Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio de Maria Parish Church (Our Lady of the Patronage of Mary Parish Church), commonly known as Boljoon Church, is a Catholic church dedicated to Our Lady of Patrocinio in the municipality of Boljoon, in southern Cebu.
It has been declared a national cultural treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines and a national historic monument by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. It is also being considered for inclusion among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Philippines as part of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines.
The church is a fortress church, built of coral stones and situated on a hill near the sea. It was originally used as a watchtower against Moro raids. The church is renowned for its original terracotta tiles, murals and Philippine Baroque style, which can be seen mainly on the choir and pulpit.
Twenty-eight pillars support the 2-metre-thick walls, made of mortar and lime. The ceiling paintings are the work of Boljoon-born Miguel Villarreal. The church’s three doors and walls are made of coral stone and were built between 1802 and 1808 under the auspices of Father Bermejo.
The main altarpiece, also very Baroque in style, features gold-leaf highlights and polychrome accents. On the altar’s central niche is the image of Boljoon’s patron saint, Our Lady of Patrocinio, brought by Father Bartolomé de Garcia from Spain in 1599. A side chapel on the left side of the church is also dedicated to her.
The rectangular bell tower had seven bells. The first floor of the tower was used as a prison cell, probably for pirates, as can be surmised from the drawings of ships on the walls.
Adjacent buildings were also built to complement the church and its fortifications, such as the convent, whose second floor now houses a museum containing liturgical objects such as registers, images of saints, vestments and other relics.
The church square, known locally as Muraya, is mainly used for major church activities. It is believed to be an ancient cemetery and Hispanic burial site. Archaeological excavations undertaken by the University of San Carlos have revealed several burial sites, antique jars and dishes, a necklace and a gold earring.
The gold earring, the first archaeological find of its kind in a Philippine burial site, probably belonged to a person of high rank and was a sign of “wealth, influence or great power”.
Also known as the fortress or Dakong Balay (big house), the rectangular blockhouse was first built by Father Julian Bermejo when he came to Boljoon in 1808. Measuring 120 by 80 meters, it served as an artillery magazine and the main fortress for the church. It is a two-storey structure built of coral stone with a tile-covered parapet, which today serves as the bell tower.
The cemetery: the first burials in Boljoon cemetery probably took place in the 1760’s. It was closed when a public cemetery was opened. Its gates could have been built in the 1700s, or in 1783 when the present church was built. Composed of coral stones, the cemetery has a symmetrical stone-arched walkway with a three-layered pediment, finials on both sides of the two lower layers, and a stone relief of a human skeleton on top. The walls are also adorned with a relief of a human skull and bones.
The Ruins of the Ilihan Watchtower: An ancient square coral stone watchtower stands on the coast, facing Bohol. It is said to have been built by Father Bermejo as part of the church’s massive fortification efforts.