Oldest Churches of Mimaropa

ST. JOSEPH CATHEDRAL

YEAR: 1640
BUILT BY: AUGUSTINIAN RECOLLECTS
HISTORY: Aside from natural wonders, Romblon has heritage and religious sites that every
tourist must explore. Considered as the oldest Roman Catholic church in the province, Saint
Joseph Cathedral was one the 26 colonial churches declared as National Cultural Treasures in
2001.
Built by Augustinian Recollects way back in 15th century, Saint Joseph Cathedral showcases
a multitude of artistic and tasteful craft. The windows with stained-glass, Byzantine altar,
religious paintings and antique icons; all of it mesmerizes the visitors. Every year the
residents of Romblon and nearby islands celebrate the traditional fiesta. This is to honor the
patron saint of Romblon; St. Nino. The cathedral still makes use of the exponentially old bell
made of copper; which was part of the construction in the years of 1640-1726.

BANCURO CHURCH
YEAR: 1680’s-1690’s
BUILT BY: AUGUSTINIAN
HISTORY: The Bancuro Church Ruins,
or locally known as Simbahang
Bato (Stone Church), is a Roman
Catholic church located in Barangay
Bancuro, Naujan, Oriental
Mindoro, Philippines. It earned the
moniker "a church within a church"
because a small chapel is currently housed
within the ruins' massive walls.
The Simbahang Bato was built during the 1680s-1690s when the Augustinians established
their first settlement in Bancuro, Naujan. Its thick walls were made of coraline stones and
bonded by lime mortar. The Simbahang Bato was originally built as a convent and became a
parish. In 1842 the "Asultos de Moro", the great raid in the Island of Mindoro, destroyed the
first settlement in Bancuro by Moro invaders and because of this, the church served not only
as a house of worship but also as a fort and refuge for the locals. In 1858, the capital of
Naujan was transferred from
Bancuro to "Bulwagan" Naujan.
BOAC CATHEDRAL
YEAR: 1613
BUILT BY: FRANCISCANS

CCSS1/SSM2: Philippine Geography – Region IV-B

Oldest Churches of Mimaropa

HISTORY: Fray Estevan Ortiz, a Franciscan missionary planted the first cross on
Marinduque island in 1579. A year later, the first visita, Monserrat de Marinduque (now
Boac), was established with Fray Alonzo Banol as its minister. 

In 1613 the Franciscans ceded the administration of the island to the Archbishop of Manila,
Miguel Garcia Serrano who then entrusted the island to the Society of Jesus. The Jesuits
assumed the spiritual administration of the island in 1621.
By 1756 the church was laid out facing east with its rear overlooking the lower town, called
labak by the natives. It was to be an enduring structure for worship and for serving as a
refuge for the townspeople during piratical attacks rampant in in that era. 
In one particular attack, the raiders seemed to have persisted, killing many native defenders,
so the story goes, when suddenly a powerful storm came. At that point the people saw a
glowing apparition of the Lady with arms outstretched standing atop the fortress walls on the
southern side of the church. She was in the act of driving away the intruders. The amazing
apparition drove away the Moros who fled in their sailboats. 

This episode, according to the story inspired the creation of a new name for the Lady as
Birhen ng Biglang Awa. The cathedral was dedicated to her, the 'Mother of Instant Mercy',
(Pronto Socorro), in 1792. A marker on the church's front wall declares thus: "naniniwala ang
mga tao na siya ang nagligtas sa pagsalakay ng mga moro noong ika-18 dantaon."

Her feast day falls on November 11. A canonical coronation of this miraculous object of
veneration took place in Boac on May 10, 1958 to mark its 100th anniversary. It was
attended by thousands of pilgrims from the nearby provinces in southern Luzon and Bicol. 

CCSS1/SSM2: Philippine Geography – Region IV-B