Ilocos Sur: San Vicente Church & Santa Catalina Church.

San Vicente Church

Feeling a bit melancholic today for no reason, like having my monthly period. Oh I forgot, I’m not a woman HA HA.  May’ve been mid-life crisis attack (laughs!).  So I decided to stay a day more in Vigan, it’s my fourth night already, somehow, I’m starting to really like this place.  For the past couple of days I built a habit of  darting to McDo, grab a burger, fries and coffee (breakfast to-go), sit at the steel benches lining both sides of the pool fountain at Plaza Salcedo, sort of a solo picnic there with a book on my hand.  Beautiful morning.  Looking at the Palacio del Arzobispado (Archbishop’s Residence) at the side of the plaza which was close during the weekends, it’s open today, so after my breakfast picnic, read few pages on my book (“Istanbul Puzzle”, relatively new author), I sprinted to there.  

I thought religious institution like churches are free, this one ain’t. Paid 20 pesos in the office at your right hand side of the entrance, the museum is at your left.  It’s padlocked and I was escorted by a staff getting in, I was the only one interested to see it during that day I guess.  If you have limited time, save your 20 and give it a miss.  It’s nothing but a room with some religious stuff and black & white photos of churches, beneficial for me though as I’ve seen lots of pictures of old churches, most I haven’t seen, two of those are located at the city outskirt.  I didn’t waste time, dashed out of there, jumped on a tricycle and instructed the driver to take me to San Vicente Church at the town with the same name and Sta. Catalina Church, at – you’ve guessed it right – Sta. Catalina town.

Established in 1795, St. Vincent Ferrer Church is a beautiful  baroque-style church painted in yellow with 2 two layers of columns on its façade divided by ornate architraves.

Facade of San Vicente Church.

Interior of San Vicente Church.

Santa Catalina Church

I took another tricycle along the road few steps from the gate of San Vicente Church to take me to Santa Catalina Church.

Sta. Catalina is also a baroque-style church painted in white with red roofing, built during the 17th century.  Inside the church, one will find antique images of saints and a 15th century vintage bell made of copper and gold which was brought by the Spaniards in the 15th century.

Santa Catalina Church

Stairs leading to the belfry of the church.

Brief Info:

St. Vincent Parish Church has seen San Vicente evolved from a simple small sub part named Barrio Tuanong of Vigan City to an independent town that would be the local furniture town. Miracles are attributed to the parish’s patron saint, St. Vincent Ferrer, attracting pilgrims from far and near. The parish was established in 1795 and the feast day of St. Vincent Ferrer is celebrated on April 5. [Sanvicente-ilocossur] 

Sta. Catalina can rightfully boast of its centuries-old church which was built during the 17th century, it has baroque architecture and antique images of saints and a big "campana"- a 15th century vintage bell made of copper and gold which was brought by the Spaniards in the 15th century. [stacatalina.org]

Expenses:

Sights	San Vicente Church (in the town of San. Vicente) Sta. Catalina Church (in Sta. Catalina)	Entry Free
Transports	Tricycle fare from Vigan centrum – San Vicente Tricycle fare from San Vicente Church – Sta. Catalina Church Tricycle fare from Sta. Catalina – Vigan centrum	40 20 40
Hotel	Vigan Hotel Telephone: +63 (77) 722.19.06 Mob.: +63 9155498753	395

How to get there:

Vigan is a city in Ilocos Sur, 7 hours by bus (Partas Bus Co., Dominion Bus Lines, Viron Transit, and St. Joseph) from Manila. 

From Vigan, hail a tricycle anywhere from Vigan’s heritage village to San Vicdednte Church, pay 20 - 40 pesos one-way. And then, from  San Vicente Church to Sta. Catalina Church (by tricycle also), pay 20 pesos.  Getting back to Vigan heritage village, pay 40 pesos.

Next destination - the summer capital of the Philippines - BAGUIO City.  

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