| Argao Church | |
|---|---|
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| Saint Michael the Archangel Parish | |
.jpg) Church complex in 2023 | |
| 9°52′55″N123°36′28″E / 9.88199°N 123.607794°E /9.88199; 123.607794 | |
| Location | Poblacion,Argao, Cebu |
| Country | Philippines |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 1703 |
| Dedication | St. Michael the Archangel |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | National Historical Landmark |
| Architectural type | Church building |
| Style | Baroque |
| Groundbreaking | 1703 |
| Completed | 1788 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sand, gravel, cement, wood, mortar and bricks |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Cebu |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Jose S. Palma |
| Pastor(s) | Rev. Fr. Antonio G. Zamora Jr., Rev. Fr. Calixto B. Apigo, Rev. Fr. Virgilio P. Paras Jr. |
TheArchdiocesan Shrine of San Miguel Arcangel, commonly known asArgao Church, is aRoman Catholic church inArgao,Cebu,Philippines. It is under the jurisdiction of theArchdiocese of Cebu. The municipality ofArgao was established as a parish in 1703 under theAugustinian order. To serve the parochial needs of its people, a stone church was constructed in 1734 and was completed in 1788. The church was dedicated toSaint Michael the Archangel.
The coral stone church is a two-level structure with an imposing, highly ornatepediment and double-pilastercolumns on itsfacade. Together with its convent, the church was fortified to also serve as refuge duringMoro raids in the 18th and 19th century. The facade contains articulate carvings depicting the patron saint displayed on itsniche, flanked by oversized urn-likefinials standing on rectangular bases at each corner of the pediment.
The church follows the usualcruciform plan. The interior contains a singleaisle with a doublenave. Fiveretablos adorn itssanctuary andtransept areas, with the main retablo (retablo mayor) containing 3 life-size statues of the three archangels: St. Michael,St. Raphael andSt. Gabriel. Thevaulted ceiling is made of wooden panels arranged longitudinally with details ofseraphs protruding ascorbels. Paintings depicting the life of the angels and archangels, plus several Biblical passages, adorn the ceiling surface—half of which were painted by the renowned master Cebuano painter Raymundo Francia, and the other half by an unknownBoholano artist.
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Thebell tower has three levels supporting a single large bell on the second level, with 8 smaller bells on the third. The base of thebelfry supports a square plan, while the second and third bases follow an octagonal plan, topped by adomed roof. The bell tower is connected to the church by a single-levelbaptistry.
Theconvent at the right side of the church served as aseminary during the early part of the 19th century. Today the convent serves as a home for the Pastors assigned in the parish. The basement or the 1st floor of the convent housed the parish office, and offices of the EMHC, Catechists and the Parish Youth Coordinating Council. Adjacent to the parish office is theMuseo de la Parroquia de San Miguel, an ecclesiastical museum with a rich collection of artifacts which became a favorite of thebalikbayans and tourists. At the left of the church structure is the site of the former town cemetery, which now serve as the church complex's Gethsemane garden.
There are twowatchtowers built within the church complex: one at the front of the church and the other at the back. The front watchtower served as the first line of defense during Moro raids, and is integrated within the complex's fortified walls. The one at the back, which is already a ruin, has a circular plan, and was built using river stones and utilizingriprap construction.
Theplaza is bound by a short coral stone wall, where processions start and end during religious and festive rites. The plaza contains three statues mounted onpedestals with light posts. The plaza used to have clay tiles on its grounds, plus a big wooden evangelization cross mounted at the center. Adorning the coral stone walls are the 14 high reliefs of theVia Crucis, depicted using symbolisms on each station, which is unique and highly unusual in the country.
The gates and walls were built around the time of the construction of the church to provide defense against the Moro invaders. The walls were made thick so that lookouts can walk on top of the walls. The coral stone barriers were carved with floral reliefs on certain sections. The entranceway has rectangular overhead beams that span the width of the passageway, wide enough to allow sentries to walk across. Each of the gateway columns feature stairs for access to another part of the wall. The four gateways are located on each of the four sides of the perimeter of the fortification.[1]
This L-shaped building was called by the townsfolk as thePalacio, where Spanish dignitaries and priests from the city stay during their visits. During theAmerican era, the building was used as an elementary school. The building was burned by the Japanese during theSecond World War. Today, the Palacio is now the Court of Justice.
Beside the front entrance of the fortified church complex is a single level, coral-stone structure built together with the church. It was used as aleprosarium during the Spanish period and as anautopsy area for those who died tragically during the American era.[1] The facade's pediment features very ornate carvings of angels and human figures, with skull and bone details that explain the function of the structure.
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