The St. Francis Xavier Parish Church, commonly known as the Palompon Church. There was no one that seemed in the know to talk to. So I just moved on my own. Yeah, I miss having a tour guide like I had in
Iloilo last month, or
Cagayan Valley two months ago :(
Anyway, I think this was the first time I saw a church proudly displaying in good and visible signage, their Mission and Vision. I wonder, is there an ISO Certification para sa mga simbahan? Well, why not, and there might as well better be. Countability hehehe!
A wedding ceremony was in progress. So I waited for that vehicle (a cute "bridal car") to be gone before I entered the church. Baka sabihin nakiki-wedding ako sa wedding ng me wedding, in board shorts and with my backpack still firmly hugging me hehe!
While waiting for that wedding to finish, I went to sit on one of the benches surrounding the plaza in front of this church. At a nearby bench, I saw something that crushed my heart, but let me tell you about it in my next story.
4:14PM, wedding done, cute bridal car departed, so I immediately went in.
Amazingly, a number people immediately got busy cleaning-up and arranging things. I was not sure if they were church staff or part of the just-finished wedding's crews. They just sprung busy (at times even panicky noisy), so I wasn't able to ask them questions.
But I was free to move around, even if they threw 'wondering glances' at me!
So I walked thru the red carpet hehe and reached as far as halfway of its length..,
This was 'nearest to the altar' that I could reach. Any further, I thought I would already be in the way of the clean-up staff who kept darting from anywhere to everywhere! But...
Like at the
Iloilo churches, at halfway middle of the aisle I turned around to see this...
The 'priest's view'! That is a big wide and sturdy choir loft up there.
I saw someone going up those stairs on the left. Yes, big and real stairs, not a winding staircase made of wrought iron! I hurried to ask if I can also go up there! He said yes!
So this was my view from up at the choir-loft! Nice, right?!
Yep, very nice view from up this choir loft. And, how lucky of me! I learned things from the manong who I followed and asked permission from to go up there.
Everybody was in a rush to clean up after that wedding because, the 5PM mass would soon start! He is part of the choir, and was up there to already set-up their instruments and sound equipment for the mass.
I also learned from him, that this is the oldest church on the island of Leyte, built in the 1700s. That as far as Ormoc in the south, to Matag-ob and Villaba on the north, all were under this church/parish until they each became independent towns. What an info! Wow!
Alright folks, I never really thought I would learn any new information in and about this church as I roamed around it. There just seemed no one to interact with. Now I believe...
Even when there is no "will", sometimes there comes a "way"!
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Fifteen stories!
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