Itbayat Church
| Itbayat Church | |
|---|---|
| Santa Maria de Mayan Church | |
Simbahan ng Itbayat (Filipino) | |
The church prior to the 2019 earthquake | |
Itbayat Church Location in Batanes Itbayat Church Location in Luzon Itbayat Church Location in the Philippines | |
| 20°47′12″N 121°50′29″E / 20.78672°N 121.84136°E | |
| Location | Itbayat, Batanes |
| Country | Philippines |
| Denomination | Roman Catholicism |
| Religious order | Dominicans |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 1853 |
| Dedication | Immaculate Conception |
| Architecture | |
| Years built | 1872–1888 (most recent building) |
| Demolished | 2025 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Tuguegarao |
| Diocese | Prelature of Batanes |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Ricardo Baccay |
| Bishop | Danilo Ulep |
Santa Maria de Mayan Parish Church, commonly known as Itbayat Church, was a historic Roman Catholic church in Itbayat, Batanes, Philippines. It was under the jurisdiction of the Territorial Prelature of Batanes.
History
Original wooden church
The original structure of the Santa Maria de Mayan Church was made of wood. The original wooden church was built from 1853 to 1858[1] and was placed under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception.[2]
Current stone church
Construction
The current church building was built by the Dominicans. The construction of the church building was started during the administration of Fr. Manuel Blasco in 1872. It was completed in 1888 and the church was blessed by Blasco.[1]
2019 earthquake
The church building sustained major damage during the Batanes earthquake of July 27, 2019 with its belfry tower falling off.[3]
Demolition
Demolition was planned on May 1, 2023 but was delayed due to legal reasons and issues concerning on heritage church conservation.[4]
The church was further damaged by Typhoon Kong-rey (Leon) in October 2024.[5]
The issues raised by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) was resolved by August 2025 and it was concluded that the restoration of the church is not feasible.[4] Demolition started on August 29 with plans to build a new church on the same site funded via donations.[6]
References
- ^ a b Simbahan ng Itbayat [Itbayat Church] (Historical marker) (in Filipino). Itbayat, Batanes: National Historical Institute. 2008.
- ^ Navasero, Mandy (17 February 2013). "Five pillars of faith in Batanes". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- ^ "Itbayat church, ancestral homes damaged in Batanes earthquake". Rappler. 27 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- ^ a b "Batanes: 137-year-old Itbayat Church set for demolition". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. 6 August 2025. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
- ^ "Philippines: Supertyphoon destroys old church, houses, infrastructure". Gulf News. 2024-10-31. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
- ^ Visaya, Villamor Jr. (30 August 2025). "In Batanes, Itbayat's 137-year-old church torn down for rebuild". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
.jpg){kind=link}
External links
- Media related to Santa Maria de Mayan Parish Church (Itbayat, Batanes) at Wikimedia Commons