Makasaysayang Simbahan ng San Joaquin is a church like no other because of its militaristic facade. I was surprised it was designed that way, but our tour guide/friend, Bernie, said that the townsfolk wanted that in to remind them about how hard the Spanish fought the battle against the Moors. (More about the history here)
It was a beautiful day to go to Iloilo's countryside and the San Joaquin Church was our first stop after travelling an hour a half from Iloilo City. The church was indeed majestic and was situated on a plain overlooking the sea. It reminded me somehow of the Zamboanga's Fort Pilar which also had a "battle-like" facade, but with Mama Mary commanding waves to stop its rush towards Zamboanga.
Despite what the facade depicted, the church surroundings was serene and I can just imagine the area looking the same when it was built in 1859. It's always a wonder how we manage to preserve our churches despite earthquakes or fire. It just goes to show how deep the Filipino faith is.
Makasaysayang Simbahan ng San Joaquin
San Joaquin, Western Visayas
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