Republic of the Philippines

Eastern Visayas State University

College of Architecture and Allied Discipline

Tacloban City

History 4:

History and Documentation of St. Francis Xavier Parish Church

Presented By:

Almendra, Froilaine Mae P.

Cañete, Athena Joyce C.

Lacaba, Leroi Niño A.

BSAR-3B

Presented to: Archt. Rommel R. Valuis, uap

Instructor

Date: Feb. 29, 2015

Facade of Saint Francis Xavier Church with his statue

Center aisle with rows of stall chairs

.

(rightwing)

(left wing)

Stained glass windows portraying the stations of the cross

The Church’s main altar. Elegantly decorated with ornaments and reliefs on the furniture.

Confessional, it has a partition in between the priest and the confessor

Left wing of the Church

Right wing of the Church, usually for elder people and choir members

Left side of the Church

Right side of the Church with the detached bell tower

Mama Mary shrine beside the church

Detached bell tower of the Church. In an event of an earthquake, there would be a lesser chance of the tower to topple over the main structure.

The original church building of St. Francis Xavier

Chapel located outside the Church

Altar inside the chapel with votive candle racks.

History

The Parish of St. Francis Xavier was first established in 1718 using lightweight materials to build the church. When the bamboo and nipa church was finally constructed, the Jesuits then took their place as the supervisors of the parish.

In 1768, the Augustinians took over the supervision of the church from the Jesuits after it was again rebuilt. Thirteen years after, in 1781, it was decided on to alter the way the church appeared. It was within the same year that the church was reconstructed to condone to a Roman Renaissance period structure.

A few years later, the church went under another construction which gave the church a more durable foundation, an iron-galvanized roof and a brand-new wooden floor. In 1965, Msgr. Luis Caintic supervised an extension of the church and the construction of the new bell tower.

In 2001, a new parish priest was assigned to the Church. This parish priest, Rev. Fr. Albert Opiniano, was a man of change. He slowly yet gradually renovated the parish. Improvements to the parish rectory, belfry, floor, roof and even the pews were done with sound dedication. In 2005, this parish priest opened the newly-constructed monument park. The monument, depicting Saint Francis Xavier on his pit-stop to Abuyog, is considered to be one of the main highlights of the town proper.

On August 28-29, the heart of Abuyog is at its most vibrant. With the celebration of the Feast Day of Saint Francis Xavier, the town fiesta could not be more vigorous or vivid.

On the east side of the Church

Prayers inside the Chapel

Blue skies