San Juan de Sahagun Church in Tigbauan, Iloilo

San Juan de Sahagun Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Tigbauan, Iloilo, Philippines. It is also referred to as Tigbauan Church.

Table of Contents

History

The name of Tigbauan means a field of reeds (anthisteria cilleta) that used to abound in the area. It was already a thriving settlement and its inhabitants had relations with foreign traders before the Spanish conquest.

Later, it was made into an encomienda assigned by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi to Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa. The Jesuits, led by Pedro Chirino, came and established the first school and dorm in the 16th century. Yet an expert opinion suggested Tigbauan was an Augustinian mission back then and that the Jesuits might have landed in Suaraga, the present-day town of San Joaquin.

Previously a visita of Immaculate Conception Parish in Oton, Tigbauan Church was under the patronage of Our Lady of Grace but was replaced with St. John of Sahagun, an Augustinian friar known for his preaching and as a broker of peace. It was founded in 1575, becoming the second church established by the Augustinian mission in Panay.

Yet from the beginning it had no priest. It was only in 1580 when Fr. Luis de Montoya and then a year after Fr. Alonso de Castro were assigned for the ministry. Interestingly, a marker that was installed by the National Historical Institute stated that the parish was founded in 1580.

The Augustinians left the parish years later because of a lack of friars. Fr. Garcia de Quiroga, who was then its parish priest, left when he became the secretary of the Augustinian province. Secular clergy took over its administration from 1593 until 1617.

The Jesuits arrived in Tigbauan upon the invitation of the encomendero Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa. Pedro Chrinio and Francisco Martin arrived and they built the first school and dormitory that provided literacy, music, and religious instruction to local kids in 1592. Another expert opinion suggests that the location was not Tigbauan but in Suaraga.

The Spanish colonial church in Tigbanua was built by Fr. Fernando Martin in 1867. This may have been a reconstruction of an early church built by Fr. Fernando Camporedondo that was made with the use of yellow limestone and reportedly survived the 1787 earthquake. However in 1948, it sustained extensive damage from a powerful earthquake, the same one that also caused the ruin of Oton Church.

Architecture

San Juan de Sahagun Church that we see today still retains the facade and bell tower of the old colonial church. Mosaics that depict the Stations of the Cross and the ones found in the retablo in its interiors were added in 1994, and the bell towers on its roof were built in more recent times. Built in the Churrigueresque style that was a Spanish architectural trend in the 18th century, it is characterized with a plain front church wall with a beautiful eruption of stone carvings found along its middle section.

Its facade is bordered by a simple pediment and thick pillars in each side, on top of which are bell towers made of concrete crowned with cupola and cross. A stout church tower is erected in the epistle side crowned with a red roof. The pediment bears an elaborate finial where loud speakers and a cross are installed. On its surface is an emblem decorated with tassels and foliage in high relief.

The main facade contains two arch windows set on each side of the image of Sto. Niño in high relief and the niche of the patron whose decorative borders are an intricate blend of scrollwork, foliage, volutes, and pilasters. Below the niche is the Augustinian seal which is just above the entrance door. One can note the rich, embellished details of the carvings on the stone church wall, particularly the bust of a putto as a ornamental capstone of the arched entryway.

Celebration

The feast of St. John of Sahagun is celebrated every June 12.

Mass schedule

Below is the weekly mass schedule of San Juan de Sahagun Church in Tigbauan, Iloilo 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 Tigbauan.

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
5:00-6:00 PM (Anticipated Mass)

Sunday

5:00-6:00 AM
6:30-7:30 AM
8:00-9:00 AM
4:30-5:30 PM

Church information

Details
Name	San Juan de Sahagun Church in Tigbauan, Iloilo
Other Names	Tigbauan Church
Address	Allera St, Tigbauan, 5022 Iloilo
Country	Philippines
Contact	511-8363
Facebook	web.facebook.com
Religion
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Established	1575
Age	450 years
Archdiocese	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro
Vicariate	Vicariate of St. John
Patron	St. John of Sahagun
Feast day	June 12
Architecture
Completed	1867
Age since completed	158 years
Builder	Fr. Florencio Martin, O.S.A
Style	Churrigueresque

Nearby Churches

References

Archdiocese of Jaro (2007). Acts and Decrees of the Third Diocesan Synod of Jaro. St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary. Jaro, Iloilo City. Retrieved October 17, 2022
Tigbauan Church. Filipinas Heritage Library. Retrieved October 17, 2022
About Tigbauan: History of Tigbauan. Municipal Government of Tigbauan. Retrieved October 17, 2022
Tigbauan. Panublion. JESCON / Ateneo of Manila. 2003. Retrieved October 17, 2022
Research Update: Foundation Dates for “The Pueblos of Panay”. Center for Research and Communication. August 15, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2022
Tigbauan (1575–1975). National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Retrieved October 23, 2022
Panay and Iloilo: The Allure of a Dowager. Panublion. Ateneo de Manila University. Retrieved via Wayback Machine from original copy October 23, 2022