St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church, Laoang

ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL PARISH CHURCH - LAOANG

A local girl in the village below the church

The day after the funeral of Myrna's eldest brother, she decided to visit Laoang in the afternoon as a break. I tagged along with a camera.

Fr. Alzina in his visit to the Lawang Island and Rawis area in 1640 says, "On the opposite side of Rawis, on the Lawang Island, which is a sandbar there is a solid ridge of rock. It is fashioned by nature itself and it is so steep that it looks like a facade of a wall ... "

"...It was a natural fortification, due to its great height of massive rock; it was also secured as if by a moat which encircled its three sides. The fourth side was blocked by a palisade of strong logs. Then too, nature also formed on one side of this rock something like a small cove with its little beach."

In 1869 a great fire broke out in the town and besides many other buildings, it consumed the entire roof and wooden materials of the church, belfry and convent. Five years later the church complex was reconstructed.

Reference 1: A SHORT HISTORY OF LAOANG PARISH By Msgr. Gaspar D. Balerite, H.P., S.Th.D. (http://laoangparish.webs.com/)

Reference 2: LAOANG CHURCH AND THE ALMURAYA FORTRESS Yoshke Dimen (http://www.thepoortraveler.net/tag/laoang-island/)

Priests' House at St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church, Laoang

Beside the power pole in the above photo appears remains from the original fortress wall and watch tower built in the 19th century.

"To prevent the onslaughts of Moro invaders the Governor General proposed in 1814 the construction of defensive plans. Fr. Jose Mata, the parish priest of both Laoang and Palapag was cited for being the first to have launched a construction of muralla in Laoang at his own expense."

LUBANG BINACAS BINACAS DAM CABRA ISLAND CABRA ISLAND - BALIBAGO CABRA - BULI WATER SUPPLY CABRA ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE CAPTAIN TAYLOUR FORT SANTA CATALINA HULAGAAN FALLS LORD HEADFORT LORD HEADFORT's FARM LUBANG AND LOOC MPA SORVILLE THE ONODA TRAIL TAGBAC TANGAL TUMIBO WALISWIS VIGO LOOC AGKAWAYAN AMBIL ISLAND - BRGY. TABAO BALIKYAS BUROL SCHOOL OF FISHERIES SALT FARMING TABAJIN BAY TILIK FRIENDSHIP SHRINE A FISH FARM DEVELOPMENT CALATAGAN WAWA PIER, NASUGBU TRANSPORT LUBANG TRICYCLES HEALTH SERVICES POWER SUPPLY FERRY AIRPORT GOZAR MARKET CORAL FARMING FISH FARMING LUBANG FISH PORT RICE HARVESTING EDUCATION OLPC LUBANG RESORTS AIRLINK BEACH PROTACIO BEACH BAMBOO HUT KAYPALAD PUNONG BATO HOMESTAYS ANGELICA VIDEOKE BARS >> VILLA VERDE REYMAR DALEG ZAFFARI CLUB VILLA ESCUDERO SUNDRY BARELY UNDERWATER BOATS BORACAY COCONUT PLANKS CORREGIDOR ISLAND FAKE CERTIFICATES FIESTAS >> KUSANG LOOB HINULUGANG TAKTAK FALLS HOUSES KAMAYAN PALAISDAAN MAKING CONCRETE POSTS MANILA BAY WALK MANILA BAYWALK REVISITED MYRNA'S PAGE NASUGBU - WAWA PIER PANORAMIO VIEW PARADISE ISLAND? PEOPLE SABONG STO NINO DE PAZ CHAPEL - MANILA TAAL VOLCANO TALISAY - GENERAL TALISAY - LAKE FRONTAGE XMAS PARTY 2010 SAN JOSE AIRPORT - GENERAL MINDORO LANDING 1944 ST. JOSEPH CATHEDRAL CAMINAWIT PORT CAPT. COOPER CROSSING AROMA BEACH WALK PUBLIC CEMETERY WHITE ISLAND MAMBURAO MANGYAN VILLAGE PORT OF BATANGAS PORT ABRA DE ILOG SAMAR CATARMAN CATARMAN AQUASILVICULTURE PROJECT CATARMAN HOTELS CATARMAN RELIGIOUS FLOATS CATARMAN RIVER MOUTH JOHN PAUL SEMINARY RAWIS TO LAOANG SAN ANTONIO - DALAPURI ISLAND ST. MICHAEL PARISH CHURCH - LAOANG SURREAL VISITA IGLESIA UEP MAIN PART 1 UEP MAIN PART 2 UEP ECO PARK UEP FISHERIES UEP TOURISM UEP TO LAVEZARES PINEILS FARM MAPS LINKS SITE INDEX IMAGES-A4 COPYRIGHT
Built in the 17th century by the Franciscan Friars, who utilised forced labor. Its stone walls are two meters thick. In 2011 a concrete seawall below the western face of the church was completed to stop erosion. It was built in three stages and is clearly visible. The priests' boat can be seen by the landing steps in the centre of the picture above. The green roofed fishermans cottage and the priests' boat is also included in photos below.
ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL PARISH CHURCH - LAOANG The day after the funeral of Myrna's eldest brother, she decided to visit Laoang in the afternoon as a break. I tagged along with a camera. Fr. Alzina in his visit to the Lawang Island and Rawis area in 1640 says, "On the opposite side of Rawis, on the Lawang Island, which is a sandbar there is a solid ridge of rock. It is fashioned by nature itself and it is so steep that it looks like a facade of a wall ... " "...It was a natural fortification, due to its great height of massive rock; it was also secured as if by a moat which encircled its three sides. The fourth side was blocked by a palisade of strong logs. Then too, nature also formed on one side of this rock something like a small cove with its little beach." In 1869 a great fire broke out in the town and besides many other buildings, it consumed the entire roof and wooden materials of the church, belfry and convent. Five years later the church complex was reconstructed. Reference 1: A SHORT HISTORY OF LAOANG PARISH By Msgr. Gaspar D. Balerite, H.P., S.Th.D. (http://laoangparish.webs.com/) Reference 2: LAOANG CHURCH AND THE ALMURAYA FORTRESS Yoshke Dimen (http://www.thepoortraveler.net/tag/laoang-island/)	Beside the power pole in the above photo appears remains from the original fortress wall and watch tower built in the 19th century. "To prevent the onslaughts of Moro invaders the Governor General proposed in 1814 the construction of defensive plans. Fr. Jose Mata, the parish priest of both Laoang and Palapag was cited for being the first to have launched a construction of muralla in Laoang at his own expense."



As our visit to Laoang was on Easter Thursday the figure of Christ on the cross and the icon of St Michael the Archangel were covered with a purple cloth. "The retablo is not a restoration of the original for it completely collapsed in shambles during the onlaught of typhoon Dinang on December 25, 1982. It is made of concrete and wood, and the classical capitals (corinthian and ionic) and some other carvings are gilded with synthetic gold. It is made possible through the good hearts of donors and volunteers - a fitting tribute to the Giver of Life."
Located at the front of the church overlooking the estuary. Built in 2013.
Located towards the rear of the church on the eastern side.

"St. Michael the Archangel Church was renovated from 1842 to 1852. A baptistery was added to the nave during the term of Fr. Angel Pulido. He covered the church and the convent with azulejo tiles. He also built the belfry, which was damaged in the early 1900s but was repaired in 1926." Both the roof and belfry appear to have been repaired and/or replaced in more recent years.

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