The Grand Citadel of Ilocos
Posted by 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 Señora 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.
