In 1870, La Paz Church was established as an independent parish, with Fr. Candido Gonzales serving as its first parish priest. Fr. Gonzales initiated the construction of a convent and a place of worship made of wood and bricks. Between 1870 and 1874, he began building the colonial stone church, which was completed in 1895 under the leadership of Fr. Mariano Ysar.[3]
Despite surviving the ruins of the Second World War and the devastating 1948 earthquake that destroyed the Oton Church, the church sustained significant damage. Reconstruction efforts were spearheaded by Fr. Melecio Fegarido in the 1960s, and the restored structure was consecrated on May 24, 1995.
The parish was served by fourteen Augustinian priests before its administration was turned over to the secular clergy in 1910. Over the decades, the church became the mother parish to several daughter parishes in La Paz and Lapuz districts, namely Our Lady of the Assumption Church (1952), St. Clement's Church (1962), Our Lady of Fatima Church (1972), and San Lorenzo Church (1992).
Architecture
The neoclassical La Paz Church, resembling the San Jose Placer Parish Church, features symmetrical bell towers flanking a facade of red-brown bricks with white accents. The facade is divided horizontally by cornices into panels with arched apertures and pilasters, topped by a pediment with carvings of a sailboat, flora, fauna, and the Chi-Rho symbol at its apex. The octagonal belfries are capped with domes, lanterns, and crosses.
Two Ionic columns from 1970 vertically divide the facade, framing the main arched doorway, a heart-shaped low relief of a holy figure, and the niche of the patron saint. The lintel bears the inscription "NSTRA. SRA. DE LA PAZ Y BUENA VIAJE" beneath an ornamental pediment.
The interior has three naves without transepts. The main nave is bordered by pillars supporting a clerestory of windows, while the ceiling is decorated with rafters and repeating cross motifs, echoed in the side naves.[4]
References
^"La Paz Church: Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Church - Philippines Tour Guide". Philippines Tour Guide - Guide to Philippines Tourism & Top Philippines Travel Destinations like Cebu, Bohol, Boracay, Camiguin, Manila & Davao. Philippines Travel Guide, Updated Information, Facts, History, Culture, Tradition & Honest Personal Experiences. June 23, 2011. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
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