Our Lady of Refuge Church is a Roman Catholic and Marian church located in Dulag, Leyte, Philippines. It is also called Dulag Church, and it is considered one of the oldest churches in the province.
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History
Dulag is the oldest church in Leyte next to Carigara. Founded by the Jesuits in the 16th century, it was Fr. Alonzo Humanes and Fr. Juan Del Campo who arrived on August 20, 1595. The date is likewise considered the founding of the town as the friars helped in convincing people to move their place of residence and live near the place of worship.
A church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin was built and in September 8 the feast of Her Nativity was celebrated. The town’s patroness was later changed to Our Lady of Refuge (Nuestra Señora del Refugio). The patroness is believed to be miraculous, particularly in saving the town from Moro raids and natural calamities. Her image was brought to the town by encomiendero Pedro Hernandez from Cebu.
It is not known when the church in Dulag was built. The Jesuits had a church built made of bricks, and the ruins of the seminary they built remained within the parish compound. However when the Jesuits left in 1768, the Augustinians took over the administration of the parish. Fr. Cipriano Barbasan undertook reconstructions of the church as well as building watchtowers in strategic locations. In 1843, the Franciscans took the helm of the parish.
The present-day church was destroyed during Typhoon Yolanda on November 3, 2013. Repairs were made where the altar and church walls were replaced.
Architecture
Little remains that serve as a reminder of the colonial era, save for the ruins of a wall overrun by vegetation to the left of the church.
The church is made of thick walls covered in stone exterior of gray and blue undertones, so adornments on its facade are minimal. The overhang by the entrance spells the name of the parish in Spanish and English, “Nuestra Sra. del Refugio Parish.” Its entrance is flanked by slit windows, and above it is a rectilinear aperture and the image of the patroness in the pediment. Its bell tower is in the epistle side.
Celebration
The feast of Our Lady of Refuge is celebrated every September 8 annually, and the town celebrates the Karatong Festival.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of Our Lady of Refuge Church in Dulag, Leyte 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 Dulag.
Monday
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Tuesday
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Wednesday
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Thursday
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Friday
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Saturday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
Sunday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 8:00-9:00 AM
- 6:00-7:00 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Our Lady of Refuge Church in Dulag, Leyte |
| Address | Brgy. Sungi 6505 Dulag, Philippines |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | 0977 815 6146 |
| olrpdulag@gmail.com | |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | August 20, 1595 |
| Age | 430 years |
| Status | Parish |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palo |
| District | Eastern District |
| Vicariate | Abuyog Vicariate |
| Patron | Our Lady of Refuge |
| Architecture | |
| Tower | 1 |
References
- Our Lady of Refuge Parish – Dulag. Archdiocese of Palo. Retrieved November 8, 2022
- Dela Costa, Horacio. The Jesuits in the Philippines. Philippine Studies, JANUARY 1959, Vol. 7, No. 1 (JANUARY 1959), pp. 68-97. Retrieved November 8, 2022
- Malabanan, James. Nuestra Señora del Refugio de Dulag – The Miraculous Patroness and Protectress of Dulag, Leyte. Pintakasi. January 2, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2022
- Six architectural heritage sites in Leyte identified. Philipine Information Agency. April 18, 2007. Retrieved November 8, 2022