St. Louis de Toulouse Church

MY NIECE, APRIL, messaged me on Facebook to ask for details on how to get to a certain place in Laguna. I had been there almost two years ago, and wanting to give her the exact info, I searched Profound Bliss for my post regarding that place. And then I realized I wasn’t able to blog about it. Good thing I still have the photos, and the notes of my visit is still intact in one of my many little notebooks.

IT WAS IN that rainy day of September 12, 2010. A friend and I first went to Kamay ni Hesus in Lucban, Quezon, but knowing it wouldn’t take all day to tour the place, I brought with me a list of nearby places to visit.

By 11:30 AM, we’ve seen all there was to see in Kamay ni Hesus and we’re already inside a tricycle that would take us to the town proper of Lucban to see the old church. We paid the driver ten pesos per head that time, I wonder how much more expensive it is now.

The St. Louis de Toulouse Church was built in 1595. It was ruined in 1629 and was rebuilt between 1630 and 1640. The second church, though, was heavily damaged by fire in 1733. It was again rebuilt in 1738 to what it is now. The convent was completed in 1743. The World War II lightly damaged the church but the Historical Commission restored it in 1966.

Above was the NHI marker put up in 1939.

Going to places as old as this church makes me wonder what it was like back in the days. I’m sure it was such a picturesque scene, especially on Sundays, with the Indios in their native saya and kimona for the women and colorful camisa de chino for the men, and the Spaniards in their European clothes – top hats, umbrellas, fans, Sunday hats with feathers. (Forgive me, though, if I have mixed the eras in clothing my imaginary characters.)

And then Sisa would come looking for Crispin and Basilio in the belfry… now that’s Noli Me Tangere!

The church was closed at the time we were there. There was an open side door blocked by an office table and there was a woman behind it but she was eating her lunch so we didn’t bother asking if we could come in. What we asked her, however, was where to have our own lunch (LoL!) and the directions to the jeepney station going to our next stop (which was the place my niece was asking me about).

To be continued…

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