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via Esquire.ph, 17 April 2019: The Christian Holy Week was last week, and this article from Esquire Philippines features the oldest churches in the Philippines, some of which are Unesco World Heritage Sites.
The oldest churches in the Philippines are a symbol of the country’s colonial past. Their sturdy stone walls and ornate altars talk about centuries of worship, veneration, wars, and deaths.
As a Catholic country, it is not surprising that the country has a number of historic churches. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines has, in fact, declared that all colonial churches and other houses of worship built before 1940 are considered “Classified Historic Structures.”
With lack of proper documentation, it’s difficult to truly pinpoint the oldest church structures in the Philippines. Many consider the Baclayon Church in Bohol as the second oldest church in the Philippines, but it’s the parish that was established in 1596; the church building itself was built in the 18th century.
