Eclesiastico natural del espresado Pueblo. Ano de 1873. In the year 1873. From this inscription some facts can be determined. First and foremost, Palauig is the name of a city in the Phillipines.
Today there are a number of Catholic churches and the population numbers in the thousands.
But in 1873 it was a somewhat remote mission outpost, with only one Catholic church. The Phillipines were of course a territory of Spain. It might possibly have been a gift from a passing priest who brought it with him on a fundraising visit to America. It was common practice for Catholic GIs to bring home souvenirs. At any rate, the most important thing is that this beautiful yet humble gift was rescued yet again from an uncertain fate.