San Jose Parish Church

It is believed that San Jose was founded by the legendary bornean datus which were the core of the Philippines' Malay Civilization. It is a part of Irong-Irong which's name simply means Nose-like. The name was hispanized to Ilong-ilong then Yloilo or Iloilo. The natives call this place Catalwan and in the bounds of the 16th and the 17th centuries, it was called La Punta.The terrain of San Jose is very poor, It is dry and infertile, however trade and commerce is continually flourishing. The construction of San Jose Church was initiated in 1873 through Fr. Mauricio Blanco. The architectural plan of this church was based from the Spanish Church of Miguelete of Valencia del Cid.The church of San Jose is a plain Byzantine Church in a Neoclassic symmetry. There is an absence of a secondary cornice in the Facade which gives the church a one-levelled affair. However, the secondary windows just above the entrance arches of the Church propose the location of the choir loft. There is an existing outbalance between the church facade and the twin towers. The four-levelled belfry flies out of the one-story facade, thus giving the structure a colossal allure. The Statue of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary is one of the church's priceless artifacts. This treasure was found on September 29, 1614.

Photos by: Explore Iloilo