Churches In La Union Research Paper

Churches built more than a hundred years ago in the Ilocos doesn’t only stand for the faith of the Ilocanos. They are constant reminders of the legacy of Spain in the Philippines and the monastic supremacy of the Augustinians who built the churches. The grandeur of the churches is a sign of the majesty of the Catholic faith that the friars wanted to show to the natives (Coseteng 1972). These churches not only served as a place of worship but also as a place for the social life of the people. It is where people are baptized, married, and received final blessings for the dead. A fieldwork on the Ilocos with the same topic prompted the researcher to pursue a study on the changing roles of the churches in La Union. Four churches were studied during
Benito Legarda (1960) made one of the early studies on the churches of Ilocos. His work “Colonial Churches of Ilocos,” published in the journal Philippine Studies, was the result of visiting nearly four dozen churches on his trip to Ilocos with some scholars like Fernando Zóbel who is also known for his studies on churches. He presented the general features of the churches of Ilocos that would differentiate it from those found in other regions. He discussed how the churches built in the Philippines would be different and/or similar from those found in Mexico, also a former colony of Spain. Also included are the general characteristics of Ilocos churches from the ground plan to the Chinese elements. Because of certain elements found in the facades of the churches and their simplicity and strength, Legarda was able to label them as Ilocano
(1983 & 1984) presented the church as a local institution where the people’s religious, social and economic life was centered during the Spanish period in his article “A History of a Local Institution: The Church of Baybay.” He placed the church in the context of local history when his work was basically a church history. Even though, he was able to address the need to write a local history that is equally necessary for the national history of the country. This research will present an additional perspective in the study of churches, specifically with that of Bauang and Namacpacan by narrating the events where the church is not only a witness but also a participant. Hence, the churches’ place in the local history of the towns will be located. Writing the history of the church also entails the writing of the history of the town since, the life of the town during the colonial period was centered on the