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The Grand Citadel of Ilocos

Posted on August 15, 2006

Thursday night, I left the City of Pines, on board the Philippine Rabbit to the quiet town Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur.

I was so clueless. The place is new to me. It was my first time to set foot in Ilocandia. Upon arriving at the town center, I then climbed the 85 wide steps made of piedra china. Out of amazement, I touched the the cold piedra china tiles. At the end of the seemingly endless flight of steps lies the church of Nuestra SeÃ±ora dela Asuncion (Our Lady of the Asumption).

At first glance, I thought that this is not just a church. It was a fortress. And I was right. After doing some research, I learned that the church was constructed in year 1765 under the orders of the Agustian firars. In its early years the church served not just as a house of prayer but also as a citadel, or a fortress. Huge and thick butresses stand mightily on each side to support this huge masterpiece.

The Santa Maria Church in Ilocos Sur has been inscribed in 1993 as a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Structure.

I was so lucky enough to hear mass at this majestic church in its people’s lingua franca: The Iloko. I may not have grasped the entire essence of the Mass, but the feeling is so lovely to hear a Mass in Iloko.

» Filed Under Churches, Road Trip