Exploring the Church of San Vicente - Ilocos Sur

San Vicente, Ilocos Sur

01 November 2013

San Vicente Church Facade

I was welcomed by a heavy rain, swaying trees and swirling winds upon my arrival at the Heritage City of Vigan. There was a typhoon passing through the northern tip of Luzon heading on to the west Philippine sea.

I alighted at the bus terminal and waited for at least an hour for the rains and winds to subside. At around seven in the morning, I boarded a tricycle and asked the driver to bring me to a nearby ancestral house turned into an inn. The house was fully occupied at that time so I decided to leave few of my things at the reception and start my photo-walk schedule for that day.

The sky was dark but the rains had subsided and a cool wind was blowing from east to west towards the direction of the storm. 

My first schedule for the day was to explore a nearby town called San Vicente. I took a tricycle and asked the driver to bring me to San Vicente plaza centro. San Vicente is around three kilometers away from the City of Vigan.

Asilo de San Vicente

Before arriving at the plaza, I was welcomed on my way with old structures both residential and government buildings at the side of the highway. The "Asilo de San Vicente" still stands and at the opposite of the road facing the Asilo is the Town hall, also an old building and recently painted.

At the plaza, I had immediate noticed the impressive facade of the San Vicente church. I was lucky that the church was open at that time.

San Vicente is also known as a local furniture town in Ilocos Sur. This town is known as a good producer of wooden furnitures made of Narra.

The present church is said to had been built in 1795 and dedicated to St. Vincent Ferrer. According to the locals, miracles are attributed to the parish’s patron saint attracting pilgrims from far and near.

As described in the town's webpage, "The church facade has two layers of columns divided by ornate architraves. The convoluted cornices in the church’s top section add beauty to the structure. Octagonal columns top with mini-domes rise from the base on both sides of the church facade. The ornate wooden pulpit is still preserved. The parish was established in 1795 and the feast day of St. Vincent Ferrer is celebrated on April 5."

Church Interior with the Pulpit

I personally admire the artistry of San Vicente church. It is definitely a Baroque church with massive buttresses built at the side of the church. The church motif in yellow color. There are two bell towers situated at both sides of the facade.

I love the pulpit which, according to the locals, is still the original one. In fact, whenever I visit an old church, I would always look for the pulpit. The pulpit is a sign that the church was constructed during the Spanish period. Modern churches no longer incorporate a pulpit.

Massive Buttresses of San Vicente Church

I enjoyed walking around the plaza and nearby places marveling at the old charm of the ancient buildings preserved and still being used at San Vicente.

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Photo gallery

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