Santa Monica Parish Church is a colonial-era, Roman Catholic church located in the town of Alburquerque, Bohol, Philippines. It is also called the Alburquerque Church and considered a heritage site by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP). Its second patron is St. Augustine.
Table of Contents
History
Alburquerque was called Sagunto and a visita of La Purisima Concepcion de la Virgen Maria Church in Baclayon.
The natives had to travel considerable distance to attend religious activities throughout its history. A church complex was erected as early as 1842 by the generosity of Mariana Irag that consisted of a school, a convent, and a chapel. A much bigger church was erected in the eastern flank in 1856.
In 1861, the town was organized and it was called Alburquerque. Its name is attributed to either a place in Spain or a Mexican official.
Its territory was carved out from the neighboring towns of Baclayon and Loay. A few years later, the religious authorities of the Augustinian Recollects confirmed the new pueblo as well as the founding of the church under the patronage of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine of Hippo, on November 14, 1868.
Bohol was part of then diocese of Cebu and the Bishop declared the church an independent parish on June 18, 1869. Its elevation to a parochial status took place on June 29, 1869.
Fr. Manuel Muro initiated the construction of the stone church starting in 1885. The building works continued in 1896. It replaced what was a house of worship made of tabique. It is famous for the arcade that connects the church and the convent, a unique distinction not found in other churches in Bohol. Its image of the patroness is made of cement and ivory that would require two dozen men to carry.
The tower and uppermost walls were completed between 1920s and 1930s. Meanwhile, the painted ceiling was rendered by artist Raymundo Francia in 1932.
Heritage
NHCP installed a Level II historical marker in 2014 and declared the Santa Monica Church as a Heritage Church.
Architecture
The church’s two-level facade is made of a portico below and the choir loft above. These are supported by four Tuscan columns forming the facade’s central section and pilasters in either corners that terminate in spires. Arches are found in the portico and the windows of the choir loft.
Its pediment is truncated and made of curved, stepped wall. In its center stands a four-bodied steeple consisting of two floors of belfries, a lantern, and an onion roof.
Inside the church, the nave is made of three main spaces. Its ceiling bursts into both decorative and catechetical images. Above the main nave is a clerestory of round apertures.
Celebration
The feast day of St. Monica is held every August 27.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of Santa Monica Parish Church in Alburquerque, Bohol from June 9, 2025 to June 15, 2025. Please reach out to the church for an updated schedule. Additionally, you may also want to view mass schedules of churches in Alburquerque.
Monday
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Tuesday
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Wednesday
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Thursday
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Friday
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Saturday
- 4:00-5:00 PM (Anticipated Mass)
Sunday
- 4:30-5:30 PM (Youth Mass - Live)
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Santa Monica Parish Church in Alburquerque, Bohol |
| Other Names | Alburquerque Church |
| Address | Tagbilaran East Road, Poblacion, Alburquerque, Bohol 6302 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | (038) 539-9102 |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1842 |
| Age | 183 years |
| Status | Parish |
| Declared as parish | 1869 |
| Age as parish | 156 years |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu |
| Diocese | Diocesan of Tagbilaran |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of Assumption of Our Lady |
| Patron | St. Monica, St. Augustine |
| Feast day | August 27 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage | Heritage Church |
| Completed | 1896 |
| Age since completed | 129 years |
| Builder | Fr. Manuel Muro |
| Style | Baroque |
| Belfry | 1 |
| Spire | 2 |
References
- Simbahan ng Alburquerque. National Historical Commission of the Philippines. October 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2022
- Jose, Regalado Trota (2001). Visita Iglesia Bohol: A Guide to Historic Churches. National Commission on Culture and the Arts. Manila, Philippines. ISBN 9718140166, 978-9718140161. Retrieved December 31, 2022
- Sta. Monica Parish (Alburquerque, 6302 Bohol). Tagbilaran Diocese. Retrieved from original post December 31, 2022