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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Barasoain Church: Cradle of the Republic

The 114th anniversary of the independence of the Philippine Republic is being celebrated today. Considering that Malolos was the seat of this Republic, I will be sharing some pictures of the historical shrine Barasoain Church.

The First Philippine Congress convened there on September 15, 1898.  The church also saw the drafting of the Malolos Constitution from September 29, 1898 to January 21, 1899.  The First Philippine Republic was inaugurated there on January 23, 1899. Barasoain Church was declared a National Shrine by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 260 on August 1, 1973.



Barasoain Church front











Historical markers at the front of the church:

Barasoain Church marker












Being the president of the First Philippine Republic, there is a statue of Emilio Aguinaldo near the front gate of the church yard.

Emilio Aguinaldo statue





Aside from Aguinaldo, former President Joseph Estrada was also sworn in at the Barasoain Church on June 30, 1998.

Interestingly, the terms of Aguinaldo and Estrada ended prematurely:

Aguinaldo was captured by American forces in Palanan, Isabela on March 23, 1901 paving the way for the end of the First Philippine Republic.

On the other hand, Estrada was ousted by popular revolt on January 20, 2001 over charges of plunder, the trial of which being heard by the Senate that time.

Now let us go to the interiors of the church. The existing structure was built in 1885, so we can expect European influences on the architecture.

Barasoain Church interior






President Benigno S. Aquino III led the flag-raising ceremony that was held there as part of the Independence Day celebrations on June 12, 2012. 

Barasoain Church is also depicted in different versions of the 10-peso bill.

It can also be recalled that the 1991 remake film Lucio and Miguel, starring Redford White and Eric Quizon, was shot there. However, I'll skip the details of this movie, which will be a subject of a future post.

Barasoain Church is only about 45 kilometers from Manila.  I suggest to readers to make a visit, observe, and gain insights into the birth of our nation.
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19 comments:

  1. AdminJune 18, 2012 at 9:50 AM

    Great piece of information. Truly, the Philippines has a rich history. Keep it comin'.

    ReplyDelete
  2. biyachessaJune 18, 2012 at 11:15 AM

    i've only been here once and hindi ko pa sya masyado naappreciate. the place definitely looks like a place of history, sa labas palang. we weren't able to go inside, because the church was unfortunately closed that day. :(

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  3. UnknownJune 18, 2012 at 12:35 PM

    One of the most understated and neglected piece of history. Kulang sa promotion. Sayang. Napakagandang lugar pa mandin.

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  4. lakwatserongunggoyJune 18, 2012 at 12:47 PM

    i wanted to visit this church again. my first and last visit was when we had our field trip during elementary years. haha!

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  5. Budget BiyaheraJune 18, 2012 at 4:43 PM

    This post of yours reminded me of my recent trip to Ilocos -- of Paoay Church and the Malacanang of the North. Malolos and Ilocos may have a few similarities when it comes to old structures and of culture rich stories.

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  6. Franc RamonJune 18, 2012 at 6:12 PM

    Barasoain Church is such a beautiful and historical church. I was able to see the church several times attending a wedding in that venue.

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  7. UnknownJune 18, 2012 at 6:36 PM

    A historical and magnificent church

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  8. dimaks | The Urban WalkerJune 19, 2012 at 12:22 AM

    Thanks for taking us back into the cradle - of history, beginning and one of the pivot points where our nation started to traverse its course. That place is indeed a must visit.

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  9. BluesolsticeJune 19, 2012 at 6:23 AM

    interesting point also is that it was Paterno who seemed to be the first "president" when the Malolos Congress was convened.

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  10. Maria Gemma HilotinJune 19, 2012 at 9:12 AM

    I'd love for my kids to visit important places in the Philippines.. so they'd know their roots and their country's history.

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  11. CaiJune 19, 2012 at 10:37 AM

    Looking at your pictures it looks well maintained ah, sana they'll keep it that way, baka naman later on tayuan nalang ng SM or McDo bigla yan!

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  12. Leah | DavaoBase.comJune 19, 2012 at 10:42 AM

    I've never been to Barasoain Church, but your photos are so nice, parang nakapunta na din ako. =)

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  13. AJJune 19, 2012 at 11:46 AM

    Interesting tidbit there about Aguinaldo and Estrada. And both incidents were separated by a hundred years. Bad feng shui perhaps? :))

    No matter, it's a historical church that's worth a visit. Been there once, but wasn't able to go inside. Looks well-maintained, based on your photos. I hope it's preserved appropriately though.

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  14. Noks Sosa I SiningFactory.comJune 19, 2012 at 1:44 PM

    Been here once pero sa labas lang. I was really glad na napripreserve pa rin to. At may nagbibenta kakanin sa gilid ng church, sarap! Hehehe.

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  15. rc gwenifulJune 20, 2012 at 9:10 AM

    This is one place na ang lapit lang sa metro manila pero di ko pa napuntahan. i need to schedule a visit soon.

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  16. markpogiJune 20, 2012 at 10:37 PM

    I've seen a lot of pictures of Barasoain Church from the outside. I wonder if its okay to take pictures inside the historic church.

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  17. sanchesginger@gmail.comDecember 12, 2019 at 9:04 PM

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  18. http://www.write-my.com/cheap-papers.phpDecember 12, 2019 at 9:05 PM

    The architecture of this building is not old, and this is a historical church which is worthy a visit. Why not to give it a try?

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  19. unknownJanuary 24, 2024 at 10:36 PM

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