Museum curators visit old stone Church in Caraga

CARAGA, DAVAO ORIENTAL — On the last day of the 28th Regional Summit of the Mindanao Association of Museums (MAM), the 42 participants representing 15 museums in Mindanao went to Caraga to visit one of the main attractions of the town. They visited with reverence the oldest existing church structure in Mindanao, where Christianity began in the eastern part of the Philippines—the “San Salvador del Mundo” (Christ, the Savior of the World) Parish Church. The participants, led by MAM Chairman Dr. Edmundo D. Acaylar, Ph.D. and President Remedios G. Barretto, Ph.D. along with the other MAM officers, visited the 18th century Church that was first built in 1871 and completed in 1884 under its designer Fr. Pablo Pastells, SJ. This information can be read in the historical landmark installed by the National Historical Commission near the front side of the church. As one of the remaining Spanish Colonial Era churches, the Caraga church served as the central mission station of the Spanish missionaries, considered therefore the mission capital of Christianization in Mindanao. The Church is also one block away from the municipal hall.

The MAM delegates closely observed and were struck by the antique but sturdy church materials made of limestone blocks/rocks; tisa out of the processed shells from the seashores of Caraga, and the upper half constructed mainly of wood. The Church interior showed remnants of Tu-og hard wood posts, two centuries old giant sea shells, an antique baptismal basin made of marble, and the antique statue of San Isidro Labrador.

They were careful with the cracks near the altar flooring. Preserved was also the wooden cross design partly covered by the shells in the front church window. They proceeded to the priest’s convent to view the 18th century church bells, the old statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola, and the baptistry registration record books encased in the glass cabinets. The church guide, representing the parish priest Fr. Uldarico A. Toroba, explained with regret that many antique church vessels and vestments had been stolen or probably disposed of, showing a lack of awareness of their memorial value.

The MAM Summit hosted by the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental was held at the Subangan Provincial Museum in Mati City on May 17-19, 2017. The official headquarter of MAM is located at the Museo de Oro in Cagayan de Oro City, in deference to its founder, the late Fr. Francisco Radaza Demetrio (1920-1996), of the Society of Jesus (SJ) who died on February 11, 1996. It was on December 27, 1989 that the first regional solidarity of museums in Mindanao took place in Cagayan de Oro City in response to the clarion call of Demetrio to the founding pillars of MAM whose names, like museum treasures, cannot be cast into oblivion. They were Dr. Mamitua Saber and Edgardo Sanchez of the Butuan Regional Museum, Bernandenito Galpo also of Butuan, Hilaria Arquisoola of Urios College Museum (today Fr. Saturnino Urios SJ University), Fr. Joesillo Amalla who was to found three years later the Butuan Diocesan and Liturgical Museum, and Eufemia Catolin of the National Museum branch at Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City. In the following years, more joined from the cities of Marawi, Iligan, Cotabato, Davao, and provinces of Maguindanao and Bukidnon, gradually increasing up to the present.

MAM is recognized as the pioneer regional association of museums in the Philippines.