MIAG-AO CHURCH

HISTORICAL and SOCIAL

Miag-ao Church also known as “Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Church” is one of the Spanish colonial mission churches in the Philippines.

One legend says it was derived from miagos, a wild plant that grew in the area while another version said it was derived from the name of a negrito called Miyagaw, who gave his name when asked by the Spaniards of the name of place. According to folklore, the name was derived from tale of two lovers, Maya and Gao.

HISTORICAL and SOCIAL

According to the records, the church had been completed 10 years before the arrival of the Spanish priest in 1734

The building of the church was executed not by real architects but by friars who came as missionaries via the galleon trade between Acapulco and Manila.

HISTORICAL and SOCIAL It is built as a church fortress to avert

raids of the Muslim pirates. But in 1741 the church was burned down

by Muslim pirates. And by 1744 to 1750 Fr. Fernando

Comporrendo build a second church which also burned by Muslim pirates in 1754.

Fr. Francisco Gonzalez Maximo build another church at a new site by 1786 and was completed by 1797.

HISTORICAL and SOCIAL

And in 1864 Fr. Agustin Escudero made some restoration.

The church was burned by the Revolutionaries in 1898 during the Philippine-American War.

It was restored in 1948 and 1959 by Msgr. Wenceslao Enojo and Msgr. Leonardo Javillo

HISTORICAL and SOCIAL On August 1, 1973 it was declared and

issued a National Landmark through the Presidential Decree.

It was declared as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Baroque Churches of the Philippines" in 1993.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

Belfry The belfries that

flank the facade of the Miagao Church are of uneven height and configuration.

From a distance, they loomed as a symbol of authority, stability and dignity - a veritable fortress of divine presence.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

Belfry It is a medieval gothic

towers that served as observation posts especially during piratical raids.

Their rounded, tapering end - buttresses are unabashed imitation of medieval forts.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

Belfry The ground floor of the

right tower was originally the baptistry which could be reached from the end of the nave. The existence of the crypt is evident as a partly concealed stairway that lead downward. This is believed to connect a tunnel or subterranean structure down to the watch tower near the shoreline in Baybay.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

Façade A composite of medieval, baroque and local

elements, it is moreover, a candid reflection of flamboyance and carefree styling of the 18th century Philippines.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

It is harmoniously matrixed , arranged and crafted which reflects the refinement skills and talents attained by local artists engaged in the construction of colonial churches. As a baroque structure, it normally adapts these fundamental form with the accompanying pilasters, friezes, cornices and oval openings.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

Façade Outlined by simple relief

mouldings and terminates with a trial cross at the apex. The fenestrations framed with foliate ornamentations are symmetrically positioned resulting to the breaking up of horizontal moulding. The central figure of St. Christopher carrying the Child Jesus on his shoulder, stylized papaya and other fruit-bearing trees planted in vessels are carefully arranged to complete the balanced composition.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

Façade Right below the pediment is an

ornate rectangular vase. Superimposed on the protruding arching dowel is the elaborately framed central niche bearing the statue of St. Thomas of Villanova. The topping rectangular mass is a balustrade composed of spindle-shaped balusters which are a common feature in the Filipino-Hispanic domestic architecture. It does not only appear as to support the pediment, but also to provide continuity in design between the lower and upper section.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

Facade The ionic lined below the

balustrade enhanced the horizontality of the moulding, while the Doric triglyphs and the baroque curves along with the customized pilasters, capitals and foliate ornamentations - all contributed to a very unique artwork rendition in high relief. Aptly described by one author as

a unique explosion of botanical motif, reminiscent of Aztec art.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

Nave Basically, the

church follows the simple, single-nave plan that adheres to church-convent-atrium pattern of Augustinian mode. The existing nave has eight

bases of approximately 7.6 meters span each and two wider bases measuring 10.6 and 9.6 meters, respectively.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

Its foundation and walls are 1-1/2 meters thick and reinforced with buttresses designed to withstand earthquakes and typhoons. The sidewalls appear like piano keyboards. Each base of the walls stands at an average height of 11 meters from the ground to the eaves.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

The windows are beautifully designed, some of which have been transformed into side entrances to ease up the passage of big congregations especially on special occasions. But the real side doors on each side wall can still be recognized. The fenestrations are artistically framed with delicately carved stone segments with the variation to local plate work elements.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

The stones (igang or sandstone) which compromise the walls were quarried from the mountains of nearby towns. The massive stone wall (1.22 meters thick or four feet) is a rubble stone work blocks of stones laid uncoursed and bonded by lime mortar.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

The walls are reinforced by seven stone buttresses on each side spaced at 8.00 meters on centers and a thickness of more than 2.0 meters on the ground level and tapering at the top of the wall at 1.80 meters thick.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

The buttresses are of gothic architectural style and construction. In between the buttresses are window openings and a side entrance door of Romanesque architectural style with ornaments and motifs of baroque and classical styles.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

Interior-The interior is dominated by its magnificent and imposing sanctuary, most of which is finished in gold leaf.

-The altar, presently in use, is the original altar from the late 1700s which had been lost and was discovered during repair excavations made on the site in 1982.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS andMOTIFS

Interior-In addition to the altar, a statue of the Birhen ng Barangay carved in limestone and dressed in traditional filipino clothing of the period was also found in the dig and is currently on public display next to the baptistery at the rear of the church.

THE PRESENT STRUCTURE OF THE MIAG-AO CHURCH

When the church was burned during World War II. What remained were the walls, facade and bell towers. After the war, rehabilitation and reconstruction started. The first structure that was reconstructed was the roof trusses made of wood and a mixture of galvanized iron roofing and aluminum roofing. Then the burned stone walls were plastered with cement mortar and the refinishing of the flooring soon followed. The altar was enlarged and the altar floor was finished with granolithic marble finish. The roof trusses were later replaced by a more or less permanent wooden trusses and galvanized iron roofing.

THE PRESENT STRUCTURE OF THE MIAG-AO CHURCH

Then they designed and fabricated the new steel trusses.

There are 19 trusses spaced at 3.50 meters at the center.

The ceiling is steel and framed finished with cement stucco.

The floor of the nave of the church is finished with marble slabs 3/4" x 24" x 24" in size taken from Romblon and Bulacan.

Prepared by :Christian David MendozaJhanne Cristelle PamanMarciana Madriaga