# Morong Church

Saint Jerome Parish Church, commonly known as Morong Church, is a Roman Catholic church located in Morong, Rizal, Philippines. It is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Antipolo and was declared a National Cultural Treasure (NCT) by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). The church was built during the Spanish period in the country, with stones from a hill called Kay Ngaya; lime from the stones of the mountain Kay Maputi; and sand and gravel from Morong River.

## History

The town of Morong traces its origins to the pioneering work of the Franciscans Juan de Plasencia and Diego de Oropesa. Both were responsible for starting most of the lake town mission in 1578. They constructed chapels (visitas) attached to a bigger settlement to allow religious and civil administration. Later, this settlement was converted into Pueblo de Morong and was made the provincial capital of the Franciscan Order at that time. Baras, Tanay, Pililla, Cardona, Binangonan and Teresa were the visitas under Pueblo de Morong.
Plasencia was well known for his mastery of Tagalog and is credited with compiling a dictionary of the vernacular and writing a draft of a catechism which is later used for composing the Doctrina Christiana (1593), the first book printed in the Philippines.
It was not until 1586 that Morong had a friar named Blas de la Madre de Dios assigned as first minister of the pueblo. He constructed a wooden church on the south bank of the river, but it was burned down together with a large part of the pueblo in 1612. After three years, a new church was built of stone and mortar on elevated ground at the opposite bank of Morong River which ensured its safety from floods and fires. It measured 42 varas long by 12 varas wide, had a single nave with semi-circular apse, built under the direction of Chinese master craftsmen. The church, dedicated to Saint Jerome, was completed in 1620. The church had remained substantially unchanged until 1850–53, when Máximo Rico commissioned Bartolomé Palatino, a native of Paete, to renovate the facade and build a bell tower.
The new Baroque facade with a towering height of 20 varas was completed on February 2, 1853, almost three years after its construction.
The Order of the Franciscan Missionaries were first assigned in the church of Morong. As a proof, the Franciscan coat or arms is seen on the main facade of the bell tower, the hands of Jesus and Francis of Assisi. Next were Columban Missionaries.

### Philippine Revolution

After the Cry of Pugadlawin on August 23, 1896, a civil guard stationed in Binangonan named Agustin Natividad escaped from his post and passed the mountain trails to reach Morong. He organized a camp with other Filipino civil guards and attacked Morong. The Spanish casadores and other loyal civil guards retreated to the Gobierno Politico-Militar building while the Katipuneros under Natividad sought refuge in Capitan Mariano's rice camarin. Due to lack of food and arms, they left with their families and attacked Morong Church and forced the enemies to retreat inside the convent and church.
On June 1, 1898, fully armed soldiers from Cavite and a shipment of rifles and a canon arrived to aid the Katipuneros who came from the different points of Distrito de Morong. The three principal revolutionary leaders at that time were Brigade Commander Miguel Aquino, Assessor Juan Sumulong and Quintin Gonzales. Firing went on as the Spaniards took their stand in the church and convent.
The Spaniards besieged in the church and convent surrendered to the Katipuneros on August 19, 1898.

## Locals

It was within this cultural landmark that a local theater group took residence and began to nurture the several local artists who continue to share their talent and expertise in theater, television, media and education. Founded in 1998 by Fr. Felipe Pedraja and the local church choir KISAP, the Dulaang San Geronimo (DSG) is an organization committed to create exceptional and diverse theatrical productions that captivate, inspire, and challenge audiences. Striving to be a catalyst for cultural growth, fostering a vibrant and inclusive theatrical landscape that reflects the richness of the society. The architecture of the church influenced the diversity of performances that they produced, prompting to explore possibilities that the group had to offer. It provides a temporary, immersive environment for their theater performances, a canvas for their artistic expression, offering a platform to engage with the public on a monumental scale.

## Architecture

The Morong facade and bell tower is one of the most striking of all church facades along Laguna de Bay. It is frequently photographed and is properly described as Baroque Revival architecture. The central portion of the facade surges outward and the catenated balustrade above give the whole a dynamic felling. Various decorative elements, some Mexican in origin, give the facade a richness characteristic of Baroque. Four angels, representing the cardinal virtues, stand at the corners of the bell tower. Felix Huerta, writing in 1852, states that the facade had finials shaped as jars and shells used for illuminating it.
It is said that it was built by Chinese craftsmen; as evidence, two Chinese lion sculptures (a male and a female lion) at the entrance to the steep driveway. One lion, said to be the lioness, was stolen between 2000 and 2005. Local folklore said that the lioness has a hidden treasure inside it. The other lion, the male lion, is safeguarded at the St. Jerome school.
The stone and mortar church which has a three-story facade, and an octagonal bell tower whose cross is illuminated at night and can be seen from the surrounding countryside. The bell tower of the church is used by fishermen in the nearby towns as a lighthouse when fishing at night and during the storm. Its frontispiece and the belfry were renovated by Bartolome Palatino of Paete between 1850 and 1853.
The church has a relic of the town's patron saint Jerome. The first class relic (a part of the saint's body) was given to the parish year 2005, through the effort of then parish priest Lawrence "Larry" Paz, when they had their first pilgrimage tour to the Holy Land and Vatican City.
The relic is publicly exposed every Saturday during the anticipated Mass, guarded by the knights of Saint Jerome, while the kissing of the relic is done every last Saturday of the month. After two years, a bigger relic was given in 2007 to the parish as a gift from the main chaplain of the church of St. Jerome in Rome. This relic is now buried on top of the table of the main altar which is kissed by the priest during a Mass.

## Renovations

The following were the most significant projects done according to the records of the parish:
| Year | Priest | Renovations |
| 1948 | Hugh O'Reilly | The dome (bubida) was repaired and reconstructed. Paintings of the Four Evangelists (John, Luke, Mark and Matthew) were set up on the sides of the dome. |
| 1950–1953 | John Kaiser (1st term) | The old convent was repaired. Classrooms were constructed for the newly established St. Jerome's Academy. The old main altar was demolished and a provisional wooden altar was constructed. |
| 1959–1961 | John Kaiser (2nd term) | A new convent was constructed on the western side of the church, separate from the main church building. |
| 1961 | James McCarthy | Through the initiative of the Historical Conservation Society, the repair, restoration and renovation of the church facade and belfry was made possible. |
| 1967–1969 | Thomas Conolly Victor Gaboury | All stone walls of the church inside and outside and the ceilings were repaired and restored. Marble tiles were laid on the floor of the sanctuary/main hall. |
| 1981–1988 | John Stratton | Landscaping of the churchyard The provisional wooden altar was demolished and a concrete main altar was constructed. Stairways going to the churchyard was restored. |
| 1991–1994 | Patrick O'Herlihy | The convent was repaired and an extension was constructed. A new concrete belfry at the back and east side of the church building was constructed. The plan was drawn by Arch. Ricardo S.D. Gutierrez. |
| 1993 | Patrick O'Herlihy | The old baptistry was converted into an Adoration Chapel. |
| 1994–1997 | Arnold Layoc | Stained glass pictures of the Four Evangelists (John, Luke, Mark and Matthew) were set up on the windows of the walls of the sanctuary on the east and west sides of the dome (bubida). Stained glass pictures of Jesus and Mary (Twin Hearts) were set up on the windows at the western sides of the central hall. Stained glass picture of St. Jerome was set up on the southern window of the choir loft. Landscaping of the area in front of the church convent. |
| 1997–1999 | Felipe Pedraja | Repairs, renovations and changing of electrical wirings and connections |
| 1999–2006 | Larry Paz | The convent and Office of the Parish were repaired and renovated. |
| 2000 | Larry Paz | All wooden church doors were repaired. "Dambana ng Kagalakan" was constructed. Lamp posts around the patio and on the southern side of the driveway were installed. Brick tiles were laid on the ground of the patio. |
| 2001 | Larry Paz | St. Jerome statue was placed on the garden in front of the convent. The Adoration Chapel was renovated and a wooden altar was constructed. |
| 2005 | Larry Paz | The relic of St. Jerome was embedded in the main altar. The perimeter wall on the southern side of the churchyard, which was struck by lightning, was restored. Steel spiral stairs going up the choir loft was constructed. |

## Gallery

* Church convent with the statue of St. Jerome in front
* Altar inside the Adoration Chapel
* Stairway to the church
* Details of sculpture on top of the main arch portal
* Main arch portal
* Narthex
* Church interior
* Paintings of the Holy Evangelists at the posts of the dome
* Wooden church door
* Choir loft
* Narthex and choir loft
* Windows at the upper part of the interior wall
* Left transept
* Main altar
* A 1985 marker of the restoration of the stairways to the churchyard