Afternoon Stroll in Santo Tomas, Batangas: Santo Tomas Church (Part 3)

* the Santo Tomas Church façade

* the church’s bell tower

* general view of the interior;a mass was being held when we made this visit

I am writing this particular entry without the convenience of having notes with me; it seems that I have misplaced them. Nevertheless, a short mention on the church in an earlier entry should suffice (see it here).

* the church’s baptistery

* a chandelier

* detail of the floor tiling on the church’s entrance

* the high wall and high window

* Trailer Pransis and sister who is now
starting to copy my style, branding herself Prenchie

* the dark clouds parting after a brief shower of rain

* a close up view of a statue on top of a structure adjacent to the church

* first shot: a rainbow after the rain

Although the structure itself is recently made, the church ’s place speaks of many stories. For one, a school is found adjacent to it, a set-up that is traced back to the Spanish time. Also, despite the wide jurisdiction of Santo Tomas, the church is built in this particular place for several possible reasons: 1) it is close to the foot of Mount Maq uiling, 2) for easy access to the administering Spaniards.

* men with their staff;

below the statue on the foreground is the following citation:

“July 26, 1927 Sadosta: In Honor of Sister A. Ann,
First Principal of St. Thomas Academy”

* the blooming fire trees outside the church

* another statue with a staff found outside the church

* an old, cracked bell of the Santo T omas church;
casted most probably in 1894 as can be seen on the engraving on the bell itself
(I wonder if UST Archivist Regalado Trota Jose as already studied the bells of Batangas)

* the church’s intricately detailed retablo

* a side altar

On a more popular note, the church is the place where the wedding of Senator Tito Sotto and his wife was secretly (or was it hastily?) held. Recently, they went back to the place to renew their vows. [A disclaimer: this note must not, in any way, be taken as a sign that I am into the show business. I remembered these details as it concerned the c hurch.]

* saints by the window

* a few lingering devotees after the mass

* view of the altar inside the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament

* a taclobo: most likely donated by the Cursillitas of Santo Tomas, Batangas

* St. Thomas Aquinas

* the center aisle

[How to go to Santo Tomas, Batangas Church: From Manila, one can board a bus bound for Lucena or Dalahican (in Quezon Province). Such buses can be found along EDSA Kamuning and at the bus terminal at Gil Puyat LRT Station along Taft Avenue. For easy descriptions, you can just tell the bus conductor to drop you off at the Sto. Tomas public market. From there you can hail a tricycle to take you to the town church. But be wary as some tricycle drivers tend to overcharge those who they see as town tourists. Alternatively, you can just drop off at Jollibee Sto. Tomas, found a few meters before you reach the public market. There is a street on the store’s side and one can follow the street up to the PUP-Sto. Tomas Campus. The church is actually not far from the said school.]