Sta. Barbara, Iloilo

Sta. Barbara, IloiloThe history of the municipality of Santa Barbara covers four centuries. The Agustinian Archives, Vols. 17-18, which records achievements of Agustinian missionaries in the Philippines, bares a historical note that as early as 1617, the missionaries attended to the spiritual ministration of a community or pueblo then known as Catmon.The name was derived from a fruit-bearing tree that served as an imposing landmark in the vicinity.

In 1760, Catmon was economically established as an independent parish, whose patroness was Santa Barbara, and the settlement, which was constituted into a pueblo was named after her.

Juan Somocierra was Santa Barbaras first mayor.

Mayor

Mayor Dennis S. Superficial is the current mayor.

Santa Barbara Church and Convent

It was only in 1760 that the settlement became a Pueblo (town) and the church an independent parish. It's patron Saint was Santa Barbara and the parish priest was Friar Juan Ferrer.It was not until Friar Francisco Aguerria arrived in 1845 that construction of the present church was started. The start o fthe church construction coincided with the establishment of the road network in the region. The roads were being built to link Cabatuan, Maasin, Janiuay, Leon and Alimodian.This is an Augustinian Church and as with all others it bears the Augustinian seal on the facade of the church.

The seal can be seen just above this beautiful Stained Glass window on the facade of the church.The Augustinian Seal The main church building used stone quarried in and transported from not so nearby Leon, Alimodian and Tubungan. The wood used: mulawonand mangle was also carried from the mountains and hillsides of those same municipalities.The masons, carpenters and other skilled tradesmen came from farand wide to work on the project. And in a brief history provided to us by the church we find that there were no formal plans for the church. It is said that on close inspection of the walls and posts in the church and ancillary buildings that sketches showing the proposed designs and plans can be seen.

The main altar is flanked by, a statue of St Augustine on the right and a statue of St Monica on the left and Santa Barbara occupies a niche at the very top of the altar overlooking the entire church.

wall which commemorates the friars and priests that have served the parish since its inception.Msgr Juanito Tuvilla is the current parish priest.