14 Churches to Explore in Ilocos Region

The Saint John of Sahagun Parish Church, locally known as the Candon Church, is a church situated in the city of Candon, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. Constructed with an Earthquake Baroque design, the church is maintained and is still being used up to present. The church’s four-story octagonal bell tower has an alternating open and blind apertures, a balustrade, and is topped by a campanile.

Saint Joseph the Patriarch Church stands out in the town of Aguilar because of its unique color. Painted in a bit of pink, Saint Joseph the Patriarch Church is regarded as the only church in Aguilar, being visited by devotees and locals of all 16 barangays. Construction of the tower began in 1846, with its extravagant church bells arriving in 1886, still holding up to this day thanks to recent renovations. It is surrounded by elementary and high schools, both of which are under the jurisdiction

One of the oldest churches in Pangasinan, St. James the Great Parish Church in Bolinao, Pangasinan was constructed in the 1600s using native materials that include wood, ground coral stones, rocks, and eggs. The church remains the center of the catholic faith in Bolinao and served as shelter from pirate raids as well as during the second world war.

Built-in 1587, Epiphany of Our Lord Parish is one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches in Pangasinan. Influenced by the town’s Christianized Chinese inhabitants during the Spanish Colonial Period, the church was made of adobe with an oriental pagoda-like bell tower. Currently, a replica of the original “retablo” is displayed inside, while a number of huge tower bells from the 1800s are displayed outside the church. Earning its distinction as one of the best structures in Pangasinan.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lingayen–Dagupan is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Province of Pangasinan, Philippines. Its cathedral is the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Dagupan City with a co-cathedral, the Epiphany of Our Lord Parish Church, in the neighboring municipality of Lingayen.

Our Lady of Charity is also known locally as Apo Caridad. It is also remarked as the Protectress of Ilocandia's crops and harvests from pestilence and natural calamities, and widely known for "precipitating rain in times of drought". Our Lady of Charity made the town of Agoo a major religious center of the north.

The Bantay Church or also known as St.Augustine Church is located at the town of Bantay, Ilocos Sur province. Other than that, the place is also famous as the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity with the image of the Virgin Mary as the patroness of the Our Lady of Patroness way back in 1590, making it as the oldest church in the entire region of Ilocos. Thus, it has also served as a historical site in the province. The church and bell tower are considered to be the two of the oldest structures in the

St. Dominic de Guzman Parish Church was the largest existing Catholic Church in the Philippines during the late 18th century. Built by Dominican friars in the 1500’s, the church follows a Baroque style of architecture. It was constructed with ladrillo or bricks while its top level features a painting of Saint Dominic. The church was reconstructed several times after being destroyed by fire, in 1587 and in 1718, and after a number of natural disasters.

One of the country’s oldest Augustinian churches, the St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral started out as a chapel made of wood and thatch in 1578 by order of Juan de Salcedo, the conquistador and founder of Villa Ferdinandina, which later became the town of Vigan. the cathedral follows a Baroque architectural design that has been modified by Ilocanos to strengthen the structure against earthquakes. This is now known as earthquake Baroque.

This Roman Catholic Church has been named National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines as well as the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. The church was built from 17th to 19th centuries by the Dominicans and is famous for its well-preserved bell tower as well as its prized original retablos. Following the architecture of the Baroque design, the church also features intricately painted ceilings, a majestic dome, and a magnificently carved exterior.

Paoay Church, also known as San Agustin Church, is one of the top tourist destinations in the province. Its spectacular view from all angles occupies most tourists. t was founded by Augustinian missionaries in 1593, and was a labor of love over time and in the face of earthquakes and other disasters. According to historians, the bell tower served as a status symbol for the locals—the bell would ring more loudly and more times during the wedding of a prominent clan than it would during the weddin

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (Nuestra Señora de la Asunción), commonly known as the Santa Maria Church is the parish church of Santa Maria in Ilocos Sur province, Philippines. The church was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on December 11, 1993 as part of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines, a collection of four Baroque Spanish-era churches.

A beautiful church which as located in the heart of Ilocos Norte which was built in 1779. Sarrat Church is the biggest in Ilocos Norte and possibly in the whole Ilocos Region. The church is made from red bricks built in Earthquake Baroque and Neoclassical architecture. The church tower has a big clock that strikes every half-hour. Around the church are brick fourteen Stations of the Cross. The ground floor of the convent was converted as the parish museum and photo gallery in 1994.

The Namacpacan Church also known as the Santa Catalina de Alejandria Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Luna, La Union, the Philippines under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Fernando de La Union. Formerly called Luna Church, the church is placed under the advocacy Saint Catherine of Alexandria in 1690 and known for its devotion to the Our Lady of Namacpacan. The church was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines.