Our Lady of Atocha in Alicia, Isabela

“Atocha is Madrid’s royal shrine: there is not a Spaniard of public importance for a thousand years who would not kneel to ask her help. Her gowns are made from the bridal gowns of queens; yet no shrine better demonstrates how little it matters where we rank in the world or what we do for a living. One of her supplicants asks her for victory for his armies, one for rain for his thirsty fields; Our Lady of Atocha answers all, impartially and lovingly. “( lifted from http://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/our-lady-of-atocha.html)

The Our Lady of Atocha Church sits in the town of Alicia known for its Pagay festival, a first class municipality in the province of Isabela. It was completed in 1849 and has been declared by the Department of Tourism as one of the country’s religious tourist destinations.

As Atocha is Madrid’s royal shrine, Our Lady of Atocha in Isabela looks every inch a Spanish church.

 

 

 

 

Our Lady of Pillar Cauayan, Isabela

Dominican missionaries declared Cauayan a full-fledged parish in 1741, dedicating it to  Our Lady of the Pillar commonly known as the NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL PILLAR.

The church was first constructed using bricks and galvanized roofing. This was later damaged by an earthquake.

It’s a beautiful combination of old and modern architecture. The exterior part of the church is well preserved while the interior was renovated and glorified with a beautiful painting on the ceiling showing the coronation of Virgin Mary.

 

 

 

I also took a look at the church from inside looking out into the entrance.

Today, it is a very well-preserved architecture of red bricks, with its imposing facade.

 

Church in Ilagan, Isabela

Saint Ferdinand Parish Church

Tracing the history of this modern-looking church, I found out that around 1696 and 1700 Fr. Miguel Matos, OP, built the Ilagan church made of stone and bricks. A typhoon in 1866 destroyed the roof of the church. Desiring to make the church bigger, Fr. Pablo Almazan, OP, demolished the solid walls of the church, which, unfortunately, was never built. The walls of the church today are of modern make. It is known to house one of the oldest bells in the region. The church is dedicated to the patron saint, San Fernando.

The facade is impressive and spacious. This is the only time where I wanted very much to photograph a church that is not centuries-old. I went inside, and the church interiors looked spectacular and grand.