Meycauayan Church, commonly known as the The Saint Francis of Assisi Parish Church, is one of the oldest parishes in Bulacan which even predates the Malolos Cathedral established in 1580 and the Barasoain Church established in 1630. It is also the province’s largest parish with an estimated population of about 80,000 parishioners. The parish was founded in 1578 by Fr. Juan de Plasencia and Fr. Diego de Oropeza, the first batch of Franciscan priests to reach the Philippines in 1577. During World War II, the church survived destruction unlike the churches in Manila. The church was destroyed by a massive fire in 1949, known as the Great Fire of Meycauayan. Artifacts such as old memorabilia, statues, church vestments, records, ciboriums and chalices are some of the casualties of the fire. The retablo in the Colonial style was destroyed. Only a few church items including the tabernacle were saved from the fire.