Sto. Niño Church is a 19th-century Roman Catholic church, an Important Cultural Property, and a National Cultural Treasure located in Valencia, Bohol, Philippines. Its second patron is St. Vincent Ferrer.
Table of Contents
History
Valencia started as part of the jurisdiction of Dimiao. Its old name was Panangatan, which came from the word sang-at meaning to put in a higher place, and it is also the name of a river. It was organized into a town by combining other neighboring villages on October 27, 1869. It was renamed after a city in Spain.
The Augustinian Recollects were the administrators of the church built in Panangatan. It became a parish in 1871, two years after the town was established. The present-day church was built in 1882.
Church-building was carried out by Fr. Mariano Cornago who served between 1870 and 1877 where the structure was made of tabique, and it was completed by Fr. Francisco Arraya. It did not survive, and the edifice was reconstructed in later years.
Because of its historical and heritage value, the church was declared an Important Cultural Property on October 11, 2018. In 2013, it was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines.
Architecture
The church is famed for its wooden floors made of different hardwood whose colors were utilized to produce herringbone pattern and flower-like figure in the crossing.
The four-level facade is hemmed by twin towers, and their fluted columns culminate in finials. The image of the titular is found above the main entrance, and it is flanked by holy figures. Moldings are quite elaborate and decorated by dentil. The front wall is punctured by arch windows, and round apertures are found in the pediment and the gable by the roof of the towers.
Celebration
The feast day of Sto. Niño is every third Sunday of January.
Services
Daily Aurora and Rosary is scheduled at 5:00 in the morning daily.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of Sto. Niño Church in Valencia, Bohol from May 19, 2025 to May 25, 2025. Please reach out to the church for an updated schedule. Additionally, you may also want to view mass schedules of churches in Valencia.
Monday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Tuesday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Wednesday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Thursday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Friday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Saturday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Sunday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sto. Niño Church in Valencia, Bohol |
| Address | Poblacion Oriental, Valencia, Bohol 6306 |
| Country | Philippines |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Status | Parish |
| Declared as parish | 1871 |
| Age as parish | 154 years |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu |
| Diocese | Diocese of Tagbilaran |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of the Holy Child |
| Patron | Sto. Niño, St. Vincent Ferrer |
| Feast day | Third Sunday of January |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage | Important Cultural Property, National Cultural Treasure |
| Completed | 1882 |
| Age since completed | 143 years |
| Tower | 2 |
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
- St. John the Baptist Church in Garcia Hernandez, 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
- Ferdinand Patinio. 21 churches damaged in 2013 Bohol quake restored. Philippine News Agency. October 15, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2023
- Historical Landmarks. Municipality of Valencia. Retrieved November 25, 2023
- Christina Hermoso. Bohol parish marks 152nd anniversary. Manila Bulletin. September 5, 2023. Retrieved November 25, 2023