Last Saturday, after attending Mrs. Castro's funeral mass at Angeles, Pampanga, my Kapampangan friend Wilmer, took me to Lubao and Sasmuan. Pampanga towns never failed to amuse me, in terms of people and churches!
RootsThe Municipality of Lubao is a first class municipality with an estimate of 140,000 residents. Lubao is one of the old towns of Pampanga as it was already a visita affiliated to Tondo in 1572, a year after the City of Manila was founded. It was the Augustinians who were responsible for evangelizing the said place. Years later, the church, after being erected was dedicated to St. Augustin, Augustinians' founding father. Decades later, the towns of Betis and Sasmuan was annexed to the town making them Lubao's visitas. The convent was once used as a temporary school for the students of Estudio de Manila in the 18th century during the British Sack of Manila. The town was made famous by its notable sons, the late President Diosdado Macapagal, his daughter President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and movie-stars Jaime and Rogelio dela Rosa to name some.
Facade
Lubao church's facade is a typical Filipino church facade. It consists of the main church, its adjoining belfry and the convento. It was once a plastered facade until recently, the bricks were exposed. Belfry was made up of adobe stones. The convento, with its charming overhanging-terraces, is of mixed bricks and masonry. Two historical markers were installed on its walls, one for the church itself. The other for President Diosdado Macapagal who was baptized at the said church.
Place of Worship
Lubao church is one of the most important places in the town. It is the place of worship of most Lubeños as the town's populace are majority Catholic. As one walks inside the church through its main doors, you will be welcomed by several images of saints such as that of the Nazareno, San Jose and the Virgin Mary. Walking past these images, one would enjoy the view of the nave. at the end of the nave is the beautifull retablo to fully indulge ones eyes.
Interesting Finds
As I explore Lubao church, there are some interesting things that my eyes never failed to noticed. At the stairway-landing leading to the parish hall inside the convento, a hard-and-heavy-looking cut-stone pot (was that a pot?) was resting at one corner. I wonder how our Lubao's old folks manged to lift that one up to the second floor. A very charming antique crucifix with its handsome Cristo Moribundo with its missing finger awaits at the parish hall. One could access the choir loft through the parish hall. The coro is still functional as we found the electronic clavinova and a board were songs (written in Tagalog) were present up there. One can also admire the beautiful stained glass representation of St. Agustine crafted by Kraut through the coro. Walking past through the coro lead us to the belfry. The belfry, with its narrow passage, houses four bells, all functional. The largest, San Agustin Obispo, named after the town's patron has a beautiful relief of the saint that is very seldom seen on church's bells around the archipelago. I am happy to see that Lubeños beautifully preserved their church, in whatever reason drove them to do so. Either on its aesthetic sense or because of the intangible treasures and stories that lies beneath its walls
Indeed Lubao church is one of the many manifestations that The Philippines is a country of people with deep faith. A country that was once
"bajo delas campanas".
Spacial thanks to Tito Alex for the some informations regarding Lubao church's history and to Wilmer for his dslr. :D
