St. Bartholomew Church is a 20th-century Roman Catholic church located in Catbalogan City, Samar, Philippines.
Table of Contents
History
The Jesuits reached Catbalogan in October 1596 and Fr. Francisco de Otazo, SJ, established the order’s mission in the settlement. In 1616, it was made into a pueblo and the church was placed under the advocation of St. Bartholomew, a patron that was chosen for its people largely consisting of fisher folks.
The Jesuits’ house in Tinago (present-day Tarangnan) was destroyed in a Moro raid and so in 1627, they moved their residencia to Catbalogan. It counted the visitas of Paranas and Calbiga.
In 1735, Samar and Leyte seceded from Cebu and became one province with its seat of government in the town of Carigara. In 1768, they were split and each attained provincial status with Catbalogan as the capital of Samar. Upon the expulsion of the Jesuits, they were taken over by the Franciscans on October 17, 1768 with Fr. Jose Fayo, OFM, as the first friar from the religious order.
Its church was built before the Jesuits left, but it was burnt in a fire sometime in 1760s. Fr. Fellix Carreon, OFM, carried out rebuilding the church in 1814. It caught in flames yet again in 1835, and finally it was completed in 1865.
During the time of the American colonization, the foreign soldiers from the United States of America occupied the church. It also around this time that some of its treasures were looted, and its bell towers and the structure were burned between sometime 1901 or 1902.
After the war, renovations were undertaken by Fr. Maximiano T. Cruz. He rebuilt the dilapidated front wall and convent, and he moved the bell tower to the east of the church.
Architecture
The Franciscan-built, colonial-era church was burned in 1969. The present-day church holds little reminder of the centuries-old edifice except for the statue of the patron being kept in the rectory and a fort.
The church is accessible through a driveway that stretches from either sides of the courtyard. The bell tower is in the epistle side, culminating a pyramidal roof and a budded cross. The main entrance of the church is an arch portal with an embellished lunette, and its front wall is punctured with round and arch apertures, dentil, and paired pilasters. Upon the oculus is the name of the church and the year 1616. The left-side entrance is a Porta Santa (Holy Door).
Celebration
The feast day of St. Bartholomew is August 24 and the city celebrates the Manaragat Festival.
Services
The parish office is open 9:00 AM-12:00 NN and 2:00-5:00 PM from Tuesday to Saturday. On Sunday, it is open 9:00 AM-11:00 AM.
Pre-Jordan seminar is at 10:00 AM followed by the baptismal rite every Saturday.
Weddings are scheduled at 9:00 AM and 1:30 PM Tuesday to Saturday.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of St. Bartholomew Church in Catbalogan City, 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 Catbalogan City.
Monday
- No mass schedule found.
Tuesday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Wednesday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Thursday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Friday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Saturday
- 5:30-6:30 AM
- 5:30-6:30 PM
Sunday
- 5:00-6:00 AM
- 7:00-6:00 AM
- 9:00-10:00 AM (English)
- 4:00-5:00 PM
- 6:00-7:00 PM
- 8:00-9:00 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | St. Bartholomew Church in Catbalogan City, Samar |
| Address | Cardinal Rosales Street, Catbalogan City, Samar 6700 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | (055)-543 8892 |
| sanbartoleo1616@gmail.com | |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Status | Parish |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palo |
| Diocese | Diocese of Calbayog |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of St. Frances de Sales |
| Patron | St. Bartholomew |
| Feast day | August 24 |
Nearby Churches
- Diocesan Marian Shrine of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Ubanon-Boao, Catbalogan City, Samar
- Holy Infant Church in San Jose de Buan, Samar
- Immaculate Conception Church in Motiong, Samar
- St. Francis of Assisi Church in Silanga, Catbalogan City, Samar
- St. Francis of Assisi Mission Center in Calapi, Motiong, Samar
- St. Paschal Baylon Church in Jiabong, Samar
References
- San Bartolome de Catbalogan – The Patron and Patriarch of Catbalogan, Samar. Pintakasi. Retrieved May 3, 2024
- History of Catbalogan City. Catbalogan City Blog. Retrieved May 3, 2024
- General Information: Brief History. LGU Samar. Retrieved May 3, 2024