Peter and Paul Church @ Bantayan Island

For 51 weeks of the year, this century old church is just like any other church that celebrates mass and serve its constituents. But come holy week, Peter and Paul Church of Bantayan Island is the focus of religious processions that attract the faithful from all over the Philippines.

The marker at its coral-stone wall reads:

"Ang Simbahang ito na inialay sa Nuestra Senora De La Asuncion ay ipinatayo ng mga paring Agustino noong Ika-11 ng Hunyo 1580. Pagkaraan, naging patron ng simbahan si San Pedro Apostol at lumawak ang sakop ng parokya hanggang sa Maripipi, Panamao at Limangcawayan sa Leyte. Sinunog ng mga mamamalakay sa Muslim noong 1600. Ito ay muling ipinatayo noong taon ding iyon at inilipat s pamamahala ng mga sekular. Ang kasalukuyang gusali ay sinimulang gawin noong 1839 at natapos noong 1863."

It has been a tradition in the Philippines that as a sign of sacrifice, red meat are prohibited to be eaten on Good Friday. However, legends has it that Pope Leo XII in 1843 allowed the people of Bantayan to eat red meat due to the difficult fishing conditions that time. Such exemption has been practiced ever since so that while the rest of the country are abstaining from eating red meat, Bantayan was allowed guilt-free to do so resulting to influx of carnivorous Filipinos flocking to this island for an epic fiesta with a side order of sacrilegious roast suckling pig.

But for the rest of the year, you can have this beautiful church and the rest of the islands all to yourself.

Care-worn, Coral Stone Church

Peter and Paul Church Altar

Walkway leading to the Altar

Church's Interior

Sidewalls of the Church

Peter and Paul Church - Up-Close

Belltower and Church

This blog is currently experiencing problems with missing comments. I have noticed last Tuesday that most comments in my previous posts have disappeared. In other cases, there appeared to be one of two comments but when I click to read the comments, a "no comment yet" message appear. Only my posts for September to this date were spared from the glitch. I have learned from Blogger Help Forums that there are also other bloggers who are currently experiencing the same problem.

Because of this, I temporarily deleted the "Most Commented Post" links in my sidebar because I find it funny that you may click on it and find a "0" comment in that post. Finally, I love comments because your comments improve me. Even if they criticize, I do not delete them. So, if you happen to wonder why your previous comments are not showing, I did not delete them. Blogger did. Hope they come back!!!

More on Bantayan Island on my next posts.