Albay Heritage Month Feature: St.

Stephen the Protomartyr Church of Ligao

St. Stephen the Protomartyr Parish Church is a Roman Catholic church in Ligao City, Albay.
Popularly known as Ligao Church, it was first made of wood when built by Franciscan priests
between 1608 and 1614. It was dedicated to St. Stephen the Protomartyr who was stoned to death
for his Christian teachings according to the Acts of the Apostles. The church was then under the
parish of Polangui. Later, it became part of the parish of Oas until 1665 when it became
independent. The first parish priest assigned to Ligao was the Franciscan Fr. Pedro Espallargas
who invented the abaca-stripping machine.

The first wooden church of Ligao was destroyed in a fire and another wooden church was built
to replace it. The second wooden church was also burned. This was replaced in 1676 with a
church of stone and bricks by Fr. Francisco Vicente, who dedicated it to Our Lady of the
Immaculate Conception. In 1709, the church was renovated again by Fr. Ildefonso de San
Buenaventura using stone as building materials. This stone church is the one that survives to the
present.

The main façade of the church was built in 1812 by Fr. Manuel Royo using volcanic stones. Fr.
Royo’s innovation in this façade is the use of alternating pediment for the windows. Although
used since the Roman times, this architectural feature is most associated with the Italian
Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, who popularized it in his buildings. Normally, the
triangular and semicircular pediments alternate when they are placed side by side. But in Ligao
Church, the windows in the lower row use triangular pediments while those in the upper row use
semicircular pediments.

In 1846, the church was repaired and a convento or parish house (casa parroquial) was built next
to it, also made of stone. This was made under the supervision of Fr. Tomas de Alfáfara. In 1880,
the bell tower was embellished by Fr. Manuel Crespo, a poet-priest assigned in Ligao.

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In celebration of the month of May as National Heritage Month, the Provincial Government of
Albay launches Albay Heritage Month, a virtual program highlighting the significant heritage
properties that have given Albay and the Albayanos their unique identity.

One heritage property is to be featured on social media daily. Every Albayano is enjoined to
participate in the celebration by taking efforts to learn, appreciate, and promote their heritage.

Text: Kurt S. Zepeda - Provincial Tourism, Culture and Arts Office (PTCAO)