I am sure, dearest Filipino readers, that sometime in your life you were able to visit Pagsanjan Falls. But have you ever visited the parish church of the town?
Well, surprise, surprise, if you do not know, the said falls is not in Pagsanjan1 but in the nearby town of Cavinti, but that is a topic for another post.
This post is all about Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church, and yes, it is located in the town of Pagsanjan1. Let Tita S tell you a dozen facts about Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church:
1.This church is the only Roman Catholic church in the town of Pagsanjan1, in the province2 of Laguna3, in the Calabarzon4 Region5 of the Philippines.
Historical marker, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church, Pagsanjan, Laguna, by Carlo Joseph Moskito, own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, created 15 October 2014, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historical_markers_of_the_Philippines_in_Calabarzon#/media/File:Historical_Marker_of_Pagsanjan_Church.jpg
2. It is the home to the patroness of Pagsanjan1,Our Lady of Guadalupe6, whose image was donated by Father Agustin when the parish was first established. The image was given to him as a gift from rich and pious Mexican families. It was installed at the main altar on December 12, 1688. Know more about Our Lady of Guadalupe in a related post: NOW YOU KNOW: OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
The original image was destroyed during the American and Filipino military bombings of 1945. In 1958, Mexican Catholics contributed a life-sized image of Our Lady of Guadalupe6 sculpted by Ramon Barretto of Toluca, which can be seen in the church today.
Every time I entertain balikbayans and bring them to this church, I always ask them to admire and take pictures of/with this beautiful statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe located inside the church, at the right side. (See picture above.)
The image currently placed on the main altar was sculpted by Maximo Vicente of Manila.
3. It is the oldest church in the Philippines under the patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe6. The statue is a representation of the Virgin Mary in her appearance before San Juan Diego7 in a vision in 1531.8 Know more about the apparition in a related post: NOW YOU KNOW: OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
4. This church was designated as the Diocesan Shrine9 of Our Lady of Guadalupe of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo10 in 2012.
5. A former visita11 of Lumban12, this church was founded on November 12, 1687, by Franciscan missionary Father Agustin de la Magdalena who also served as its first parish priest.
6. The first church was originally made of light materials like bamboo, nipa and wood in 1688 by natives of Pagsanjan1 under forced labor.
7. To replace the original church, a larger and more solid church constructed from adobe with a red-tiled roof was built in 1690 with the help of Chinese Miguel Guan Co and chief alguacil13 alferez14 Alonzo Garcia.
8. Further renovations were conducted from 1847 to 1852 under Father Joaquin de Coria, who engineered the stone belfry and Romanesque dome. In 1872, the church added a transept15 under the direction of Father Serafin Linares and Father Cipriano Bac.
9. The church was heavily damaged by American and Filipino military bombers on March 15, 1945 during World War II. With the help of Manila Pagsanjeños, and under the leadership of Engr. German Yia and Dr. Rosendo Llamas, a replica of the church was constructed over its ruins, but without the original dome,.
10. Serious restoration efforts after the war took place in 1965 under Lipa Archbishop Alejandro Olalia. On April 6, 1969, Bishop Pedro Bantigue blessed the rebuilt church and consecrated the main altar. In 2013, further renovations were carried out, including the church patio and construction of the choir loft and church gate, under the term of Monsignor Castillo.
The interior of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church, Pagsanjan, Laguna
11. The three-level, early Renaissance-styled facade has a semicircular arched main entrance, a choir loft window, and a three-storey bell tower.
No worries regarding parking – the area is so spacious and well maintained. This church is open Monday through Saturday, from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Sunday, from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
12. A side chapel near the altar houses an image of San Juan Diego7, a replica of the tilma16 of Our Lady of Guadalupe6, and a stone relic from Tepeyac Hill, Mexico City in 1531, the site of the apparition of Our Lady. The chapel is also a mini-museum containing liturgical vestments of Pagsanjeño priests.
Side chapel with Tepeyac Hill relic, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church, Pagsanjan, Laguna
Relic from the apparition site of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Tepeyac Hill, Mexico
I also bring balikbayans to this side chapel, escort them to the back of the altar to recite the prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe, sometimes holding the blessed veil. We then proceed to the altar to take pictures of the precious stone relic from the original apparition site in Mexico.
The information was obtained from the Wikipedia pages “Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (Pagsanjan)”.17 Sorry, I could not access any personal pictures for now. I will just add them when I can do so.
So, have I convinced you to visit this church? Why not include it in your next Laguna3 Visita Iglesia18?
You know what, dearest readers? Tita S was blessed to have done an early 2020 Visita Iglesia27 with her college buddies on March 8, before the Presidential proclamation of a of a public health emergency for the entire country due to COVID-19. See her posts so you can, somehow, virtually join her, and imagine that you also did the Visita Iglesia because it might be impossible to visit seven churches during this pandemic for Holy Week 2020: LAGUNA VISITA IGLESIA 2020: PART 1 (OF 2) and LAGUNA VISITA IGLESIA 2020: PART 2 (OF 2)
This is not a sponsored post. I just want my readers to know more about the Philippines.
Did you find this post informative? I would like to hear from you about your visit to Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church.
See other interesting places through other posts in this category and other categories of SCapades, Pinoy Delights, and Smart Traveler – Now You Know, Short and Simple, and Say, Say, Say. Happy reading, and I hope that you will appreciate what I shared and some of the featured destinations will be part of your future travel plans!
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The following terms are defined for interested readers, especially those with “Senior-Moments”, not familiar with Filipino, religious and architectural terms, and those too busy or lazy to Google such terms:
1Pagsanjan is a third class municipality19 in the province2 of Laguna3, in the Calabarzon4 Region5 of the Philippines. It is located between the towns of Sta. Cruz and Lumban12. The town is the tourist capital of Laguna and the Home of the Bangkero Festival (Boatmen Festival, held every March). It has 16 barangays20. The town is known for boatmen who skillfully steer the dugout canoes along the river to reach the Pagsanjan Falls (actually Magdapio Falls, since it is located in the nearby town of Cavinti). The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Pagsanjan.”21
2A province is the primary administrative and political division in the Philippines. It is the second-level administrative sub-division of a region5. There are 81 provinces (called “lalawigan”) in the Philippines. Each province is governed by an elected legislature called the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and by an elected governor. Remember, a province in the Philippines is divided into cities and municipalities19 (or towns), which in turn, are divided into barangays20, formerly called barrios. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Provinces of the Philippines.”22 See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT ARE PROVINCES IN THE PHILIPPINES?
3Laguna is a province2 in the Calabarzon4 Region5 of the Philippines, located southeast of Metro Manila, north of Batangas, west of Quezon, south of the province of Rizal, and east of Cavite. This is the 7th richest province in the country, and the third largest province in the region. It hugs the southern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. It is composed of 24 municipalities19 and 6 cities. The provincial capital is the town of Santa Cruz since 1858, after Bay (1581-1688) and Pagsanjan1 (1688-1858). It is historically one of the first provinces in the Philippines to have been visited by Christian missionaries. Its main natural resources are its agriculture and fisheries, owing to its position near Laguna de Bay and the surrounding lowlands. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Laguna (province)”23
4Calabarzon, or Region IV-A, or Southern Tagalog Mainland, is a Philippine region5 located in the island group of Luzon, with Calamba as its regional center. CALABARZON is an acronym for this region’s five provinces2: CAvite, LAguna3, BAtangas, Rizal, QueZON. It is the most populated region in the country and the country’s second most densely populated region, after Metro Manila. This region is located south of the National Capital Region (NCR), bordered by the provinces of Aurora, Bulacan, and Metro Manila in the north, Manila Bay in the west, Tayabas Bay, and Sibuyan Sea in the south, and Lamon Bay, and the Bicol Region in the east. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Calabarzon”24 and https://lga.gov.ph/region/region-iv-a.
5A region is an administrative division based on geographical, cultural and ethnological characteristics. Each region is further subdivided in provinces2, composed of cities and municipalities19 (or towns), which in turn, are divided into barangays20, formerly called barrios, according to Wikipedia page “Regions of the Philippines”.25 See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT ARE THE REGIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES?
6Our Lady of Guadalupe, or the Virgin of Guadalupe, is a Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a Marian apparition and a venerated image enshrined within the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Our Lady of Guadalupe”26 Learn more about this image in a related post: ___
Our Lady of Guadalupe is the national symbol of Mexico and, till the present, remains a powerful symbol of Mexican identity and faith. Her image is associated with motherhood, feminism, and social justice.27
7St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, or Juan Diego (1474 – 1548), is a native of Mexico, and the first Roman Catholic indigenous saint from the Americas. He witnessed the apparition of the Virgin Mary on four separate occasions in December 1531 at the hill of Tepeyac, then a rural area, but now within the borders of Mexico City. He was beatified in the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City on May 6, 1990, by Pope John Paul II. He was canonized in the same venue by the same pope on July 31, 2002. His feast day is December 9. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Juan Diego”28
8https://www.britannica.com/topic/Our-Lady-of-Guadalupe-patron-saint-of-Mexico
9A diocesan shrine is a designation given to a church “to which numerous members of the faithful make pilgrimage for a special reason of piety.” It must exceed other churches in terms of worship, Christian formation, and social services. The honor is conferred by the local bishop or archbishop, who canonically elevates the church to a diocesan shrine. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “National Shrine.”29
10The Diocese of San Pablo is a Roman Catholic diocese which is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Manila. This diocese covers the entire province of Laguna3. Its patron saint, or titular head, is Saint Paul the Hermit30. It is located along Marcos Paulino Avenue in San Pablo City31, Laguna, with contact number (049) 562-1039. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo”.32
11A visita is a place of worship in a newly established town, without a designated priest-in-charge, attached to a parish church (with a parish priest) of an adjacent town. It may become a parish church, with enough parishioners and a designated parish priest.
12Lumban is a third class municipality19 in the province2 of Laguna3, in the Calabarzon4 Region5 of the Philippines. It is named after the Lumbang tree (Aleurites moluccanus). It is one of Laguna’s oldest towns, founded on September 22, 1578, and formerly included the towns of Santa Cruz, Pagsanjan1 and Cavinti. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Kalayaan, on the northwest by Laguna de Bay, on the southwest by Pagsanjan, on the southeast by Cavinti, and on the northeast by the province of Quezon. It is known as the Embroidery Capital of the Philippines and the Home of Lake Caliraya, a man-made lake. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Lumban, Laguna”33 and http://calabarzon.dilg.gov.ph/132-old-lgus/old-laguna-lgus/586-lumban.
13Alguacil, Aguazil, or Guazil, means minister. Among early Spaniards, it referred to a judge and sometimes, the governor of a town or fortress. Eventually, it was lowered to the rank of an officer of the court. In modern Spanish usage, it can also mean sheriff or law enforcement officer, especially in the USA. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Alguacil.”34
14Alferez is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Spain, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, according to the Wikipedia page “Alferez (rank)”.35
15A transept is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the edifice. It is the area in a church set crosswise to the nave36 in a cruciform (cross-shaped). The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Transept”.37
16A tilma, or tilmatli, was a type of outer garment worn by men, documented from the late Postclassic and early Colonial eras, around the early1520s, among the Aztec and other peoples of central Mexico. The garment was worn at the front like a long apron, or alternatively draped across the shoulders as a cloak. It was also frequently used as a carry-all. A very famous tilma was that worn by Juan Diego in 1531. According to tradition, an image of the Virgin Mary appeared on it, in the presence of the bishop of Mexico City. The image is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe which attracts millions of pilgrims annually. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Tilmatli”.38 See a related post: ___
17“Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church (Pagsanjan),” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe_Parish_Church_(Pagsanjan)
18Visita Iglesia, or Seven Churches Visitation, is the Roman Catholic Lenten practice to visit seven (and even 14) churches during Holy Week, traditionally on the evening of Maundy Thursday, to pray before the Blessed Sacrament in each church. There are no set prayers given by the Catholic Church for this activity, except to pray for the intentions of the Pope and recite the Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary and Glory Be. Some may opt to pray the Stations of the Cross39. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Seven Churches Visitation”.40 See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT IS VISITA IGLESIA?
19A municipality is a small, single urban administrative division, or local government unit (LGU), in the Philippines which has corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by law. It is a unit under a province2, subdivided into barangays20, and is locally called “bayan”. In the Philippines, a municipality is headed by a mayor, a vice mayor and members of the Sangguniang Bayan (legislative branch). It can enact local policies and laws, enforce them, and govern its jurisdictions. It can enter into contracts and other transactions through its elected and appointed officials and can tax as well. It enforces all local and national laws. There are almost 1,500 municipalities in the Philippines. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Municipalities of the Philippines.”41 See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: HOW MANY CITIES ARE THERE IN THE PHILIPPINES?
20A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines. It is headed by a barangay captain, aided by a Sangguniang Barangay (Barangay Council). It is the native Filipino term for a village. It was formerly called a barrio. In a metropolitan area, a barangay is an inner-city neighborhood, a suburb, or a suburban neighborhood. The word barangay originated from the term “balangay”, a kind of boat used by a group of Austronesian people who migrated to the Philippines. A number of barangays grouped together is called a district. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Barangay.”42
21“Pagsanjan,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagsanjan
22“Provinces of the Philippines,” accessed July 17, 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_the_Philippines
23“Laguna (province),” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laguna_(province)
24“Calabarzon,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calabarzon
25“Regions of the Philippines,” accessed July 17, 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_the_Philippines
26“Our Lady of Guadalupe,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe
27https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/our-lady-guadalupe-powerful-symbol-mexican-identity-n694216
28“Juan Diego,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Diego
29“National shrine,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_shrine
30Saint Paul the Hermit, Paul of Thebes, Paul the Anchorite, Anba Bola, or Paul, the First Hermit (c. 227 – c. 342 AD), is regarded as the first Christian hermit, who was claimed to have lived alone in the desert from the age of 16 to 113 years of age. He is usually represented with a palm tree, two lions and a raven. He is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church as well as the Orthodox Church. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Paul of Thebes”.43
31San Pablo is a first-class city in the southern portion of the province2 of Laguna3, in the Calabarzon4 Region5 of the Philippines, with 80 barangays20. It is one of the oldest cities in the country, founded in 1586, chartered in 1647, and became a city on May 7, 1940. It is the largest city in the province of Laguna by land area, and is nestled in the foothills of three mountains: Mount Banahaw, Mount Makiling, and the Sierra Madre Mountains. It is called the City of Seven Lakes because of the seven crater lakes scattered around the city: Lake Bunot, Lake Calibato, Lake Muhikap, Lake Palakpakin, Lake Pandin, Lake Sampaloc, and Lake Yambo. It is also a bustling city of trade and commerce as well as a center of education and learning with schools, colleges and training institutions. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “San Pablo, Laguna”.44
32“Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_San_Pablo
33“Lumban,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumban
34“Alguacil,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alguacil
35“Alferez (rank),” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alf%C3%A9rez_(rank)
36The nave is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts15. It is basically the area of the church available for the lay worshippers, including the side-aisles and transepts. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Nave”.45
37“Transept,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transept
38“Tilmatli,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilm%C3%A0tli
39The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, Ways of Sorrow, or Via Crucis, refers to the series of fourteen images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of His crucifixion and accompanying prayers. It is considered to be patterned after the Via Dolorosa46 in Jerusalem which is believed to be the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary for His crucifixion. The devotion of Roman Catholics to do the Way of the Cross during Holy Week is like a spiritual pilgrimage through the contemplation of the Passion of Christ (the final period of the life of Jesus from His entrance in Jerusalem till His crucifixion). The 14 stations are: (1) Pilate condemns Jesus to die; (2) Jesus accepts His cross; (3) Jesus falls for the first time; (4) Jesus meets His mother, Mary; (5) Simon helps carry the cross; (6) Veronica wipes the face of Jesus; (7) Jesus falls for the second time; (8) Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem; (9) Jesus falls for the third time; (10) Jesus is stripped of His clothes; (11) Jesus is nailed to the cross; (12) Jesus dies on the cross; (13) Jesus is taken down from the cross; and, (14) Jesus is placed in the tomb. All these are according to the Wikipedia page “Stations of the Cross”.47
40“Seven Churches Visitation,” accessed March 21, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Churches_Visitation
41“Municipalities of the Philippines,” accessed July 17, 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipalities_of_the_Philippines
42“Barangay,” accessed January 29, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barangay
43“Paul of Thebes,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_of_Thebes
44San Pablo, Laguna,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Pablo,_Laguna
45“Nave,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nave
46Via Dolorosa, Sorrowful Way or Way of Suffering, is believed to be the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary on His way to the crucifixion in the Old City of Jerusalem. The winding route from the former Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a distance of about 600 meters (2,000 feet), is a celebrated place of Christian pilgrimage. This current route was established in the 18th century and is marked by nine Stations of the Cross39, with the remaining five stations, located inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Via Dolorosa.”48
47”Stations of the Cross,” accessed March 21, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stations_of_the_Cross
48“Via Dolorosa,” accessed January 22, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Dolorosa
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