St. Joseph Church is a 19th-century Roman Catholic church located in Matalom, Leyte, Philippines.
Table of Contents
History
The old site of Matalom was in Cahagnaan, but it was transferred to the present-day location by the banks of Matalom River. On the wall of the church is a list of priests who served the parish, with Fr. Leonardo Celes Diaz serving between 1843 and 1883. His remains are laid to rest in the churchyard in front of the facade.
Its stone church was built by the diocesan clergy in the 19th century. Connected to a stronghold, it also served as a fortress to defend the people from attacks carried out by Moro pirates during colonial era.
It is included in Regalado Trota Jose’s “Simbahán: An Illustrated Guide to 50 of the Philippines’ Must-Visit Catholic Churches” published in 2020.
Architecture
The church’s facade features four engaged columns with plinths bearing cartouche. The outermost ones culminate in finials, while the two innermost columns terminate in capitals by the molding. A concrete portico with a barrel vault is erected by the entrance. The niche of the patron is above the entrance door, and it is flanked by glass fenestration bearing depictions of holy figures.
Twin engaged columns are also found in the uppermost level of the facade flanking an arch window, and themselves bounded by curvilinear walls. The pediment contains papal tiara above the keys of St. Peter. The octagonal bell tower is built in the epistle side.
Celebration
The feast day of St. Joseph is May 27.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of St. Joseph Church in Matalom, Leyte from May 5, 2025 to May 11, 2025. Please reach out to the church for an updated schedule. Additionally, you may also want to view mass schedules of churches in Matalom.
Monday
- 5:00-6:00 AM
Tuesday
- 5:00-6:00 AM
Wednesday
- 5:00-6:00 AM
Thursday
- 5:00-6:00 AM
Friday
- 5:00-6:00 AM
Saturday
- 5:00-6:00 AM
Sunday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 8:00-9:00 AM
- 5:00-6:00 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | St. Joseph Church in Matalom, Leyte |
| Address | Matalom, Leyte 6526 |
| Country | Philippines |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1843 |
| Age | 182 years |
| Status | Parish |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu |
| Diocese | Diocese of Maasin |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of the Immaculate Conception (Hilongos Vicariate) |
| Patron | St. Joseph |
| Feast day | May 27 |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 19th century |
| Tower | 1 |
Nearby Churches
- Holy Child Church in Bato, Leyte
- Immaculate Conception Parish Church in Hilongos, Leyte
- Medalla Milagrosa Church in Talisay, Hilongos, Leyte
- Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Church in Concepcion, Hilongos, Leyte
- Saint James the Apostle Church in Cahagnaan, Matalom, Leyte
- San Isidro Labrador Church in Anahawan, Bato, Leyte
- St. John Paul II Church in San Juan, Hilongos, Leyte
- St. Michael the Archangel Church in Hindang, Leyte
References
- Diocese of Maasin. Retrieved December 9, 2023
- The History of Towns in Region VIII, Philippines. Philippines Tacloban Mission. Retrieved December 9, 2023
- Lito B. Zulueta. This book names the top 50 must-visit churches in the PH including those you may not know about. ABS-CBN News. April 25, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2023