Itbayat Church

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Itbayat Church
Santa Maria de Mayan Church
Simbahan ng Itbayat (Filipino)
Facade of Itbayat Church.jpg
The church prior to the 2019 earthquake
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Itbayat Church
Location in Batanes
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Itbayat Church
Location in Luzon
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Itbayat Church
Location in the Philippines
20°47′12″N121°50′29″E / 20.78672°N 121.84136°E / 20.78672; 121.84136
Location Itbayat, Batanes
Country Philippines
Denomination Roman Catholicism
Religious order Dominicans
History
Status Parish church
Founded1853 (1853)
Dedication Immaculate Conception
Architecture
Years built1872–1888
(most recent building)
Demolished2025
Administration
Archdiocese Tuguegarao
Diocese Prelature of Batanes

Santa Maria de Mayan Parish Church, commonly known as Itbayat Church, was a historic Roman Catholic church in Itbayat, Batanes, Philippines. It was under the jurisdiction of the Territorial Prelature of Batanes.

Contents

History

Original wooden church

The original structure of the Santa Maria de Mayan Church was made of wood. The original wooden church was built from 1853 to 1858 [1] and was placed under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception. [2]

Current stone church

Church NHI historical marker Simbahan ng Itbayat historical marker (cropped).jpg
Church NHI historical marker

Construction

The current church building was built by the Dominicans. The construction of the church building was started during the administration of Fr. Manuel Blasco in 1872. It was completed in 1888 and the church was blessed by Blasco. [1]

2019 earthquake

The church building sustained major damage during the Batanes earthquake of July 27, 2019 with its belfry tower falling off. [3]

Demolition

Demolition was planned on May 1, 2023 but was delayed due to legal reasons and issues concerning on heritage church conservation. [4]

The church was further damaged by Typhoon Kong-rey (Leon) in October 2024. [5]

The issues raised by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) was resolved by August 2025 and it was concluded that the restoration of the church is not feasible. [4] Demolition started on August 29 with plans to build a new church on the same site funded via donations. [6]

References

  1. 1 2 Simbahan ng Itbayat [Itbayat Church] (Historical marker) (in Filipino). Itbayat, Batanes: National Historical Institute. 2008.
  2. ↑ Navasero, Mandy (17 February 2013). "Five pillars of faith in Batanes". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  3. ↑ "Itbayat church, ancestral homes damaged in Batanes earthquake". Rappler . 27 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Batanes: 137-year-old Itbayat Church set for demolition". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. 6 August 2025. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  5. ↑ "Philippines: Supertyphoon destroys old church, houses, infrastructure". Gulf News. 2024-10-31. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  6. ↑ Visaya, Villamor Jr. (30 August 2025). "In Batanes, Itbayat's 137-year-old church torn down for rebuild". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
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