Cebu and Bohol residents have the chance to appreciate Spanish-era churches through the traveling photo exhibit “Hidden Treasure’s: An Exhibit of Spanish era Churches in the Philippines.”
The exhibit features images of at least 300 colonial churches in the country.
The exhibit opened Wednesday at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral Museum.
It will later be displayed in various parishes in the provinces of Cebu and Bohol until August 30.
“This is a great opportunity to inspire people of different walks of life so that they can appreciate our cultural heritage,” said Dr. Jocelyn Gerra, executive director of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., one of the organizers.
She said that instead of spending a lot to travel around the country, one can view these churches in one setting.
A number of churches from Cebu and Bohol are featured.
These include the Patrocinio de Maria Church in Boljoon town in southern Cebu, the Novena Senora de la Asuncion in Dauis, Bohol and the San Isidro Labrador Church in Bohol, Our Lady of Assumption in Maasin, Leyte, and the Church of St. Ursula in Binangonan, Rizal.
“The churches featured here are mainly found in different provinces of the Philippines so the readers will also love to read the book,” Gerra said.
She was referring to Fr. Rene Javellana’s book “La Casa de Dios: The Legacy of Filipino-Hispanic Churches in the Philippines” which was launched during the opening of the exhibit on April 18.
Javellana is a Jesuit priest, writer and liturgical artist who studied colonial architecture and art in Asia.
John Silva, executive director of the Ortigas Foundation Inc., said the idea of an exhibit started with Rafael Ortigas Jr.’s obsession with photographs.
The Cebu Cathedral leg of the exhibit will run from April 18 to April 30.
It’s next leg will be in Sibonga town in southern Cebu where the church photos will be displayed until May 3.
The exhibit as organized by RAFI as part of its adocacy to promote Filipino heritage and the Ortigas Foundation in partnership with the Archdiocese of Cebu through its Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church./Corresp0ndent Careen L. Malahay