Immaculate Conception Parish Church (Santa Maria)
| Santa Maria Church | |
|---|---|
|
Immaculate Conception Parish Church La Purísima Concepción Parish Church | |
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The façade and bell tower of Santa Maria Church | |
.svg.png)  Santa Maria Church Republic of the Philippines | |
| 14°49′10″N 120°57′48″E / 14.819513°N 120.963234°ECoordinates: 14°49′10″N 120°57′48″E / 14.819513°N 120.963234°E | |
| Location | Santa Maria, Bulacan, |
| Country |
 Philippines |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 1792 |
| Founder(s) | Father Francisco Javier and Tomas Marti OFM |
| Dedication | Immaculate Conception |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Church building |
| Style | Barn-style Baroque |
| Specifications | |
| Number of domes | 1 |
| Materials | Stone |
| Bells | 5 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Santa Maria |
| Archdiocese | Manila |
| Diocese | Malolos |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Luis Antonio Tagle |
| Bishop(s) | Jose Francisco Oliveros |
| Priest(s) | Msgr. Ranillo Trillana |
The Immaculate Conception Parish Church, locally known as Santa Maria Church (Filipino: Simbahan ng Parokya ng La Purisima Concepcion) (Spanish: Iglesia Parroquial de la Purísima Concepción) is a Roman Catholic Church located in the municipality of Santa Maria, in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. It is under the coat of arms and jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Malolos and Seat of the Episcopal Vicar of the Eastern District of the Diocese of Malolos.
Early History
Santa Maria Church originally founded by Franciscan Friars as a visita by Father Francisco Javier, OFM under the parish of Saint Martin of Tours in Bocaue. The materials was initially made of cogon and bamboo and later stronger materials. Then by 1792, Santa Maria de Pandi gained independence from its matrix and the construction of a bigger church commenced. The church was renamed Parroquia dela Purisima Concepcion dedicated to the Virgin Mary.[1]
Image of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
The church is home to an image of the Virgin Mary that is believed to be miraculous. There are two local legends as to how the image arrived in Santa Maria: first is that it was brought to the town by the Franciscan Friars, second is that it was sculpted out of wood from a galleon. The image has been stolen in the 1930s and was retrieved in Nueva Ecija by a man named Teofilo Ramirez who claimed that the Virgin Mary appeared in his dream and gave instructions as to where the image can be found. The image was returned to the town on a February and the townsfolk accordingly adjusted their feast day to the first Thursday of February except when its falls on February 2 (the feast of the Our Lady of the Candles).[2]
References
- ↑ Huerta, Felix de. "Estado geográfico, topográfico, estadístico, histórico-religioso (Geographical, topographical, statistical, historical and religious state)". Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ↑ "La Inmaculada Concepcion". santamariabulacan.gov.ph. Local Government of Santa Maria.
External links
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Media related to Immaculate Conception Church in Santa Maria, Bulacan at Wikimedia Commons
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