Sub-Parish Church of Santo Cristo

Sub-Parish Church of Sto. Cristo of Baliuag
(Bisita ng Sto. Kristo)
Basic information
Location Sto. Cristo, Baliuag, Bulacan, Philippines
Geographic coordinates 14°57′19″N 120°53′38″E / 14.95528°N 120.89389°E / 14.95528; 120.89389
Affiliation Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical or organizational status Sub-Parish Church, Vicariate of St. Augustine of Hippo
Status active
Architectural description
Groundbreaking 1881
Completed 1981 (Inauguration)
Specifications
Materials steel, mixed sand, gravel & cement

The Sub-Parish Church of Sto. Cristo, also known as "Apo Kristo" Chapel and Visita ng Sto. Cristo, is the oldest "ermita" (chapel) in Baliuag, Bulacan, Philippines. The visita is bounded by the cities of San Fernando and Mabalacat in Pampanga, and Balanga in Bataan.[1] At present, its mother Parish, the 1733 St. Augustine Church of Baliuag, Bulacan (under its first cura parroco Padre Juan de Albarrran), has 4 parishes.

The "Visita ng Sto. Cristo" (Dioecesis Malolosina, Suffragan of Manila) celebrated its 131st anniversary on May 3, 2012 with a pontifical mass con-celebrated by its mother parish of St. Augustine Church's Team of priests in solidum moderator, Msgr. Enrico S. Santos, with Team Ministers Fr. Daniel "Neil" Sevilla and Fr. Ruel Arcega.[2][3][4]

The St. Augustine Church of Baliuag and the Sub-Parish Church of Santo Cristo both belong to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Malolos (which was created on November 25, 1961, erected on March 11, 1962 and comprising the civil province of Bulacan and the City of Valenzuela, under the Patronage of the Immaculate Conception, Feast day of December 8). The Bisita ng Santo Kristo is under the Vicariate of St. Augustine (Baliuag), with Vicar Forane, Msgr. Filemon M. Capiral, HP.

History

During the Spanish colonization period of 1880's, the settlement, baryo of Baliuag had no name until it was called "Santo Cristo". The Feast Day was celebrated yearly May 3 led by a "Presidente" of the Fiesta. Hermano Juan was the first while Kabisera Andres Ramos was the caretaker of the Statue or Holy Image, according to writer Alejandro Fernando. They chose as Patron, the "Hubad" (naked) Kristo because of poverty. Ever since, immigrants and pilgrims from many provinces visited the miraculous statue of the Chapel Fridays and Sundays. More than 12 local and visitors faith healers conducted regular Fridays spiritual healing therein. Nipa leaves and bamboo were then used to build the small Kapilya.

During the American regime, Jeremiah James Harty (November 5, 1853—October 29, 1927, an American prelate of the Catholic Church, the Archbishop of Manila in the Philippines from 1903–16) who later served as Archbishop of Omaha from 1916–27) filed a suit in the Court of First Instance of Bulacan claiming title of the Santo Cristo, Baliuag, Bulacan Parish Church property on 1909. The prelate included in the civil case, the properties where the San Jose and Makinabang Parish Churches were built upon.

The defendants filed an answer by way of opposition thereto. The residents alleging, inter alia, that the subject real estate is owned by them by virtue of a Deed of Donation signed by Don Julian Buyson. This Spanish Mestizo was a philanthropist who bestowed upon the natives of barrio Santo Cristo per a notarial Document dated 1 August 1881, the lot where an "ermita" or Bisita was built for religious and liturgical needs of the townsfolk. The condition specified in the public document is that the chapel and school built upon the lot must be used by and for the barrio residents for devotional purpose.

Further, the Deed required the administration of the property by a) Hermano Mayor (Elder), b) Mayor domo (Steward) and c) Secretaryo (Secretary). Willie Buyson Villarama, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's former chief of staff, from Bacolor, Pampanga stated that "his great-great-great grandfather is Don Julian Buyson, who served as a gobernadorcillo, xxx".[5]

The CFI of Malolos Auxiliary Judge Buenaventura Reyes dismissed the Archbishop's complaint for recovery of possession and title. Later, on 1930, the Bulacan Court ordered the Registry of Property to issue Original Certificates of Titles to the 3 donated properties in the names of the 3 emitas or kapilyas: Ermita de Santo Cristo, Ermita de San Jose Parish Churches of Santo Cristo, Makinabang and Concepcion, Baliuag, Bulacan.

Later, the people acquired the adjacent 1,436 lot where they built the grandstand and 4 comfort rooms. In its 100th anniversary on May 3, 1981, the Santo Parish Church was inaugurated under the leadership of Mauricio Pascual.

In 2012, Santo Kristo Church is presently under the care and administration of the Parish Church Pastoral Council of Barangay Santo Cristo, Baliuag, Bulacan.

Image gallery

References

  1. ↑ "Sto. Cristo Chapel - Baliuag". Wikimapia.org. Retrieved 2015-08-25.
  2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/20120830213458/http://www.ucanews.com:80/diocesan-directory/html/dps-pr_malolos_parish.html. Archived from the original on August 30, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2012. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ "About DCLM". Dclmmalolos.tripod.com. Retrieved 2015-08-25.
  4. ↑ https://web.archive.org/20140219132238/http://www.claretianpublications.com/dioceses/540-diocese-of-malolos. Archived from the original on February 19, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2012. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ↑ "Inquirer.Net". Services.inquirer.net. Retrieved 2015-08-25.

Books

Sources

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santo Cristo Sub-Parish Church in Baliuag, Bulacan.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, February 28, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.