The Wise Friar

Minor Basilica of St. Martin of Tours, Taal, Batangas, the Largest Catholic Church in Asia Perched atop a hill in the picturesque heritage town of Taal, Batangas, where one is brought to travel back in time because of the rustic feel  evoked by the Spanish colonial houses and structures, the Minor Basilica of St. Martin of Tours rises like a giant from history - timeless and commanding.  With its imposing facade, intricate stonework, and sacred heritage, it has not only stood as a monument glorifying the artistic and architectural genius of the Spanish colonial era but more importantly, it attests to the enduring faith and devotion of the Batanguenos.  Regarded as the largest Church in Asia, this architectural marvel not only dominates the skyline of Western Batangas, but also holds a profound place in the hearts of the faithful; a sacred space etched deeply into the cultural and spiritual consciousness of the Batanguenos. Foundations in the Augustinian Mission The stunni...

Short History The Church of San Geronimo in the historic town of Morong, Rizal province was one of the first built by the early Spanish missionaries who set out from the center of the colony in Manila in their desire to spread the Catholic faith throughout the island of Luzon.   However, the first to reach Morong were not the missionary religious orders but members of the Spanish Army.  On January 16, 1572, a military expedition led by Captain Juan Maldonado went eastward from Manila, barely a year after Miguel Lopez de Legaspi founded the capital city.  They reached a highly civilized native settlement on the shores of Laguna de Bay.  They called it Moron, which later became Morong from a Spanish town of the same name.  This settlement became the center of their administration in those lands and was called Rinconada de Morong or Pueblo de Morong .   Six years have passed before the first missionaries arrived to spread Christianity.  The Fra...

Ang Simbahan ng Sta. Ursula sa Binangonan, Rizal Brief History of Sta. Ursula Parish Church The parish of Sta. Ursula was established when the town of Binangonan was separated from Pueblo de Morong , the center of the province which is now Rizal, in the year 1621, when Christianity had already taken root in the town through the mission of the Franciscans who were the first group of missionaries to evangelize this part of Luzon in 1578.  The virgin and martyr Sta. Ursula was chosen to be the titular patroness of the newly established town and parish. After establishing a mission in Morong, the Franciscans Fray Juan de Plasencia and Fray Diego de Oropesa began to spread Christianity among the settlers around Laguna de Bay, and established  visitas in places where they gathered people to teach them catechism. One of the visitas was built near the shores of the lake, at the foot of Sierra Madre Mountains.  Around this visita , the community grew and the faith spread through...