The Saint Augustine Parish Church, commonly known as Bantay Church, is a
Roman Catholic church in
Bantay, Ilocos Sur in the
Philippines. The church was dedicated to
Saint Augustine of Hippo. It houses the venerated image of
Our Lady of Charity
Our Lady of Charity, also known as Our Lady of El Cobre, ''Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre'' or "la Vírgen de la Caridad", is a popular Marian title of the Blessed Virgin Mary known in many Catholic countries.
Several known Marian images ...
.
Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (; 2 March 18769 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death in October 1958. Before his e ...
issued a pontifical decree of coronation titled ''“Quas Tuas”'' on 3 August 1955 towards the venerated image of Our Lady of Chairty, being granted to the Archbishop of Nueva Segovia, Santiago Caragnan y Sancho. The decree was signed by the Secretary Deacon Giulio Rossi and notarized by the Grand Chancellor, Girolamo Ricci. The coronation was carried out 12 January 1956 by the Apostolic Nuncio, Cardinal
Egidio Vagnozzi
Egidio Vagnozzi (26 February 1906 – 26 December 1980) was an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as the second president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See from 1968 until his death, and was elevated to ...
and named as “Patroness of Ilocandia”.
["Tourism"]
Experience Bantay. Retrieved on 2014-01-11.
The old historic
belfry of the church known as the ''Bantay Tower'', which served as a
watchtower for pirates back in the
Spanish colonial era, gave the town its name - ''bantay'' (meaning ''to guard''). Established in 1590, the church is one of the oldest in the
Ilocos Region.
[
]
Architecture
The church was heavily damaged during World War II and rebuilding was started in 1950. The restored façade is of Neo-Gothic design mixed with pseudo- Romanesque materials and elements. It is designed to be grandiose and reminiscent of Spanish architecture. It uses materials such as brick
A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...
s and mud.[
The belfry sits on a hilltop overlooking a green pasture and the province of Abra. It was used as a watchtower for invading enemy forces during World War II because of its strategic location. The Bantay Church and bell tower are monumental witnesses to various atrocities and uprisings.
]
Earthquake (2022)
On 27 July 2022, parts of the Bantay Bell Tower crumbled after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the province of Abra and nearby provinces.
References
External links
{{commons category inline, Saint Augustine Church in Bantay, Ilocos Sur
Roman Catholic churches in Ilocos Sur
1590 establishments in the Philippines
Churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia