St. James the Greater Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Allen, Northern Samar, Philippines.
Table of Contents
History
The old name of the town was Manipa-a owing from the abundance of nipa palms. It was changed to La-Granja during the Spanish colonial times, meaning place of beautiful and unmarried young women or place of “persecuted families.” The first wave of settlers were from the nearby municipality of Capul, and then in the 18th century people from Bicol moved and established their dwellings.
Its church was established as a visita of Capul. It was elevated into a parish and the town was established in 1867. The image of the patron was given by Lorenzo Gallego who was once the head of the town, in the 19th century and regarded as miraculous from whose intercession the town was spared from disasters.
The town was renamed Allen in accordance to Act No. 960 on October 23, 1903 after General Robert Allen, once the governor of Visayas.
Architecture
The image of the patron brandishing a sword and on horseback is not found in the facade but instead in the driveway. The church is rectangular in shape with wing extensions on either side. A barrel vault ceiling is fixed on its portico as well as short steps that lead to the entrance. Above the doorway is the name of the parish, and it is flanked by arch windows. On the pediment is the image of the Blessed Virgin. The bell tower is in the rear gospel side.
Celebration
The feast day of St. James the Greater is July 25.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of St. James the Greater Church in Allen, Northern Samar 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 Allen.
Monday
- No mass schedule found.
Tuesday
- No mass schedule found.
Wednesday
- No mass schedule found.
Thursday
- No mass schedule found.
Friday
- No mass schedule found.
Saturday
- No mass schedule found.
Sunday
- 8:00-9:00 AM
- 4:30-5:30 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | St. James the Greater Church in Allen, Northern Samar |
| Address | Poblacion, Allen, Northern Samar 6405 |
| Country | Philippines |
| web.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1867 |
| Age | 158 years |
| Status | Parish |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palo |
| Diocese | Diocese of Catarman |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of Immaculate Conception |
| Patron | St. James the Greater |
| Feast day | July 25 |
| Architecture | |
| Tower | 1 |
Nearby Churches
- Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in San Isidro, Northern Samar
- Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Lavezares, Northern Samar
- San Vicente Ferrer Mission Center in San Vicente, Northern Samar
- St. Anne Church in Victoria, Northern Samar
- St. Anthony of Padua Church in San Antonio, Northern Samar
- St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Biri, Northern Samar
References
- Act No. 960, October 23, 1903. Supreme Court of the Philippines E-Library. Retrieved May 26, 2024
- The Nine Jubilee Churches and the Brief history of the Diocese of Catarman on the Celebration of the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. Nuestra Señora de Salvacion Historical and Ecclesiastical Museum. August 19, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2024