St. Bartholomew Church of Nagcarlan was another church that we visited while exploring southern Luzon. The church caught our attention upon finding out that it has the same architectural design as St. John the Baptist Church of Liliw. We wanted to pay homage and find out if the facade was in a better condition than St. John the Baptist Church of Liliw.

The Town of Liliw

The town of Liliw didn’t offer us much. It is touting itself as the “Tsinelas (flip flop) Capital of the Philippines”. There were a few small shops that were selling tsinelas (flip flop) along a narrow road. There was not much to explore. Or, we didn’t do much exploring. Either way, we started heading for St. Bartholomew Church. The sun was already high up in the sky, the road traffic was way too close for comfort, and all the activities were making the air dusty.

The Road to Nagcarlan

St. Bartholomew Church of Nagcarlan is around 3 kilometers from St. John the Baptist Church of Liliw. It was a slow drive through the narrow roads and the heavier midday motor traffic. It is approximately 100 kilometers south of Metro Manila. A journey by car takes around 2 to 3 hours depending on traffic conditions. The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) is the best route to take before continuing through the provincial roads of Laguna.

A Short History of the Church

St. Bartholomew Church is a magnificent structure in the heart of Nagcarlan, Laguna. Another standing testament to the Philippines’ colonial past and enduring faith. People are often referring to it as the Nagcarlan Church. The church history started as a simple structure of nipa and wood in 1583. Similarly, it suffered the same fate of destruction by natural calamities and fire over the centuries. Efforts in restoring the church followed each wave of destruction. The last massive effort in restoring the church was in the 1990s.

The Baroque Architecture

Our dismay on seeing the exterior of the church was rewarded with what we saw inside. Two tall columns with pilasters are standing next to the statues of St. Bartholomew and a Franciscan priest. The ceiling is high and made of wood. Walls are high and decorated with religious items. Machuca tiles and blue tiles are lining the nave floor and aisle lower walls. Polished wooden pews are neatly lined and facing the altar. The altar, the main focal point of the church, is depicting the characteristic baroque design.

There was one item on the church wall that was very similar to the art items that we saw in Europe. A wood carving depicting the intercession of the Virgin Mary in purgatory with heaven on top and hell below. There was no artist credit on this wood carving. A cursory search revealed that this artwork may have been created by a local artist from nearby town of Paete.

We were back at our hotel by late afternoon. It was a busy time preparing for our flight going home. We were feeling the need again to stay longer and explore more – just like any other destination.

Thank you for taking time to read this post. We hope that you are enjoying it!

There are other photographs that can be viewed here and here.