ILOILO – For the Provincial Tourism Office, Lent is a good time to promote Iloilo’s ancient churches.
According to Provincial Tourism Officer Gilbert Marin, Iloilo has lots of beautiful churches worth visiting when Holy Week pilgrims do their Visita Iglesia – the practice of Philippine Catholics to visit at least seven different churches on Holy Thursday or Good Friday.
“These are very good tourism attractions and destinations during Holy Week,” said Marin.
1ST DISTRICT
* Miagao Church, or the St. Thomas of Villanova Parish – in Baroque-Romanesque architectural style built in 1734
* San Joaquin Church – a Baroque church built in 1869
* St. Anthony the Abbot Parish Church in Tubungan town – in Romanesque architectural style
* St. John of Sahagun Parish Church in Tigbauan – in Mexican plateresque architectural style
* St. Nicolas of Tolintine Parish Church in Guimbal – in Baroque architectural style
2ND DISTRICT
* Sta. Monica Parish Church in Pavia – in Romanesque-Byzantine architectural style completed between 1864 and 1873
* Santa Barbara Church and Convent – in Baroque-Renaissance architectural style built in 1849
* St. Nicolas of Tolentine Parish Church in Cabatuan – in Neo-Classical architectural style built in 1834
3RD DISTRICT
* St. Nicholas De Toletine Parish Church in Lambunao – in Baroque architectural style built beginning in 1883
* Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Parish Church in Calinog – in Baroque architectural style built in 1874
4TH DISTRICT
* St. Agustin Parish Church in Dumangas – in Gothic Byzantine architectural style built in 1887
* St. Anthony De Padua Parish Church in Barotac Nuevo – in Neo-Classical architectural design built in 1710
* St. John Baptist Parish Church in Dingle – in Filipino Baroque architectural style completed in 1886
* San Guillermo Parish Church in Passi City – in Baroque architectural style
* St. Jerome Parish Church in Dueñas – in Baroque-Romanesque architectural style built in 1878
* St. John the Baptist Parish Church in Banate – completed in 1870/PN
