Santa Monica Parish Church (Angat)

Angat Church
Santa Monica Parish Church

Facade of the Santa Monica Parish Church in Angat, Bulacan
Angat Church
Republic of the Philippines
14°55′40″N 121°01′43″E / 14.927724°N 121.028676°E / 14.927724; 121.028676Coordinates: 14°55′40″N 121°01′43″E / 14.927724°N 121.028676°E / 14.927724; 121.028676
Location Poblacion, Angat, Bulacan
Country Philippines
Denomination Roman Catholic
History
Dedication Saint Monica
Architecture
Status Parish church
Functional status Active
Architectural type Church building
Style Baroque, Rococo
Administration
Archdiocese Manila
Diocese Malolos
Clergy
Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle
Bishop(s) Jose Oliveros

The Santa Monica Parish Church is one of the oldest churches in the province of Bulacan, Philippines, dating back to 1758. It displays Baroque architectural characteristics and features ceiling paintings which resemble those in the Sistine Chapel.[1]

History

The town of Angat was formerly part of Quingwa, now Plaridel. Angat was oppressed by the town of San Miguel, followed by the town of Bocaue. When Angat became totally separate from Quingwa, it conquered the lands of Norzagaray and Doña Remedios Trinidad.[2]

Founding of the parish

Angat became a parish in 1683, making it the sixth oldest parish in Bulacan. Augustinian priests were in charge of the management of the church. The first Augustinian priest who arrived at Angat was Fr. Juan Morelos in 1684.[2]

The list below presents the succeeding Augustinian parish priests who served the Sta. Monica Parish Church.[2]

Name Years of Pastorship
Rev. Fr. Nicolas Lopez de Baya 1689 to 1692
Rev. Fr. Gabriel de la Fuente 1692 to 1695
Rev. Fr. Lorenzo Cueto 1695 -
Rev. Fr. Francisco Pingarron 1695 -
Rev. Fr. Bernardo dela Iglesia 1695 to 1704
Rev. Fr. Jose del Valle 1704 to 1705
Rev. Fr. Bernardo dela Iglesia 1705 to 1707
Rev. Fr. Lorenzo Cueto 1707 to 1710
Rev. Fr. Juan Navarrete 1710 to 1711
Rev. Fr. Tomas Quijano 1711 to 1716
Rev. Fr. Domingo Diaz 1716 to 1719
Rev. Fr. Pedro Orense 1719 to 1722
Rev. Fr. Juan Serrano 1722 -

Augustinian parish priests continued to serve Santa Monica Parish Church until 1898. From 1898 to the present, the parish church has been open for Diocesan priests. Rev. Fr. Mariano de los Reyes became the first Diocesan priest of the parish in 1898.[2]

Name Years of Pastorship
Rev. Fr. Mariano de los Reyes 1898 -
Rev. Fr. Francisco Atro 1898 to 1904
Rev. Fr. Jose Paguia 1904 to 1908
Rev. Fr. Tomas Chanco 1908 to 1916
Rev. Fr. Nicanor Guzman 1916 to 1919
Rev. Fr. Pedro Domingo 1919 -
Rev. Fr. Deogracias Javier 1919 to 1921
Rev. Fr. Vicente Fernandez 1921 to 1922
Rev. Fr. Simplicio Fernandez 1922 to 1932
Rev. Fr. Pedro Marcelino 1932 to 1945
Rev. Fr. Casimiro Alvarez 1945 to 1946
Rev. Fr. Gabino Baluyot 1946 to 1952
Rev. Fr. Lazaro Ochuga 1952 to 1959
Rev. Fr. Leon Lopez 1959 -
Rev. Fr. Serafin Riego de Dios 1959 to 1970
Rev. Fr. Melchor Barcelona 1970 to 1982
Rev. Fr. Macario Manahan 1982 to 1989
Rev. Fr. Walderedo Castillo 1989 to 1990
Rev. Fr. Ernesto Mendoza 1990 to 1991
Rev. Fr. Jose Salvador Viola 1991 -
Rev. Fr. Domingo Salonga 1991 to 2003
Rev. Fr. Virgilio Cruz 2003 to 2013
Rev. Msgr. Angelito Santiago 2013present

Architectural history

The following parish priests led the construction and redevelopment of the Santa Monica Parish Church.[3]

Fr. Juan Morelos

Fr. Gregorio Giner

Fr. Joaquin Calvo

Fr. Ignacio Manzanares

Architectural features

Santa Monica de Angat Parish Church was designed in Baroque architectural style. This could be verified with the existence of 18 adobe posts, along with eight windows. Windows, statued niches, and spaces between horizontal string courses, dividing the front facade into three parts, were ornamented with floral carvings.[2] Also, foliated crestings on the raking course of the pediment were used as an added ornamentation.[3]

Ceiling art paintings

The ceiling paintings within the interiors of the parish church resemble the ceiling paintings of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, Rome. History of Christianity in the Philippines and culture of Angat, Bulacan such as simbang gabi, Flores de Mayo, prusisyon ng Santissimo Sakramento, and fiesta were also incorporated within the ceiling paintings.[2]

The ceiling paintings were started by G. Rene Robles in 1998 and finished by G. Jess Robles in 2002, in accordance with the order of Fr. Memeng.[2]

Present condition

Several interventions were conducted under the administration of Rev. Msgr. Angel Santiago, who was ordained as the parish priest of Santa Monica de Angat on November 15, 2013. They include:[2]

References

  1. "Sta. Monica Church, Angat, Bulacan". October 31, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Santa Monica de Angat, The Official Website of Sta. Monica Parish, Angat, Bulacan, Philippines". October 31, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Alarcon, Norma (2008). Philippine architecture during the pre-Spanish and Spanish periods. UST Publishing House.
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