ago, exactly where the chapel now stands. Who could’ve thought that it was actually the consolidated effort of the people of Pinagbakahan, Barihan and Santisima Trinidad, that the community chapel was erected? In there, they enshrined the image of the Blessed Trinity, in whose back bears the date “January 19, 1500” (when it was found), which is still clear and readable at the present. Moreover, the picture of God the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit remains also very clear and defined.
Still according to the elderly folks, not too long after the construction of the chapel, they discovered a deep well beside it and out of this came an extremely cold and glistening water. It was firmly believed that the water is a cure to any kind of sickness, once you drink or bath in it. It was so effective, the legend says, that once you were treated of your sickness, you would definitely profess your full trust and faith to the Blessed Trinity. Stories like this spread like wildfire, so it was no secret that people, even those from Manila and nearby provinces, go on pilgrimage to this chapel.
Interesting as this may sound, what captivates my interest more, was not its peculiar history, but rather its oddity at the present. Formerly a Roman Catholic chapel in Bulacan, this chapel referred to as “bisita” is now being operated by a group of elders who call themselves Spiritual Catholics. They are supported by the chapel’s devotees, or the hermanas and hermanos. The reason for this bizarre twist stemmed from a power struggle between the Roman Catholic Church and the group of elders in 2001. The latter was obstinate not to turn the chapel into a parish, which was the plan of the local Diocese. There started the snowball effect. Ever since this happened, the Santisima Trinidad Chapel has been excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church—banning priests in holding mass in the bisita, and prohibiting the chapel to undertake Catholic services.
For a span of four years, the bisita has remained silent except for the devotees of the ancient icon of the believed miraculous Holy Trinity. Everything changed when the elders decided to approach a man to convene mass. He claims to be a priest from a group he calls “Spiritual Catholics”. Later, this man has been saying “mass” in the bisita for approximately eight years already. Most of the people who go to “mass” there believe that there is no difference with the Roman Catholic mass at all. This is despite the fact that an area of the bisita is allotted for faith healers and the Spiritual Catholic priest is married with children. Now, that’s weird.
During our visit to the bisita, we learned quite many things, including the shocking truth that there were actually four devotional images of the Santisima Trinidad housed in the chapel, yet only three are still intact: the La Santisima Trinidad de Mayor, Santisima Trinidad na Bata, and Trisahiyo. Outside the bisita stood many stalls where faith healers and palm readers do their business. Much to my surprise, the palm readers agreed to read our “fortunes” without any payment. As much as I want to share my palm reading in this paper, I don’t think my personal business has anything to do with the history of the bisita. Suffice it to say that amidst the quite disturbing facts I learned regarding the Santisima Trinidad Chapel, I still managed to board the bus with a shrewd smile.
V. Barasoain Church—Malolos: The Cradle of Democracy
“Save the best for last”, as the famous adage goes, is definitely an optimistic aphorism that I couldn’t agree more. Although it was already past 04:00, I could surely bet that many among us, if not all of us, were willing to extend time just to grasp the historical merit of the next church we were about to visit. In fact, before the day’s end, the mood inside the bus became lighter and more ebullient, most probably owing to our trip’s last destination: the well-known Barasoain Church, the Philippines’ cradle of democracy.
THE FAÇADE OF OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL PARISH IN MALOLOS
The tourist within me quickly groped for my camera to capture the glory of the church’s architectural panache. Indeed, the church’s structural style corresponds to the category of “Baroque meets Romanesque meets Neo-classical”—something that is remarkable for buildings erected around 1800s. The principally oval-style Baroque design of the façade is eclectic in touch. It definitely matched the hexagonal three-tiered medieval bell tower, which is also made of large stone blocks played up by an arched window on each face. As for the main door, one will be amazed upon seeing and touching the hard wood’s intricately carved biblical images. As you travel your vision upwards, though, you will catch sight of the Romanesque-inspired rose window, which is made of capiz shells, instead of the traditional stained glass. The said local touch is furthered in the distinctive semi-circle arcade located at the first story of the attached convent, just to the main church’s right side. Overall, I could affirm that Barasoain Church is not only a haven for historians, but also for inspiration-hungry architects.
We passed through a passage along the side of the church, as we headed to where a “film viewing” would be held, as promised by our professor. The moment I heard that, I thought that what we were about to watch would be nothing but a boring history film. But, once again, I was mistaken. The supposed “film viewing” was anything except boring. I couldn’t quite describe what it was. It was somehow like an exhibit, where there was this voice-over that regaled the audience with the amazing fun facts about the Barasoain Church and the rich history it embraces.
While some Filipinos revere the parish church for pious reasons, most of us, however, consider it proverbial due to its historical importance to the nation. Some even deem it as the most important religious building in the country, far greater than the Manila Cathedral, the incumbent seat of the archdiocese of Manila. Founded by the Augustinian mission in 1859, the Barasoain Church, also known as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, is renowned for being the seat of the revolutionary government of the Philippines. It was where the Malolos Congress (with 193 representatives headed by the elected legislative president Don Pedro A. Paterno) convened on 15 September 1898. Having earned the titular site of the First Philippine Republic, the church also serves as a reminder of the historic drafting of the Malolos Constitution, the first republican constitution in Asia. After its promulgation, the First Philippine Republic was then born and inaugurated days later, sealed by the oath of office of General Emilio Aguinaldo, the President of the First Philippine Republic.
As for the history of the church, itself, we found out, after the tour in the church’s mini-museum, that the term “Barasoain” was derived from a place in Spain with which the missionaries found the place in Malolos in striking similarity. When the Spanish-Filipino revolution broke out, revolutionaries coined the phrase “baras ng suwail” which translates to “dungeon of the defiant”. Furthermore, we learned that the current structure was actually built in 1885, while the first structure, consecrated in 1630, was burned in 1884.
I took as many photos as I could while maximizing the remaining bars of my camera’s battery. Just imagining that envious look on my sister’s face as she browses the Barasoain photos I captured still gives the good chuckle out of me. Unfortunately, because of the dim lighting inside the galleria, I wasn’t able to get many decent photos. If they’re not blurry, they’re grainy; if they’re not against the light, they’re against the dark (if there were ever such a thing). But, at least I have proofs that I had actually set foot on the country’s celebrated “cradle of democracy”.
Carrying a bunch of good memories to relish, I boarded the bus with a more than satisfied heart.
Final Thoughts: Is It Really the End of the Trip?
It’s absolutely not.
I’m no history buff. But that doesn’t mean I no longer care about our country’s rich cultural repository. Or that I don’t appreciate the beauty and culture of different towns—for the truth is actually the exact opposite. Having had the opportune day to open the doors of Bulacan and to grasp the province’s historical heritage as reflected in its towns and churches left me with a twinge of euphoria. In fact, I could still even remember what thoughts my brain was marshaling while our bus wound its way back to Metro Manila: Sooner or later, I shall return to Bulacan.
References
Gaerlan, Martin. “Museo Santisima Trinidad.” 10 December 2011. Curator Museo. Web. 12 September 2013. <http://curatormuseo.wordpress.com/2011/12/10/santisima-trinidad-of-malolos-bulacan/>.
National Historical Institute. “Barasoain Church Historical Landmark.” n. d. National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Web. 9 September 2013. <http://www.nhcp.gov.ph/barasoain-church-historical-landmark/>.
“Our Lady of Lourdes Church and Grotto, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.” 11 April 2007. Traveling Nicely. Web. 8 September 2013. <http://travelingnicely.com/2007/04/our-lady-of-lourdes-church-and-grotto-san-jose-del-monte-bulacan/>.
Pinoy Churches. “National Shrine of the Divine Mercy (Marilao, Bulacan).” 26 June 2012. Pinoy Churches: Guide to 584 Places of Worship. Web. 2013 September 2013. <http://pinoychurches.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/national-shrine-of-the-divine-mercy-marilao-bulacan/>.
Tahir, Rogers. “Famous Churches – Plaridel Church, Bulacan, Philippines.” 26 November 2011. World Churches. Web. 8 September 2013. <http://planbox.wordpress.com/2011/11/26/647/>.
scripturient bibliophile 