Church of St. Michael the Archangel

The first pilgrim church we visited in our visita iglesia was the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in the town of Orion.  The town’s present day 19th-century church was repaired by the Dominicans upon their return in 1832.

The church complex

It was extensively damaged during the September 16, 1852 earthquake but was rebuilt in 1854 by Fr. Jose Campomanes, OP.   Fr. Ulpiano Herrera constructed the beautiful sacristy and the marble altars.  The church was repaired by Fr. Miguel Fuster and its dome was added by Fr. Jose Auli.

Statue of St. Michael the Archangel

The church’s three-level, barn-style  Baroque facade has a balustraded semicircular arched concrete porte cochere (a later addition) at the main entrance and is flanked by flat pilasters (that divide the façade into five segments) topped by urn-like finials.  Cornices divide the expanse of the wall into two levels.

PHC Historical Marker

The undulating pediment, with its raking cornice and a square window at the tympanum, ends into two small volutes before tapering down to the sides. It has a framed statued niche, within a post and lintel arrangement, flanked by two hexagonal windows.

The church interior

On the church’s left is its slender four-storey bell tower whose two uppermost levels are octagonal.  It is pierced with rectangular, circular and semicircular arched campanile windows.

The main altar

The dome above the main altar

The early 18th century main altarpiece (retablo), done in the Rococo style, features the seven archangels and a tableau of the Holy Family

The left side altar

The right side altar

Church of St. Michael the Archangel: Brgy. San Vicente, Orion, Bataan. Feast of St. Michael the Archangel: May 8.

How to Get There: Orion is located 132 kms. from Manila and 6 kms. south of Balanga City.