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St. Augustine Parish Church |
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The Construction of the Church
According to an official report prepared by the 24 cabezas de barangay of
Tagudin and to the Governor of Ilocos Sur in 1829, documents suggests that
Farther Gutierez built the church while while he was parish priest in Bangar and
assistant parish priest of the mission of Tagudin. It also states the “he was
prior of Tagudin” the wall were finish in about two years. Father Francisco
Hernandez continued the work in 1816, and when he died in 1821, the church was
almost finished. Jorde however, states, I believe erroneously that he
constructed the church, a fundamentals. According to previous cited document,
the interior, the vault and the presbytery had not yet been completed as of
1829. made of stone and bricks, the church measures 40 brazas(66.80 meter) long
and 8 ½ brazas(14.19 meters) wide.
Fr. Juan Sorolla, prior of Tagudin in 1832, completed the construction of the
church. He also built convent now use as a school building of Saint Augustine’s
School run by the Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters. Fr. Juan Sorolla installed
two sundials one at the back of the church in 1841, the other in front of the
town hall in 1845, the marker however, says “1848” which is mistake because Fr.
Sorolla left Tagudin in 1845.
Fr. Mariano Ortiz had some restoration work made in 1880. Fr. Geronimo Rubio
built the slender belfry located apart from the church in 1881. the church has
been restored several times since, but its old style has always been maintained.
Sevilla had always been attached to Tagudin as a visita.
Style of the Church
A very clear Baroque style pervades the façade of the church. The main entrance
is elliptically arched with a recessed entrance door fully decorated with
Augustinians symbols and crowned by a triangular pediment of Baroque influence.
The main entrance is flanked on both sides by large and sensuously rounded,
paired columns with double capitals; one is decorated with eggs dart carving
which are Greek origin; and the other one is Doric-like stylized Augustinians
emblem which is followed on the next on the higher level by a circular opening
with a simply decorated on the outer edge and topped by the statued niche of the
impediments panel. Two large, segmented blind windows on the side a panel of the
first level arranges in such a way that balance are achieved with the rest of
the openings. The impediment has broken lines, very common features of the
Baroque. Paired finials grace the slopping curvilinear from of the façade. A
simple contrast between mass and open voids creates a peaceful scene enlivened
by the decoration of the capitals and panels. |
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