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Our Lady of the Assumption Church (Maragondon Church)
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Province	Diocese of Imus
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Parish Church
Status	active
Location
Location	Maragondon,[Cavite]],Philippines
Geographic coordinates	14.626635°N 121.010202°E / 14.626635; 121.010202
Architecture
Type	Church
Style	Baroque
Completed	1714
Materials	masonry

The Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Churchcommonly known as Maragondon Church is the only heritage structure in Cavite declared by the National Museum as National Cultural Treasure, strategically located at the heart of the town of Maragondon.

History

Before 1611 Maragondon was established as a separate town from Silang by the Jesuit Angelo Armano. Before this year the Franciscans were already actively evangelizing the area. ” In 1630 a second church with more elaborate furnishings was completed. During this year hacienda in Looc, straddling the boundaries of Batangas and Cavite, bequeathed to the Jesuits’ Colegio de Manila, was added to Maragondon’s jurisdiction. In 1633 a new and bigger church was built to replace the older and smaller one, the church stone for some time between 1646 to 1649. The government ordered its demolition for fear that the Dutch, who were at war with Spain, would use it and other churches near Manila for fortification. The orders were apparently implemented because on May 16, 1550 a license was given to the Jesu”its to build a house and church of wood in Maragondon to replace the one that had been demolished. File:Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Church, Magondon, Cavite 08.JPG|left|Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Church interior Repairs were made on the convent between 1666 and 1672. In 1687 another church was begun although the construction was interrupted; only in 1714 was it completed. The church was repaired a number of times but data on the renovation are sketchy. After 1860 the Recollect added windows with colored glass panes, and set these in a wooded frame decorated with a quail on a plate, the attribute of San Nicolas de Tolentino. ” The secular priest de los Reyes also did some repairs probably during the convocation of the second Vatican Council which was commemorated in the Philippines with a jubilee year. To commemorate the event, a roof beam was emblazoned with inscriptions. ” Maragondon is unique among Jesuit churches for its elevation. The façade is narrow but tall, not squat as in other churches. The façade’s left is a tall bell tower with no clear divisions between the stories. It is a single shaft tapering upwards, ending in finials at the corners, and surmounted by a rounded roof. The façade is chastely ornamented with the tapering buttresses supporting it. In contrast to the façade is the door, divided into boxes, with floral designs of different shapes and ships and castles carved on it. Both in and out, the church fabric made of river stones are covered with a layer of paletada (stucco). ” The elevation found in the façade is emphasized in the interior by the use of pilasters that taper the wards. This produces a dizzying effect, as the pillars appear to soar up and sway. The main roof beams are exposed and emblazoned with biblical and commemorative captions. Over the nave the phrases are in praise of Mary, and those above the choir refer to singing as praise. The door leading from sanctuary to sacristy is also carved with flowers enclosed in boxes. ”

The church has three retablos, all brightly polychromed. The main retablo has an image of the Virgin’s assumption in the main niche. An image of balding and somewhat rotund San Ignacio flanks it, and so thus an image of San Luis Gonzaga. The whole retablo is decorated with salomonica columns, foliage, and angels with large bellies. The side retablos have lost their original estuary, and new ones have replaced what had been lost. An octagonal pulpit at the right side of the nave is also polychromed in red, blue, gold, and green. Monograms of the names of Jesus and Mary decorate the pulpit panels. Salomonica columns flank the borders of each panel. The bottom of the pulpit is decorated with swirling foliage that end in an inverted pineapple. A cross, dated 1712, is found near the church’s main entrance. ” File:Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Church, Magondon, Cavite 18.JPG|left|Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Church, Magondon, Cavite 18 Part of the convent looks older than the rest. The older part is made of rubble while the newer part is cut stone brick. An elegant staircase of stone and tile are found in the older part. A newer sacristy was added. There are remains of an old defensive wall and a blockhouse that surrounds the quadrangle formed by the church and convent. ”

Gallery

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  Convent

Bibliography

• Jose, R. T., & Ayala Museum (1991). Simbahan: Church art in colonial Philippines, 1565-1898. Metro Manila, Philippines: Ayala Museum.
• Cultural Center of the Philippines (1994). CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art: Volume III. Manila: Cultural Center of the Philippines.