Miagao Church

Moving southwards to center of town, about 2kms after the Taytay Boni site, I arrived at Miagao Chuch or Santo Tomás de Villanueva Parish Church. This church, together with three others in the country are collectively registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List as the Baroque Churches of the Philippines.

What is Baroque anyway?! Hahaha, aba ewan! I know from having looked it up in dictionaries and even google, that baroque means "Of, relating to, or characteristic of a style in art and architecture developed in Europe from the early 17th to mid-18th century, emphasizing dramatic, often strained effect and typified by bold, curving forms, elaborate ornamentation, and overall balance of disparate parts"...

Now having read that (nose bleeding!)... eh di ba lahat naman ng simbahan ganyan? Still, if I'd be earnest in reading those descriptions, I would understand baroque. But how do I differentiate it from others would be beyond my lowly brain's art vocabulary hehehe. How do I now compare that with Renaissance, Rococo or Neoclassical? Sakit sa ulo! Reminder to self: you cannot compare things that you don't understand. Budlay ah!

Anyway, I was here to learn and appreciate things... and OMG yes, whatta church!

The facade is ornately and meaningfully decorated, though such a design would not really fall unto the 1790s or even 1800s. These probably came with the 1960s wave of restorations. Nevertheless, this facade is made even more beautiful with that intricate and very detailed depiction of many things in the people's religiosity and culture.

My guide knows everything about all those things on the facade, he described them to me, from the coconut tree to the coat of arms of the pope, everything. But I knew I could not memorize all of them, I just stood there listening, looking up, na naka-nganga hehe!

Yes, I was in awe, kaya naka-nganga! Or was that naka-tunganga?! Ambot ah, basta I was dumbfoundedly mesmerized hehehe hihihi! Tara na nga, we better go inside!

Teka, disclaimer of sorts muna... I did not do this trip to compare churches. I just told my guide I wanted to see the southern portion of the province, but when he asked what did I want to see, I said anything like the churches, municipal halls, markets, etc. So naturally I was shown ALL churches along the way. This was 4th, and I couldn't help but compare!

At main entrance, this is what I saw...

Similar to my views of Guimbal Church, Oton Church or even the Arevalo Church. Serene.

This church might look a bit dark amongst all 4 I have visited so far on this route..

But this is the coolest. I don't mean the informal or slang "cool", but literally the original adjective "comfortably cool" or "malamig" - even at mid-afternoon on a sunny day in May!

Guide was on hand to educate me that this "cool" was because of the 1.5 meter thick walls of the church, where the "cool" from last night could not yet escape from inside the church. He continued with the cycle, where this church feels warm in the cold of night, because the heated walls (by the day's sun) help retain the warmth inside. Coolness!

He continued to clarify, that it was not even the intention of the makers (our forebears and their Spanish rulers). They made these walls very thick to ensure the moro invaders couldn't get to them! The "cool-inside" was just, in effect, an accident, or a scientific derivative they didn't even know nor crave about haha! See?! Travel is education!

As before, I stopped at middle (halfway) of the aisle, turned back to see this...

The priest's view! Up there is the choir loft as is common (or was that required?) in many old churches, right? Ngayon kasi, in these our times, aba, ayaw na ni choir na nasa likod at taas lang sila! They are now usually positioned up front! At times even by the side of the altar! Sayang daw kasi ang makeup at 'coiffeur' kung walang "air time"! KSP hehe!

Anyway, the two big holes up there are notable. They were part of the design, but not for external aesthetic appeal. In fact they look misplaced or unnecessary viewed from the outside, right? (you can see them at the 1st, 3rd, and 4th picture of the facade above).

But from the inside, they were crucial. They served as extra lookout and launch area for guns or cannons to repel moro attacks. Of course too, extra illumination to the choir loft!

Now the altar. Argh I could not go nearer than this photo...

There was some "cute" ceremony in progress. At first I even thought this was "just" some kind of "rehearsals", but OMG, it was live and actual 'flores de mayo' daily activities of the little ones. I looked at the time, it was 3:30PM na nga naman. Hah, I should know...

In my childhood of yesteryears, I was always part of these activities the whole month of May. Granny would not even allow my parents to take me and/or my brother to any vacation destinations or "visit relatives" during this month. Because of Flores De Mayo! We had to be at church 3PM of every day except Sunday, the WHOLE month of May!

Teka, Waait! Why is this becoming something like my autobiography? I was just visiting the Miagao Church, right?! I probably got carried away by the kids' Flores De Mayo hehe!

Here's a video I took (so I could record the children's voices) as I walked on the aisle:A solo child's prayer voice reverberating in a church is such a solemn thing to hear.

Anyway, I went out again to see the vicinity and I got this...

Parang Baclayon Church 'no? Or even Paoay Church (just put the belfry on the other side)

Okay let's end this...
I may not have written all things I saw and learned about this church today, but OMG this is such an interesting part of our history, our heritage, our culture!

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