FACTS ABOUT THE OLDEST CHURCH OF SILANG BAYAN

The Our Lady of Candelaria Parish Church, commonly known as the Silang Church, is a Roman
Catholic parish church in the municipality of Silang, in the province of Cavite, Philippines under
the Roman Catholic Diocese of Imus. Its titular is the Our Lady of Candelaria (also Our Lady of
Candles). The church is known for its Spanish colonial architectural style and the rococo-
influenced retablos. It is the oldest existing stone church in the province of Cavite having
completed in 1639.

The church and retablo of the Our Lady of Candelaria Parish was declared a National Cultural
Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines on 3 February 2017.

The Our Lady of Candelaria Parish, also known as the Silang Church, is the oldest standing
church in Cavite. Founded in 1595, the church’s present structure was built from 1637 to 1639.

The Silang Church was founded in 1595 by the Franciscans, who built a chapel and school using
light materials. This first structure, however, was destroyed by a fire in 1603. By that time, the
Jesuits were assigned to Silang, and the present stone structure was built from 1637 to 1639
under the leadership of Father Juan de Salazar. It was dedicated to the Nuestra Senora de
Candelaria in 1640.Unlike other Jesuit churches built under the auspices of Father Salazar in
Antipolo and Tanay, the Silang Church has a simple facade without any intricate ornamentation.
This was largely due to the death of Father Salazar in 1640. The church’s interior is similarly
stark, with high-placed small windows and simple pilasters.

The Silang Church RetablosThe Silang Church itself may not be the most majestic in the country,
but its 17th century retablos are nothing short of awe-inspiring. Commonly found in old Roman
Catholic churches, a retablo is an intricately carved multi-tiered altarpiece. This structure is
usually embellished with decorations such as scrolls, rosettes, and cherubs.Typically made of
wood, retablos boast elaborate ledges and panels, as well as multiple niches for images of
saints. The topmost niche is usually reserved for the church’s patron saints, while the lower
niches are occupied by saints affiliated with the church’s religious order.

The Silang Church has three retablos: one retablo mayor (or main altar) and two colaterales (or
side altars). The altar mayor depicts the story of Jesus in the life of Mary, based on the mysteries
of the Holy Rosary. The much-revered image of the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, the patroness
of Silang, occupies the central niche of the first level.