Saint John the Baptist Church is a Roman Catholic Church in Baroque architectural style. It is located in the town of Dingle, Iloilo, Philippines. It is also called Dingle Church.
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History
In the past, Dingle was called Baong and used to belong to Sumandig, which is part of Dueñas. The Augustinians first came into the area in 1593, sending Fr. Francisco Manuel Blanco, and so it became a visita of Pototan. In less than twenty years, it became an independent parish on April 23, 1611 with Fr. Pedro del Castillo assigned as the first parish priest.
Other Augustinian Friars who were recorded to have served here are Fr. Diego Oseguera (1614), Fr. Francisco Alvarado (1617). It lost its parochial status when it became a visita of Dumangas in 1629 and then of Duenas in 1641. It would regain its independence as a parish when it separated once again in 1825.
St. John the Baptist Church was built by Fr. Fernando Llorente starting in 1865. Its construction was completed in 1886.
Architecture
A short flight of stairs lead the laity to the entrance of the church. Its facade is rendered asymmetrical with a bell tower that stands in its gospel side. Its facade and bell tower feature arches, round apertures, and pilasters.
There is a small red half-dome over the entryway that serves as a portico, its roof decorated with volutes, lines, and scroll-work. Above the entryway are the words: “Año 1886” which translates “Year 1886”, indicating the year that the church was built. On either sides are niches of holy figures. In the upper story, the middle panel bears the niche of the patron. Its sidewalls terminate in curvilinear lines. On the other hand, the bell tower has an arch window with tracery in its base. Its second level is hexagonal with open and blind alternating on each side. It is capped with a balustrade and red pyramidal roof.
The interiors feature Corinthian columns along the length of the nave, and ornamental half-quatrefoil arches are found in between each pair of columns. The ceiling on the side aisles are lower than the one above the nave, and it is decorated by rosettes and moldings that divide its face into different panels. There is no choir loft, the space immediately by the entrance is a narthex that is separated by a stone arcade. The church walls are pierced by arch windows (with stained glass) and portals. Meanwhile, a spiral staircase leads to the belfry.
Celebration
The feast of St. John the Baptist is held every June 24. The parish community also celebrates the Parish Day annually every April 23rd.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of Saint John the Baptist Church in Dingle, 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 Dingle.
Monday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
Tuesday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
Wednesday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
Thursday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
Friday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
Saturday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
Sunday
- 5:00-6:00 AM
- 7:30-8:30 AM
- 3:00-4:00 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Saint John the Baptist Church in Dingle, Iloilo |
| Other Names | Dingle Church |
| Address | San Nico St., Poblacion, Dingle, Iloilo 5035 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | 0930 238 8207 |
| saintjohnthebaptistdingle@gmail.com | |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | April 23, 1611 |
| Age | 414 years |
| Status | Parish |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of St. Matthias |
| Patron | St. John the Baptist |
| Feast day | June 24 |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 1886 |
| Age since completed | 139 years |
| Builder | Fr. Fernando Llorente |
| Style | Baroque with Neoclassical motifs |
Nearby Churches
- Holy Child Church in Palanguia, Pototan, Iloilo
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Polut-an, Pototan, Iloilo
- Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Bongco, Pototan, Iloilo
- Our Lady of the Pillar Church in Mina, Iloilo
- Patronage of St. Joseph Church in Pototan, Iloilo
- St. Isidore Church in Zarraga, Iloilo
- Sto. Rosario Church in Igang, Pototan, Iloilo
References
- 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 November 7, 2022
- Dingle. Provincial Government of Iloilo. Retrieved November 7, 2022