St. Mary Magdalene Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Bula, Camarines Sur, Philippines.
Table of Contents
History
The town’s name is derived from local word for bamboo. It was one of the oldest settlements founded along the banks of Bicol River, and its natives were the first few who put up resistance against the Spanish colonization at the beginning of the conquest in the 16th century.
On April 3, 1574, the settlement was made into an encomienda by Guido de Lavezares under Antonio Granado. Its church was founded by Franciscan missionaries Fray Pablo de Jesus and Fray Bartolome Ruiz as a visita of Nabua in 1578. In June 1583, it was raised into a doctrina.
In 1591, it had one of the most densely populated settlements with 4,072 population with 1,018 paying tributes. In 1620, it separated from Nabua and became an independent parish in 1620, with Baao as its visita.
Entrusted to the patronage of Santa Maria Magdalena, the parish had for its first church a structure made of wood but it was destroyed by fire in 1676. Another place of worship built in 1688 was damaged by typhoon in 1700. The present-day church was finished in 1706, and repair works were carried out in 1876 and 1885.
The Philippines Historical Committee declared Bula Church as a Level II heritage church and installed a historical marker in 1939.
Architecture
People are let in to the interiors through three entrances: the main doorway is kitted out with an open gable while the other two with lunettes. Above the main entrance is a seal and it is flanked by rectilinear windows. On the upper wall is a big oculus. Its pediment is left unadorned. The bell tower is in the epistle side.
Celebration
The feast day of St. Mary Magdalene is July 22.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of St. Mary Magdalene Church in Bula, Camarines Sur from May 12, 2025 to May 18, 2025. Please reach out to the church for an updated schedule. Additionally, you may also want to view mass schedules of churches in Bula.
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 8:00-9:00 AM
- 4:00-5:00 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | St. Mary Magdalene Church in Bula, Camarines Sur |
| Address | Bula, Camarines Sur 4430 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | (054) 455-2417 |
| web.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1578 |
| Age | 447 years |
| Status | Parish |
| Declared as parish | 1620 |
| Age as parish | 405 years |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caceres |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of St. Bartholomew |
| Patron | St. Mary Magdalene |
| Feast day | July 22 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage | Heritage church |
| Completed | 1706 |
| Age since completed | 319 years |
| Tower | 1 |
Nearby Churches
- Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Caranday, Baao, Camarines Sur
- Saint Vincent Ferrer Church in Ombao Polpog, Bula, Camarines Sur
- Santa Teresa de Avila Parish and Shrine in San Vicente, Baao, Camarines Sur
- St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church in Baao, Camarines Sur
- St. John of the Cross Church in Agdangan, Baao, Camarines Sur
References
- Parishes. Archdiocese of Caceres. Retrieved June 15, 2024
- BULA: A VIEW OF THE PAST THROUGH THE BAMBOO TRAIL. Municipal Government of Bula. Retrieved June 15, 2024