Description of the attraction
The Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the city of Baclayon, 6 km from Tagbilaran, is considered one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. It is also one of the best preserved churches built by the Jesuits, although its façade was slightly modernized in the 19th century.
The first Spanish missionaries to arrive from Cebu appeared in Baclayon in 1595, and the first chapel was built shortly thereafter. However, after a few years, fear of an attack by Moro pirates forced the Jesuits to move their mission inland, to Loboc. Only in 1717 was a parish founded in Baclayon, and the construction of a church began. For the construction, corals collected from the seashore were used, and they were fastened with egg white. The current building of the church was completed in 1727, and a bell tower was added to it in 1835. Inside, a dungeon has been preserved, which was used to punish local residents who violated the covenants of the Roman Catholic Church.
Next to the church there is an old monastery building, which also houses a small museum with age-old artifacts related to religion. Some of the exhibits in the museum are about 500 years old! Among the interesting museum gizmos are the ivory statue of the crucified Christ, the statue of the Virgin Mary, which, according to rumors, was presented to the parish by Queen Catherine of Aragon herself, ancient golden robes of monks with embroidery, books with covers made of Asian buffalo skin, etc.
The church itself has two facades: the inner one is made in the classicism style, and the outer one, reconstructed in the 19th century, has a portico decorated with three arches. The gilded altars are the main attraction of the interior - they are a fine example of the luxurious Baroque, popular in the 18th century. Inside you can also see the organ, installed in the 1800s, but today it is inoperative.
