San Nicolas de Tolentino Church (Macabebe)

Macabebe Church
San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church
File:FvfMacabebeChurch0015 18.JPG
Macabebe Church
Location	Santa Cruz, Macabebe, Pampanga
Country	Philippines
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Founded	1575
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Fr. Felipe Tallada
Architectural type	Church
Style	Baroque, Neo-classic, Barn-style Baroque
Completed	1864
Specifications
Length	70 metres (230 ft)
Width	17 metres (56 ft)
Height	11 metres (36 ft)
Materials	Sand, gravel, cement, mortar, steel and bricks
Administration
Archdiocese	San Fernando

The San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church, commonly referred to as Macabebe Church, is a 17th-century, Baroque church located at Barangay Santa Cruz, Macabebe, Pampanga, Philippines. The parish church, under the patronage of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine, is under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando.

History

Augustinian Friars established the early Catholic community of Macabebe on March 3, 1575 as a visita or sub-parish of the nearby parish of Calumpit. Later the same year, Father Sebastian de Molina was named priest of Macabebe. On September 6, 1576, the convent of Macabebe was annexed to that of Lubao with Father Ildefonso Heredero as administrator. The first church structure, believed to have been erected between 1576 to 1583, is attributed to Father Heredero. The exact date of the construction of the present masonry church is not specified although it has been documented that Father Felipe Tallada (priest of Macabebe in 1613) reinforced the church with stronger materials. Father Tomas Gresa expanded the church in 1864. Finally, the church was completed in 1880 under the administration of Father Eleuterio Ibeas. Two major events of the late 19th-century damaged the stone-and-brick church: the earthquake of 1880 and the 1898 Filipino Revolution wherein the church purportedly was set on fire by the revolutionaries for the locals' loyalty to Spain. Renovation works were undertaken afterwards.

Architecture

The façade of the church is of Barn-style Baroque architecture, with predominantly Neo-classical features. It is bare of ornamentation save for coupled Ionic pilasters located on the two levels of the façade. The entire front is capped by a triangular pediment adorned by a rectangular saint's niche. The monotony of Neo-classical features is broken by the complex carvings on the topmost level of the three-tiered belfry attached to the right of the structure. Also adding to the contrast are the two large wooden images and floral designs etched on the main door. The church measures 70 meters long, 17 meters wide and 11 meters high. A later addition into the structure is the concrete porte-cochère.

New Altarpiece

On December 12, 2009, a new, wooden altarpiece (retablo or reredos) was installed through the initiative of a Parish Construction Committee led by parish priest, Father Ted Valencia. A new altar and lectern was also commissioned to match the new altarpiece.