St. Thomas of Villanova Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Alimodian, Iloilo, Philippines.
Table of Contents
History
Alimodian was part of Oton during the colonial period. Its church was supposed to be given a priest by the Augustinians in 1720, but it was only in October 1754 that this was pushed through and it became an independent parish. The first parish priest was Fr. Vicente del Campo.
The town seceded from Oton the next year, and it was on January 8, 1757 that Agustin Magtanong was appointed as its gobernadorcillo.
According to historical records, a stone church was constructed in 1784. It was located in the present-day Nichols Street, but it was destroyed during a 1787 earthquake. Another stone church was constructed in 1859 and unveiled on December 22, 1864. An earthquake five years later caused a stampede that resulted to multiple injuries.
Throughout history, it would be struck by fire during the Second World War and earthquakes: 1869 (that caused a stampede that resulted to multiple injuries), 1887, and Lady Caycay in 1948.
Architecture
The church as it stands today is the product of repairs, reinforcements, and reconstructions done throughout its history. Colonial-era masonry remains visible in most parts of the church walls, convent, and massive bell tower.
Entrance is through one of the three arch doorways, and they are covered each by a barrel vault. In the upper register of the facade are three statues of saints, and it is pierced with a cross-shaped opening. The pediment is unadorned and it is topped with a cross.
Celebration
The feast of St. Thomas of Villanova is September 22.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of St. Thomas of Villanova Church in Alimodian, Iloilo 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 Alimodian.
Monday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
Tuesday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
Wednesday
- 4:30-5:30 PM
Thursday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
Friday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
Saturday
- No mass schedule found.
Sunday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 7:30-8:30 AM
- 4:30-5:30 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | St. Thomas of Villanova Church in Alimodian, Iloilo |
| Address | Plaza Libertad Street, Poblacion, Alimodian, Iloilo 5028 |
| Country | Philippines |
| pstvalimodian@gmail.com | |
| www.facebook.com | |
| YouTube | www.youtube.com |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Status | Parish |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of Sts. Titus and Timothy |
| Patron | St. Thomas of Villanova |
| Feast day | September 22 |
| Architecture | |
| Builder | Fr. Melquiadez Arizmendi |
Nearby Churches
- St. Catherine of Alexandria Church in Leon, Iloilo
- St. Michael the Archangel Church in San Miguel, Iloilo
- The Holy Child Church in Dorog, Leon, Iloilo
References
- Vicariate and Parishes. Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro. Retrieved December 15, 2023
- PARISH HISTORY OF ALIMODIAN PARISH. Jaro Archdiocesan Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education – ACCCE. January 16, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2023
- Paul Dumol, PhD, Grace Concepcion, PhD, and E.J. Ofilada (August 15, 2020). Research Update: Foundation Dates for “The Pueblos of Panay”. Center for Research and Communication. Retrieved December 15, 2023
- History. Municipality of Alimodian. Retrieved December 15, 2023