Baclayon Church: A Long Walk Away

If you’d go to Baclayon with no tourist guide, you wouldn’t be acquianted with the colorful history of the church. Baclayon Church is considered as one of the oldest church in the Philippines dating back to 1717.

Baclayon Church

The church was actually made by the locals, with the use of coral stones quarried from the sea, cut into square blocks and held together by a mixture of shells, lime, and egg whites to cement the blocks together.

Thick walls of the church made of coral stone blocks quarried from the sea

The church also has an adjoining detached tower which serves as a bell tower. During the olden days, the tower also served as a vantage point overlooking the Bohol sea to warn the locals of marauding pirates.

Typical of any Spanish era church, Baclayon Church also has ornate ceilings, altar area and colorful stained glass windows.

Ornate altar area with all the saints on display

Simple yet colorful stained glass windows on the thick walls of the church

According to the locals, the name Baclayon was taken from the Visayan word ‘Baklay’, which means ‘Walk’ in English. In the olden days, Baclayon was the seat of the Spanish religious missionaries and Tagbilaran was just small satelite community. To hear Sunday mass, the locals from Tagbilaran would walk a long way towards the church which was the main church then, thus the term ‘Baklayon’.

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Update: Oct 15, 2010: Mr Marianito Jose Luspo made a coment on this blog to correct the information about where the word Baklayon came from. Thanks Sir!

Unfortunately, many visitors to Bohol do not avail of the services of a local tour guide. Either they could not afford to pay for one or they feel they know too much of the place to rely on one. Both, of course, miss one whole dimension of the visit – the historical one, and the visit becomes a mere sightseeing trip; appreciation comes from understanding. As regards the meaning of the name Baklayon, the point of reference is actually not Tagbilaran which is in fact a parvenu among Bohol’s old town. The point of reference was the ancient pre-Hispanic kingdom of Dapitan that used to stand on the water between Dauis and the mainland of Bohol. Until its demise in 1563, the kingdom of Dapitan was the biggest and most important settlements in Bohol second only to Loboc. When its inhabitants decided to abandon the city in fear of the invading Ternatean-Portuguese forces, these people abandoned their home and fled back to Mindanao where they built another city by the same name. Meanwhile the local vassal of the former Dapitan kings, Datu Sikatuna of Bohol, reestablished himself in a new settlement located a mere “walking distance”(roughly 3 kilometers away) from the abandoned megapolis. Thus, Baklayon, a place a good walking distance from old Dapitan.”

Ref. Fr Combes “Historia de Mindanao y sus adjacentes” found in Blair & Robertson.

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Dome Altar Ceiling

For the antique lovers, the Baclayon church holds a treasure trove of religious relics at the second floor of the old convent. You just would have to pay a small fee for the maintenance of the museum.

Entrance to both the church and the museum

Ante-room to the sacristy and church area where some of the antiques are on display

Tip: Baclayon church adheres to strict dress codes as mandated by the Catholic Church. So for the ladies, if you are sporting sleeveless shirt, plunging neckline, mini skirt or shorts, be prepared to be given a piece of cloth by the church ushers to be used as shoals or long skirts before you are allowed inside the church. For the people who have personal hygene issues on using the same cloth previously used by other visitors, it is advised for you to dress accordingly or, bring your own cloth :p

Instant green shoal and skirt for ladies in sleeveless shirt and shorts, handed out before you enter the church

Baclayon Church is not the only attraction in that area. For the photoholics, across the street from the church yard, is a small public garden area fronting the Bohol sea. Just a few meters away is a fisherman’s wharf with a small lighthouse. If the sea is tempting you for a short dip, you can wade through the shallow waters near the wharf.