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Calumpit Church

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PUBLISHED May 29, 2013
PHOTOGRAPHY and WORDS BY MARIANO SAYNO

The Church of San Juan Bautista, also known as the Calumpit Church, is a 17th century baroque church in Calumpit, Bulacan. It was first built by Augustinians who were spreading Christianity to northern Luzon at that time—making it one of the oldest churches in the Philippines.

calumpit bulacan church 3af
calumpit bulacan church 4

According to other sources, Calumpit was included in the administration of Pampanga during Spain’s early years of rule and therefore called Alcaldía de la Región la Pampanga. Calumpit was established as a prior on May 3, 1572 along with churches such as Lubao and Betis. Its first patron saint was St. Nicholas of Tolentine, but in December 1576 it was referred to as La Casa de San Juan Bautista.

calumpit bulacan church 4

According to other sources, Calumpit was included in the administration of Pampanga during Spain’s early years of rule and therefore called Alcaldía de la Región la Pampanga. Calumpit was established as a prior on May 3, 1572 along with churches such as Lubao and Betis. Its first patron saint was St. Nicholas of Tolentine, but in December 1576 it was referred to as La Casa de San Juan Bautista.

calumpit bulacan church 3a

The church and convent were completed in mid-17th century, although there is no definitive evidence about who built them. Some sources claim that Vivar-Ordóñez erected the current structure; other references agree with this assessment.

Father Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga, who was the prior at the convent from 1794 to 1797, wrote that when he arrived there it had been built with cut stone and a tile roof. But years later, Angat and Pampanga Rivers merged near where the church and convent stood. The flood waters caused severe structural damage to these buildings.

The church’s tower was said to be low and poorly constructed. Locals reportedly urged many of the town’s priests to alter it, but Fray Antonio Llanos finally rebuilt it in 1829.

During the Philippine Revolution of 1899, fire destroyed most of this complex.

The church is smaller than many of the nearby towns’ churches. Its façade, however, shows how experimenting with various ornamentation can lead to lavish designs like Mannerism. The façade is made up of four columns, each topped with a capital in the Corinthian style. The façade is decorated with floral motifs and scrolls, along with columns in the shape of rounded squares. Reliefs on these lowest tiers illustrate the lives of saints.

The main doorway, circular window and volutes that frame it are matched by the original ornate pediment. Besides this elaborate entryway, another pair of rectangular windows is also visible on the facade. Beside the church is a simple four-tier belfry, which contrasts with the elaborate façade.

In recent years, a new, heavily carved wooden door depicting scenes from the life of Saint John the Baptist was installed in place of the original. The renovations have transformed what were once swaying pediments on either side of this entranceway into simple triangular roofs.

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All photographs that appear on the site are copyright of Mariano Sayno ©2022 Beauty of the philippines

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