St. John the Baptist Church is a 19th-century Roman Catholic church located in Garcia Hernandez, Bohol, Philippines.
Table of Contents
History
In the past, Garcia-Hernandez began as part of Jagna and it was called Sinogboan due to its population consisting of migrants from Cebu. In 1858, it was organized into a town by the help of Fr. Jose Garcia and Fr. Narciso Hernandez, priests of the parish of Guindulman, and it was renamed after them. When the Americans invaded the island of Bohol, the town was put to the torch in 1901.
Augustinian Recollects took pastorcal care of the church which was placed under the patronage of St. John the Baptist and a visita of Jagna Parish in 1841. Three years later, a chapel was built. A painted depiction of the the patron donated by the mother parish was installed in 1848.
In 1857, a much larger church was erected. It separated from Jagna Parish and was granted parochial status by the ecclesiastical order issued by Bishop Romualdo Jimeno of the Diocese of Cebu on October 24, 1859, a year after the town was established.
By 1870s, the pueblo was moved to Manaba and Sinogboan became Lungsod-daan (Old Town). The church was built starting in 1883 and inaugurated on October 20, 1896.
The church underwent repairs particularly the facade after an earthquake in 1990. It was damaged again after a powerful earthquake in 2013 and repairs were carried out in subsequent years.
In 2015, the ceiling was painted with murals; however, it was discovered that a number of the 24 wooden posts that support the nave were weakened from old age. Reinforcement and renovation of the church were undertaken, and its restoration was announced by church authorities in 2020.
Heritage
The church is considered a Cultural Property by the National Museum.
Architecture
An overhang covers the space before the entrance. The facade is pierced with arch windows, all of which are fixed with glass installation. Arches are also made into decorative elements in the trimmings of the pediment. The bell tower with a square base gives rise to an octagonal belfry topped with a dome and cross.
Celebration
The feast day of St. John the Baptist is June 24.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of St. John the Baptist Church in Garcia Hernandez, 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 Garcia Hernandez.
Monday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Tuesday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Wednesday
- 5:00-6:00 PM
Thursday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Friday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Saturday
- 5:00-6:00 AM (First Saturday)
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Sunday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
- 8:00-9:00 AM
- 4:30-5:30 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | St. John the Baptist Church in Garcia Hernandez, Bohol |
| Address | National Highway, Garcia Hernandez, Bohol 6307 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | 0906 452 6095 |
| garciahernandezsjbparish@gmail.com | |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1841 |
| Age | 184 years |
| Status | Parish |
| Declared as parish | October 24, 1859 |
| Age as parish | 166 years |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu |
| Diocese | Diocese of Tagbilaran |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of the Holy Child |
| Patron | St. John the Baptist |
| Feast day | June 24 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage | Cultural Property |
| Inauguration | 1896 |
Nearby Churches
- Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Lila, Bohol
- San Nicolas de Tolentino Church in Dimiao, Bohol
- St. Isidore the Farmer Church in Tabuan, Garcia Hernandez, Bohol
- Sto. Niño Church in Valencia, Bohol
References
- Vicariates and Parishes. Diocese of Tagbilaran. Retrieved November 24, 2023
- 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 November 23, 2023
- St. John the Baptist Parish Church: A magnificent monument of the grateful faithful of Garcia Hernandez. The Bohol Chronicle. July 3, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2023
- Ferdinand Patinio. 21 churches damaged in 2013 Bohol quake restored. Philippine News Agency. October 15, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2023
- The Philippine Registry of Cultural Property (PRECUP). National Commission on Culture and the Arts. Retrieved December 10, 2023