Lucban Church

The San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Parish Church (also Saint Louis of Toulouse Parish Church), commonly known as the Lucban Church, is a Roman Catholic parish church located in Lucban, Quezon, the Philippines under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lucena. Its titular is Saint Louis of Toulouse.

Lucban Church
San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Parish Church
The facade of Lucban Church
Lucban Church
Republic of the Philippines
14°06′53″N 121°33′13″E
LocationLa Purisima Concepcion St., Poblacion, Lucban, Quezon
CountryPhilippines
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
StatusParish church
DedicationSaint Louis of Toulouse
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architectural typeChurch building
StyleBaroque
Completed1738
Administration
ArchdioceseLipa
DioceseLucena
ProvinceLipa
Clergy
ArchbishopGilbert Garcera
Bishop(s)Mel Rey M. Uy
Priest(s)Noel L. Cabungcal
Assistant priest(s)Arvin Joseph C. Pitahin

History

Franciscan priests Father Juán Portocarrero de Plasencia and Father Diego de Oropesa de San José, known as the Apostles of Laguna and Tayabas, established the visita of Lucban in 1578 and started evangelizing the people of the town.[1] It was elevated as a parish in 1595 under Father Miguel de Talavera alongside the construction of its first church made of wood, dedicated to Saint Louis of Toulouse.[1]

The first church was ruined in 1629 and a second church was established on the present site.[1][2] Construction of the second church, made of stone, masonry, and nipa, proceeded from 1630 to 1640 and the convent was finished in 1650.[1] Church roofing was changed to tiles in 1683 under the supervision of Father Francisco Huerta.[1]

Fire destroyed the building in 1733.[2] That same year, Father Pascual Martinez began construction of a third building, the present one, which was completed in 1738.[1] The rebuilt convent was completed in 1743.[2] On April 4, 1945, the day American soldiers liberated Lucban during World War II, the church was partially damaged by a bomb.[3] It was immediately reconstructed under the supervision of Monsignor Antonio Radovan.[1]

In July 2014 Typhoon Glenda destroyed the roof over the altar, causing flooding inside the church.[4]

Features

The church follows the baroque design. It has a three-story facade. The second level features semi-circular windows flanked by Corinthian columns and niches containing statues of saints.[1] The church also has an octagonal, three-story belltower standing on a square base.[1]

Pahiyas Festival
The church on the eve of the Pahiyas Festival in 2017.

A 6:00 AM mass at the church marks the start of the colorful Pahiyas Festival every May 15, at 7:00 AM a procession leaves the church carrying the images of San Isidro Labrador and Santa María de la Cabeza on a route around the town.[5][6][7]

Notes
  1. "Bells of St. Francis". OFM Philippines Archives. Order of Friar Minors in the Philippines. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  2. National Historical Institute 1993, p. 65
  3. "Lucban World War 2". Lucban Historical Society. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  4. Dacalanio, Sherbien (18 July 2014). "Typhoon Glenda aftermath in Quezon Province". Demotix. Archived from the original on 2 January 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  5. "Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon! Viva San Isidro Labrador!". ivanhenares.com. 18 May 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  6. "Pahiyas Festival 2014 Schedule of Activities". pinoyadveturista.com. 2014.
  7. "Lucban San Isidro Pahiyas Festival 2013 schedule of activities, venue announced". Summit Express. 5 May 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2014.

Bibliography
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