St. Gabriel the Archangel Church is an old Roman Catholic Church in Santander, a southern town in the province of Cebu, Philippines. The only church in Cebu that is dedicated to the patronage of St. Gabriel, it is also called Santander Church.
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History
Santander Church became a parish in 1898. Before that it was part of the parish of Oslob Church. In historic times, the area was called Tañon or Tañong after the sea located in between the islands of Negros and Cebu. It became a town during the time of the American colonization. The original entrance of the church faced the seafront but later was changed that its rear is turned towards the sea and the people can access the church’s nave from the street in the other side.
Architecture
The entrance of the church is a pointed arch made of stained glass. It depicts the holy figures of Jesus and Mary on the door, while its tympanum above portrays the patron. Flanking the entrance door are arch windows, above which are tympanums of stained glass. The entire facade is divided vertically by pilasters of interestingly detailed ribbings along their surface, the innermost two rise from the ground up to the pediment and the belfry where they are topped with pinnacles designed in the likeness of the belfry. In the upper register of the facade below the cornice and their capitals is a decorative row of interlocking pointed arches coated in white.
The pediment is curvilinear and visually arresting. At its center is a rose window of rosette ridges flanked by two recessed pointed arches. On either sides the pediment flares into sinusoidal outline and decorated with rays emanating from one side. Lastly, the belfry is quadrangular and topped with red pyramidal roof. On each of the four sides are three pointed arches with balustrade (the middle one larger than the other two) and gable dormer whose pediments are pierced with a rose window. The ridges of the roof feature decorative spikes.
Celebration
The feast of St. Gabriel the Archangel is held every March 4 in a celebration called Tostado Festival.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of St. Gabriel the Archangel Church in Santander, Cebu 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 Santander.
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
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 8:30-9:30 AM
- 4:00-5:00 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | St. Gabriel the Archangel Church in Santander, Cebu |
| Address | Poblacion, Santander, Cebu 6026 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | 0995 769 0372 |
| web.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1898 |
| Age | 127 years |
| Status | Parish |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu |
| District | District III – Southeast Cebu |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of St. John Mary Vianney |
| Patron | St. Gabriel the Archangel |
| Feast day | April 17 |
Nearby Churches
- Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church in Oslob, Cebu
- Patrocinio de Sta. Maria Church in Boljoon, Cebu
- St. Joseph the Carpenter Church in Oslob, Cebu
References
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu. Retrieved July 4, 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 July 4, 2022
- SAINT GABRIEL THE ARCHANGEL PARISH CHURCH. Municipality of Santander, GOV.PH. Retrieved July 4, 2022
- History. Municipality of Santander, GOV.PH. Retrieved July 4, 2022
- THE TOSTADO FESTIVAL. Municipality of Santander, GOV.PH. Retrieved July 4, 2022
- The “Tostado” of Santander, Cebu. The Freeman. May 18, 2018. Retrieved via PressReader July 4, 2022