Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Church is an old Roman Catholic church located in Danao City, a city in the northern part of Cebu, Philippines. It is also referred as Danao Church.
Table of Contents
History
The mother parish of Danao Church was the parish of Mandaue. Records state that it may have been founded since the conquest. Its name, which means low swampland, comes from plains along the great river. A dike was erected to prevent flooding.
What is well documented is that the Augustinian Recollects took over the adminstration of the church either in 1621 or 1671.
It was established as an independent parish in 1742. The stone church was opened to the public in 1824, while its convent was occupied in 1842.
Its administration was eventually turned over to the secular clergy.
Architecture
Danao Church has a bare sweep and instead of intricate decors or reliefs, the grandness of its facade is derived from pilasters, cornice moldings, and coral stonewall. A buttress in the gospel flank and a massive bell tower in the other side gives way to its asymmetrical design. Two outermost pillars are stout and culminate in finials.
In the ground portion, the main entrance door is an arched portal flanked by arched windows. In the upper register is a rose window with bar tracery. The pediment is quaint, its central section contains the niche of the patron and above it is a blind rose window. Its top rim outlines a broken gable and finials are found where the two different inclined planes on either side meet. It is flanked with balustrade.
A dome is found on top of the crossing. It is pierced with arched dormer windows and on top is a miter. The roof on the main nave and the side aisles are decorated with finials. The bell-tower is erected in the epistle side of the church and stands up to four floors. Its topmost level is pierced with arch windows that is decorated with balustrade It is capped with dome, balustrade, and a cupola.
Celebration
The feast of St. Thomas of Villanueva is held every third Sunday of September in a town celebration called Danawanon Karansa Festival.
Services
Baptism is held at 11:00 AM on Sundays.
Confession are heard from Wednesdays to Saturdays for half an hour starting at 5:00 in the afternoon.
The parish office is open every day from 8:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Church in Danao, Cebu 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 Danao City.
Monday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 6:30-7:30 AM
- 12:10-1:10 NN
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Tuesday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 6:30-7:30 AM
- 12:10-1:10 NN
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Wednesday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 6:30-7:30 AM
- 12:10-1:10 NN
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Thursday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 6:30-7:30 AM
- 12:10-1:10 NN
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Friday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 6:30-7:30 AM
- 12:10-1:10 NN
- 5:30-6:30 PM (Anticipated)
Saturday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 6:30-7:30 AM
- 12:10-1:10 NN
- 5:30-6:30 PM (Anticipated)
Sunday
- 5:00-6:00 AM
- 6:30-7:30 AM
- 8:00-9:00 AM
- 10:00-11:00 AM
- 3:00-3:30 PM
- 4:30-5:30 PM (English)
- 6:00-7:00 PM (English)
- 7:30-8:30 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Church in Danao, Cebu |
| Other Names | Danao Church |
| Address | National Road, Poblacion, 6004 Danao City |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | (032) 345 6193 |
| stvpdanao15@gmail.com | |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1742 |
| Age | 283 years |
| Status | Parish |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu |
| District | District VII – Near North Cebu |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of Sto. Tomas de Villanueva |
| Patron | St. Thomas of Villanueva |
| Feast day | Third Sunday of September |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 1755 |
| Age since completed | 270 years |
Nearby Churches
- Archdiocesan Shrine of Santiago Apostol de Compostela, Cebu
- Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish Church in Ibo, Danao City
- San Pedro Calungsod Parish Church in Manghilao, Masaba, Danao City
- St. Anthony of Padua Parish Church in DICC, Guinsay, Danao City
- St. Francis of Assisi Parish Church in Maslog, Danao City
- St. Joseph the Worker Parish Church in Lawaan, Danao City
- St. Peter the Apostle Parish Church in Tabok-Taytay, Danao City
References
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu. Retrieved June 30, 2022
- Balaanong Bahandi: Sacred Treasures of the Archdiocese of Cebu. Cathedral Museum of Cebu, Inc. and University of San Carlos Press. 2010. ISBN 978-9715390187.
- Elizaga, Troy. The Formation of Towns and Parishes in Cebu, Philippines. Retrieved via Academia on June 30, 2022
- Bersales, Jobers R. (February 8, 2017). A Danao with no lake. Cebu Daily News. Retrieved June 30, 2022