Barasoain Church/Our World-Tuesday

Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan is one of the historical churches in the Philippines.  My friends and I visited this church one Saturday in early May enroute to Sta. Maria, another town in Bulacan.  Truth be told, I wasn't aware of the church's historical significance until a former President (who, ironically, was later kicked out of office) was inaugurated here in 1998.  It was an unusual venue for a presidential inaugural ceremony.

Also known as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Barasoain church is the site of the First Philippine Republic in 1898, and has earned a title as Cradle of Democracy in the East.

This church was founded by Augustinians Missionaries and the original church was constructed in 1630. The first stone structure was built in 1871 but it was burned during the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution. The current church was rebuilt in 1885, the bell tower was constructed in 1889.

The facade has touches of neoclassic architecture.  The interior of the church has wood panels painted in white, with frescoes of flowers, angels and saints; the altar was also painted in white with gold trimmings.  The interior was not as rich and elaborate as the other old churches I have seen but inside has an airy, spacious feel.

There was an on-going wedding ceremony during our visit and I wasn't able to take photos of the interior.

The term "Barasoain" was a place in Spain to which the missionaries found to have similarities to this place in Malolos.  When the Spanish-Filipino revolution broke out, revolutionaries coined the term "baras ng suwail" which means "dungeon of the defiant".

Barasoain Church was a temporary shelter of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippines.  During this time, three important historical events happened in this church:  the convening of the First Philippine Congress in 1898, the drafting of the Malolos Constitution, and the inauguration of the First Philippine Republic in 1899.

During the revolution, this church was the haven of the Congreso Revolucionario with the ilustrados as its delegates and Gen. Aguinaldo as the leader.

I spotted this Pieta sculpture outside the walls of the church beside a small chapel (below).  

Behind the church is a courtyard and the adjoining convent has a museum dedicated to the historical events that took place in the church, a part of the museum is a repository of artifacts found in the province.  There was a Marian exhibit during our visit, in connection with the Flore de Mayo celebrations.

Barasoain Church was declared a National Shrine in 1973, and featured in the New Generation series of the 200 Philippine peso banknotes.

Malolos, Bulacan is 42 kilometers north of Manila.

Linking to Our World-Tuesday

Flores de Mayo: a Marian exhibit/Our World-Tuesday

Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May) is a Catholic and Aglipayan festival held in the Philippines during the month of May.  It is celebrated through the whole month of May, in honor of the Virgin Mary, making Flores de Mayo a huge religious event.  The devotion of  Filipinos to Catholicism does not only revolve around the church and its rituals but also on images of veneration known as "santos".   These "santos" are cherished by the families who own them, and lavishly processioned during Lent, fiestas and religious holidays. 

My friends and I were at the Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan province on Saturday.  Barasoain Church is one of the most important religious and historical structures in the Philippines--this is where the first Philippine Congress was convened in 1898, the drafting of the Malolos Constitution from 1898-1899 and the site of the First Philippine Republic in 1899.  

Beside the church is the museum where we chanced upon this Marian exhibit called "Hermandad dela Virgen Maria", on its 21st year, in honor of the Virgin Mary, the Queen of Flowers.

Each figure in this exhibit alludes to the title of the Virgin Mary.  I didn't recognize most of them but the one with pink roses on her head is Rosa Mystica (Mystical Rose); the golden wreath symbolizes the crown of saints or Reyna de los Santos; there's one holding a palm branch, Reyna de los Apostoles, queen of apostles; carrying a wand with star is Reyna de las Estrellas, and Reyna Justicia, queen of justice--she carries a sword and a weighing scale.

I've learned all these by watching the Santacruzan since I was very young---the highlight of our summer vacation before going back to school. The Santacruzan is a religio-historical beauty pageant held on the last day of the Flores de Mayo.  It is held in towns and cities all over the Philippines.

As a non-Catholic, I look at these statues not as religious icons but works of art. The intricate embroidery, the rich, handmade adornments, the beautiful sculpted faces are fascinating. Obviously, these images were based on European models but these were actually carved and painted by Filipino hands. These figures celebrate the exuberant art of our "santos" makers, and they tell a story of how faith grew in this country--the historical model was European, the execution was done locally, and the product is part of our national heritage today.

And here is my favorite---Reyna de los Martires, queen of martyrs, with a pierced heart.  She's also known as Mater Dolorosa.  I love the sad, beautiful expression on her face.

These statues will be paraded around Malolos on May 12th, with marching bands and fireworks, followed by a mass and Santacruzan.

Malolos, Bulacan province is about 42 kilometers north of Manila.

Linking to Our World-Tuesday