PANAY ISLAND TOUR OF CHURCHES AND BEACHES. Part Three: Churches of Antique

            I spent the Easter Triduum in the province of Antique, arriving on Wednesday evening and left on Easter Sunday. Of the eighteen towns of the province, I was able to visit fourteen of them: Sebaste, Culasi, Tibiao, Barbaza, Laua-an, Bugasong, Patnongon, Belison, San Jose de Buenavista, Sibalom, San Remegio, Hamtic, Tobias Fornier and Anini-y.  We just passed by Libertad and Pandan but we were not able to visit their churches as it was already late. Valderrama was out of our way and Caluya is in the island of Semirara.

           We first stayed in Culasi as I wanted to go to Mararison island. I concelebrated the mass of the Lord’s Supper in Sebaste as I heard the church was a famous place for pilgrimage with thousands of people flocking to the church during the feast day of their patron, St. Blasé.  But on that Holy Thursday the church was not filled, only sitting capacity with still a number of seats to spare. We moved to the capital town of the province in San Jose de Buenavista on Good Friday where we stayed at the Bishop’s Residence. I celebrated Good Friday at the Cathedral and also joined the Easter Vigil there with Bp. Jose Lazo. During these days we made the Visita Iglesia  of the churches of the province.

Most of the churches are already of recent construction except that of Hamtic and Anini-y which during the time of our visit was under renovation by the National Historical Commission. The Stations of the Cross in Hamtic though not big were magnificent. Round in shape they were in relief perhaps made of resin and encased with a Gothic frame. 

ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL PARISH CHURCH

Culasi, Antique

ST. BLAISE PARISH CHURCH

Sebaste, Antique

I concelebrated with the parish priest of Sebaste, Fr. Segundo (middle) and Fr. Ramon who hails from the town and is a member of the Eucharistic Healers of Mary, a local religious group. After the mass, the parish priest invited us to join them for the last supper dinner hosted by the Antonio family who owned a big house just outside of the town. He was the first cousin of Bp. Galido. Got interested with their stories about how the Mil Hill fathers who were the missionaries in Antique, especially Fr. Eugene Daberto, an Italian priest helped the poor families in the town.  He brought several girls to work in Austria coming from Sebaste and the neighboring towns of Laua-an and Pandan. All families that had girls especially coming from poor families had a daughter who was recruited to work in Austria. That is why, Mr Antonio was saying that almost all the houses in Sebaste were improved and became concrete because of the money sent by their daughters. This happened from 1975 up to the 1980's. Most of the girls decided to stay there and married the locals.  They were saying that whenever bishops  or priests from Antique would go to Europe they would always make a side trip to Austria where they are always welcomed in the houses of the Pinays from Antique. We also enjoyed the food served as it was really fine dining with several change of plates. 

SAN NICOLAS DE TOLENTINO PARISH CHURCH

Tibiao, Antique

In Tibiao we passed by the Fish Spa and decided to try it. Got amused when I saw the fishes were just ogling at Mark instead of eating the dead skin.

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA PARISH CHURCH

Barbaza,Antique

ST. ISIDORE PARISH CHURCH

Laua-an, Antique

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PARISH CHURCH

Guisijan, Laua-an, Antique

          When I saw this church it looked very familiar. Its architecture and the clay tiles used were like the ones that I saw in Pangasinan.  When I asked Bp. Lazo about it, I was right in my hunch. It was made and donated by the DMCI. 

Municipal hall of Bugasong, Antique

STO. NIÑO DE BUGASONG PARISH CHURCH

Bugasong, Antique

          

ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO PARISH CHURCH

Patnongon, Antique

I could not help but notice that while the parish church of Patnongon was rather so ordinary with the belfry being under construction, just near the church was an antique structure which still had a belfry. It was the St. Augustine Academy which housed before the old convento of the Spanish friars.

St. Augustine's Academy of Patnongon

Patnongon, Antique

OUR LADY OF THE CANDLES PARISH CHURCH

Belison, Antique

ST. JOSEPH CATHEDRAL OF THE DIOCESE OF SAN JOSE DE ANTIQUE

San Jose de Buenavista, Antique

Some of the carrozas during the Good Friday procession in San Jose de Buenavista.

With Bp. Lazo and the Apostoles after the Easter vigil. 

The Provincial Capitol of Antique

Preparations for the Palarong Pambansa 2017 were being finalized in San Jose de Buenavista, Antique which was the host. 

             Bibingkas from different barangays of the town were being cooked and sold by the side street near the Cathedral. 

STA. RITA DE CASCIA PARISH CHURCH

Sibalom, Antique

ST. VINCENT FERRER PARISH CHURCH

San Remegio, Antique

STA. MONICA PARISH CHURCH

Hamtic, Antique

The beautiful Stations of the Cross in Hamtic. I missed to picture one of the Stations. 

SAN NICOLAS DE TOLENTINO PARISH CHURCH

Tobias Fornier, Antique

SAN JUAN DE NEPOMUCENO PARISH CHURCH

Anini-y, Antique

The church of Anini-y was being renovated by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) when we passed by. Conservation work included the restoration of the stone walls, reconstruction of the choirloft and access to bell tower, replacement of roof and ceiling, reconstruction of the retablo and refurbishment of church fixtures. The restoration was finished by November 2017.   

There were scaffoldings inside the church as the ceilings were being replaced.

The old altar of Anini-y

The renovated church of Anini-y with its new altar when I passed by in April 2019 for the installation of the new bishop of Antique, Most Rev. Marvyn Maceda.

New altar retablo of Anini-y

         After passing by Anini-y the next churches that we passed by already belonged to the province of Iloilo: San Joaquin, Miag-ao, Guimbal, Tigbauan,  Oton and the city of Iloilo.  Since I have visited the churches of these towns before, the pictures are in my post: Churches in Iloilo. Part One.