mystical and mythical Mount Makiling lies. In addition to these, Laguna occupies one of the top slots on the list of provinces that nurtured Roman Catholicism over the centuries. Several ancient churches in various towns in the province serve as infallible evidences of this. Among these churches is the Parish of San Gregorio Magno in Majayjay.
San Gregorio Magno is among the oldest churches in the Philippines. It was initially built by the Augustinians in 1571 using light materials, but it was destroyed by fire in 1576. The Franciscans then rebuilt the church two years later, but the structure was also consumed by fire in 1606. The congregation then built the present church from 1616 until 1649. It was partially burned in 1660 and was reconstructed in 1707, and was widened and strengthened between 1711 and 1734. The church used to be the center of Franciscan dignitaries.
The church is quite remote – it is around an hour’s drive away from Sta. Cruz, which is the capital of Laguna, and roughly two and a half hours away from Metro Manila. The particular area where the church stands is relatively obscure. It is not located in a densely-populated barangay or in one of the central towns of Laguna. Fr. Marcelino Ramos, the parish priest of San Gregorio Magno, says that the reason for this remoteness is that the parish was intended to be a mission territory – the missionaries wanted Roman Catholicism to reach the far-flung areas of the province in their desire to spread the religion.
San Gregorio Magno has been drawing tourists to the sleepy town of Majayjay, especially after it was included in the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) list of National Cultural Treasures. The list consists of 26 churches which, according to the NCCA, must be given priority “not just due to their historical value, but also based on the geographic representation of various regions across the nation.”
The church boasts of a unique retablo, which is made of the finest marble stones. The red bricks on the walls are currently being restored, along with other parts of the church. Everything in the church gleams with patina and teems with much history. May the parish and its people succeed in the restoration of this great and irreplaceable antique jewel.
