| Parish Church of Bulusan (St. James the Greater Parish Church) | |
|---|---|
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Bulusan, Sorsogon,Philippines |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Parish Church |
| Status | active |
| Architectural description | |
| Completed | Third Facade Reconstruction 1982 |
| Specifications | |
St. James the Greater Parish Church, Bulusan
St. James the Greater Parish in Bulusan, Sorsogon, Philippines is one of the four oldest churches in the Diocese of Sorsogon. Other mother churches are that of Bacon in Sorsogon City, Casiguran and Pilar. It has an estimated population of 18,000 parishioners all over the town. The parish was dedicated to St. James the Greater, son of Zebedee.[Mark 3:17]
History
Bulusan, like the rest of Sorsogon, was still a part of the province of Albay till October 17, 1894.[1][2] In Inarado, the fourthparroquia [ parish ] of the present Province of Sorsogon, was established in the year 1630. After being merely a part ofCasiguran (established in 1600), Bulusan became an independent parish followingBacon (established in 1617) and the parish of Sorsogon (established in 1628). It became a separate pueblo civil [town] in 1631. The new parish was then placed under the tutelary of St. James, the Greater - the National Patron Saint of Spain. A certain Fr. Miguel de Sta. Ana became its first parish priest, exercising one-man authority over ecclesiastical and civil functions. The people also selected the first executive of the place, agobernadorcillo.[3]
In 1760, the town was transferred from Inarado to its present site at the mouth of Bulusan River. This was triggered by the need to trade with neighboring settlements. The relocation was done through the efforts of Fr. Joaquin de los Santos, the parish priest at that time. Under the friar's guidance, the people chose Bernardino Pasion as first head of the town. The natives started building a church in the place where a new one now stands. This initial development formed the nucleus of the present poblacion or a town center.
The church now is under the vicariate of San Antonio Parish in Gubat, Sorsogon.
[edit]Points of Interest
- Punta Diamante is the muralla or a stone fort that encloses the church complex remains grand in its antiquity.
- The Belfry or Kampanaryo which was erected separate from the church and is part of Punta Diamante. Like the walls, it is made of coral stones. It is the largest of five towers in the complex.
- The Ascension Tower or the Dagitan is the newly built structure outside the murals used during early morning Easter Sunday celebration when "angels" performed by children take off the veils of sorrow from the mother of Jesus Christ. The celebration is known in the Philippines as salubongreenacting the glorious meeting of Mother Mary and Jesus after the resurrection.
[edit]List of Local Churches Under the Parish
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