Litratong Pinoy#21 Luma (Old)

Ito ang lumang simbahan ng San Agustin, Paoay, Ilocos Norte na siguradong mas matanda pa sa mga lola at lolo natin. Inumpisahang itinayo noong 1694, sinira ng bagyo at lindol, itinayong muli at natapos noong 1894. Gawa sa korales at matitigas na bato ng tisa, apog at iba pa. Ang disenyo ng simbahan ay ipinaghalong Gotiko, Baroque, at Oriental.

Sinasabing isang metro ang kapal ng dinding at sinusuportahan naman ng makakapal na batong may disenyo na hindi mo makikita sa ibang simbahan saan man sa buong Pilipinas. Ginawang matibay na matibay ang simbahan para hindi agad masira dahil sa lindol at bagyo na laging nangyayari sa bandang lugar ito ng Luzon. Sa kalumaan nito, nagkaroon na ng mga lumot at maliliit na tanim sa pagitan ng kanyang mga dinding at harapan ng simbahan. Ang harapan ng simbahan ay may mga magagandang disenyo ng mga bulaklak na rositas, mga dahon at iba pa.

Ang simbahan na ito ay idineklara nang UNICEF na isa mga lugar ng pamana sa Pilipinas. Ang tore ng kampana ay ginamit ng mga Katipunero para sa kanilang kilos rebulosyonaryo laban sa mga Kastila at makikita sa itaas nito ang kabuuan ng bayan at iba pang karatig nito.

Mas gusto ko sana ang kapaligiran ng simbahan noong una naming punta ilang taon na ang nakalilipas dahil ang plaza sa harapan nito’y pinalilibutan ng mga matatandang puno na tingin ko’y kasingtanda ng simbahan din. Wari ko noo’y bumalik ako sa panahon ng Kastila. Kaso lang, hindi ko matanto at kung sinong baliw ang biglang pinagpuputol ang mga kawawang puno para daw mas madaling makita ang simbahan (sa laki ba naman ng simbahan, hindi pa ba makikita iyan??) ng mga turista. Sa ngayo’y mangilan-ngilan nalang ang naiwan sa mga kawawang puno.

Para sa karagdagang detalye ng simbahan, punta rito.



Translation: This is the old church of San Agustin, Paoay, Ilocos Norte which am sure is older than our grandparents. Started to be built last 1694, destroyed by earthquakes and typhoon and was rebuilt and finished last 1894. Made of corals, limestone and etc. The design of the church is a mixture of Gothic, Baroque and Oriental.

The walls were said to be one meter thick and is supported by thick wall buttresses with designs you cannot see in any churches all over the Philippines. The church was built sturdily to withstand the earthquakes and typhoons that commonly occur in this part of Luzon. Due to its old age, the spaces between its walls and the façade of the church were already covered with moss and tiny plants. The chuch’s façade has beautiful designs of rosettes, leaves and more.

This church was declared one of the UNICEF Heritage site in the Philippines. The church’s belltower was used by the Katipuneros for their revolutionary activities against the Spaniards and one can see the entire town and its neighbors on its top floor.

I prefer the surrounding place when we first came to this place years ago because its plaza was surrounded by ancient trees which I believe were as old as the church. It gave me the feeling of getting back to the Spanish period. However, for some reason I could not fathom, some crazy lunatic decided to cut down the poor trees to let the tourists get a better view of the church (as if the church is not big enough for people not to see it!!!). As of now, there are just a few of these trees that were left unscathed.

For more details about the church, refer here.