AUGUSTINIANS
History
Period: 1565-1898
Areas Covered: Luzon & Visayas Region
1565 - Cebu
 Andres Urdaneta
 From Spain through Mexico
The first group of Augustinians, under
the leadership of the Venerable Andres
Urdaneta, came to the Philippines in
1565 from Spain through Mexico as the
pioneers in the Catholic Church‘s task of
evangelization in that part of the globe.
Originally establishing themselves in
Cebu, these missionaries soon expanded
their apostolic activities to the
neighboring towns and islands and later
to almost all the other principal regions
of the archipelago.
March 7, 1575
 Fr. Tadeo de Perusa
 Santisimo Nombre de Jesus de
Filipinas (Most Holy Name of
Jesus of the Philippines)
On March 7, 1575, the then Prior General
of the Order, Fr. Tadeo de Perusa,
decreed the creation of a new
Augustinian Province in the Philippines
under the title Santisimo Nombre de
Jesus de Filipinas – Most Holy Name of
Jesus of the Philippines.
1565-1898
 Founded almost 300 towns and churches
During the Spanish colonial times in the
Philippines, they founded almost three hundred
towns and churches.
Contributions of the Spanish Augustinians in the
Philippines
• Grammars and dictionaries
o Tagalog, Kapampangan, Ilocano,
Hiligaynon & Cebuano
• Doctrinal and devotional books about history
Established:
• Hospital de Lazaro
• Casa de Asilo
• Hospital in Candaba, Pampanga
AUGUSTINIAN CHURCHES
1. San Agustin Church (Intramuros, Manila)
Materials: Nipa & Bamboo
Construction started in 1571
Architect: Juan Macias
• Iglesia y Convento de San Pablo
• The San Agustin church was rebuilt three
times due to man-made and natural
disasters.
• Oldest church in the Philippines
• Historical Landmark (UNESCO,
government)
• 1574 – burning of the city and the San
Agustin Church (Limahong)
• First reconstruction -made of wooden
materials
• 1583 – another fire caused the
destruction of the Church
 Floor Plans: • Localized Baroque, Gothic design
• Gables – Chinese Architecture
• Aside from Baroque, the church facade
also exudes Javanese architecture
reminiscent of Borobudur of Java.
• Surrounding the church’s complex is a
school and various commercial centers,
which cater to locals who frequent the
church and more especially to tourists
who come to be awed by the old
architecture and the outstanding
resilience of the building.
3. Miag-ao Church (Miagao, Iloilo)
Materials: adobe, egg, coral and
limestone.
• Baroque Romanesque architectural style
• Its ochre in color
• The church's foundation is 6 meters deep
• Massive stone walls at 1.5 meters thick
are intensified through the use of 4
meters thick flying buttresses as
protection to the Moro invaders as
stipulated under Royal Decree 111 of
1573 (Law of the Indies).

2. Paoay Church (Paoay, Ilocos Norte) 4. Sto. Nino Basilica (Cebu City)

Construction: 1694 – 1710 Architect: Rev. Juan de Albarran

Architect: Father Antonio Construction 1739 – 1740

Estavillo
Materials: stone
Materials: coral stone and
• Inside, a museum showcases Cebu’s
bricks
Christianity history
• 24 enormous buttresses on both sides
• Built on the grounds where an image of
• “Earthquake Baroque” the Sto. Nino was found amongst the
burnt rubble of a house
Bell Tower – observation post of the
Katipuneros • Façade – combination of Muslim,
Romaneque, & Neo-Classical
• The church's bell tower served as an architecture
observatory post for the Filipinos during
the Philippine revolution.
 • Massive dome, arcade of faux Doric original his painting of the Holy
columns, ornate pediments Family, the artesian well (dug
in the 1800s) in the patio – the
5. Pan-ay Church (Panay, Capiz) first well in the country to be so
Construction: 1774
situated, and the rare betis tree
• has been called "an excellent example " nearby donated by Prof. Randy
of the type of Filipino colonial Baroque David, a sociologist and native
style that has blended well with the Neo- of the town. A two-minute walk
Classical Influence from the church is the restored
David House, ancestral home of
• -The church is built of coral blocks and is Randy David, which they
approximately 70 metres long, 25 m in christened Bale Pinauid or
width and 18 m in height; the walls are Bahay Pawid.
about 3 metres thick and covered in
marble.
• The church has an unusually large bell, • Fire broke out within the church several
the largest in the country. times due to these light materials so it
was finally built with concrete materials
• In the topmost tier of its five level belfry in 1770.
is the biggest and the mostly likely the
heaviest Christian bell in Asia which was • dubbed as “the Sistine Chapel” of the
cast in 1878 using 70 sacks of coins. it is Philippines.
about 7ft. in height and 5ft. in diameter
• Betis used to be a town before it was
and weighs 10.4 tons
merged with other sitios now forming
• It was declared a National Landmark by Guagua. The church was built by
the national Historical Institute of the Augustinian priests from 1660 to 1670.
Philippines on 1997
• The main door, the entrance to the
• The grand structure is shaped in the form Church features some heavy details. The
of a Latin Cross with one large central carvings portray the “Gates of Paradise”
altar and four lateral ones, the gilded • Baroque Church
retablos is gilded gorgeously sculptured
of a fine hardwood.
6. Betis Church (Guagua, Pampanga)
Materials: wood & Stucco
Construction: 1600-1670
Architect: Fr. Jose dela Cruz
• Simon Flores (1839 – 1904)
The main attraction of the
Church is the original ceiling
mural done by the famous
painter Simon Flores (1839-
1904). Not to be missed are the