Learn more about one of the oldest churches in the Philippines.
The Saint James the Great Parish Church is a Spanish colonial church located at Brgy. Germinal in Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines.
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| Saint James the Great Parish facade |
The church was made out of black coral stones. The church underwent series of natural and man-made calamities, such as the 1788 earthquake, 1819 fire incident, and Typhoon Emong in 2009.
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WHAT TO BRING FOR BOLINAO
Here are some things you might consider bringing with you for your day tour / adventure:
- Stylish face mask
- Water container/tumbler to rehydrate
- Sunscreen for skin protection
- Goggles for swimming or snorkeling
- Stylish Swimsuit
- Travel backpack / luggage
- Reusable vacuum storage packs
- Selfie stick
- Waterproof phone case
- Acion cam
- Camping tent
- WiFi kit
- Power bank
Shopee is my go-to app for things I needed like the ones above. If you'd like discounts and vouchers, you may get the best offers here:
FIRST MASS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Odoric did not return to Italy till the end of 1329 or the beginning of 1330; but, as regards intermediate dates, all that we can deduce from his narrative or other evidence is that he was in western India soon after 1321 (pretty certainly in 1322) and that he spent three years in China between the opening of 1323 and the close of 1328.
On one of his trips, his ship was nearly capsized by a typhoon but they landed safely in Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines. He is said to have held a Mass there, in around 1324. That would have pre-dated the Mass celebrated in 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan, which is generally regarded as the first Mass in the Philippines, by some 197 years.
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| Entering Bolinao Church |
However, historian William Henry Scott concluded after examining Odoric's writings about his travels that he likely never set foot on Philippine soil and, if he did, there is no reason to think that he celebrated Mass.
Marker from the Saint James the Great Parish Church
St. James the Great Parish
Bolinao, Pangasinan, was canonically erected in the year 1609 when the Augustinian Friars took over this mission territory which was earlier entrusted by the Spanish Colonial Government to the Dominican Friars in the year 1594 and left the place in the year 1607 due to the vastness of their mission territories and the scarcity of their missionary members.
The Church tower of Bolinao measuring seventy-five (75) feet was then the tallest in the whole Pangasinan if not in the entire Northern Luzon. However, an earthquake in 1788 toppled about half of it. Then in 1819, the Church Convent was also accidentally burned.
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| St. James the Great Parish Marker |
The church tower of Bolinao used to be the tallest in Pangasinan until an earthquake destroyed half of the tower in 1788. The church convent was accidentally burned in 1819.
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| Bolinao, Pangasinan Marker |
ATTRACTIONS TO SEE IN MANILA
Klook.comHOW TO GET TO SAINT JAMES THE GREAT PARISH CHURCH (BOLINAO CHURCH)
You can get to Bolinao via bus or by your own vehicle. Here are some important guidelines for you that will help you get there. |
| Bolinao Town Proper on weekend |
By Bus
Generally, there are three main bus service providers who organize trips to Bolinao, Pangasinan. They offer both day and night services. You can make your bookings on an AC or non AC bus. It’s all up to you. You can just go directly or call these Bus operators listed below:
- Victory Liner (Cubao Terminal)
- Five Star Bus Inc. ( Pasay Terminal)
- Dagupan Bus Line (Cubao Terminal)
You can check ticket rates via 12go Asia:
Travel time to Bolinao
It takes 5 to 6 hours to reach this town. If you are traveling by bus, stopovers would be at Dau, Tarlac, and Alaminos. Make sure to carry some food along with you. In order to get trip plans, ticket booking, and other important details, you might get in touch with the bus service providers. Upon reaching Bolinao town proper, you would have to take a tricycle in order to reach your hotel or resort.
By Private Car
It is one of the best and convenient ways to reach Bolinao. If you have your own car then you won’t have to worry about the time. You can tour around freely. You can take the Subic, Clark, and Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) route in order to view the scenic beauty of the landscapes of Bolinao.
ACTIVITIES AND TOURS IN MANILA
Saint James the Great Parish Church
Address: Arnedo, Saturnino Camangian, Bolinao, Pangasinan
Mass Schedule: 6:00 AM - 7:00 AM, 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
This is part of my 2D1N Alaminos-Bolinao Trip in 2015.
Sites visited:
- The Hundred Islands (ALAMINOS)
- Saint James the Great Parish Church (BOLINAO)
- Cocos Beach Resort (ILOG MALINO)
- Rock View Beach (PATAR)
- Cape Bolinao Lighthouse (PATAR)
- Patar Beach (PATAR)
- The Enchanted Cave (PATAR)
There's a lot of tourist spots to see and visit in Pangasinan!
IMPORTANT NOTE: The rates, contact details and other information indicated in this post are accurate from the time of writing but may change without IMFWJ's notice. Should you know the updated information, please message us on Facebook. saint james the great parish church (bolinao) st james the great parish alabang wedding rates st james the great parish online mass st james the great parish ayala alabang st james the great parish mass schedule st james the great parish alabang history st james church mass today st james the greater parish church ibaan, batangas
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