San Pablo de Cabigan Church Ruins

This church, the oldest in Isabela, was was built using adobe instead of red bricks, which sets it apart from most of the Spanish-colonial era churches of the Cagayan Valley.

Now in ruins, this church was founded by Dominican Fr. Pedro de Santo Tomas in 1625.  Probably the third on that site, the present structure was built in 1709 by Fr. Diego de la Torre.

Buttresses at the side of the church

It was already damaged by Japanese bombing in World War II when the strong December 27, 1949 Intensity 7 earthquake further damaged it.  Three years later a fire destroyed the church’s roof.

Within the ruins, a smaller church, a third of the original structure, was built in the 1950s. The rest is a garden.

The facade of the church built in the 1950s

The interior of the church

The church’s two level High Baroque-style façade has a semicircular arched main entrance flanked by semicircular arched statue niches containing icons of St. Paul, St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Isidore, now all defaced.

The author seated at the stairs leading up to the entrance to the bell tower

The second level has a centrally located statue niche flanked by circular windows.  The undulating pediment has a centrally located circular window and finials. Gorgeous clay insets of rosettes and sun emblems decorate the elegant walls.

The 6-storey bell tower

Its six-storey square bell tower, on the church’s right, is the tallest in the Cagayan Valley.  Rising in receding storeys, it has blind semicircular arched windows and is topped by a dome.

Bas relief of foliage at the right side of the church ruins

Inside, one can still see the arched support of the choir loft.

The author underneath the arch support of the choir loft.

San Pablo de Cabigan Church Ruins: San Pablo, Isabela.  Feast of St. Paul the Apostle: January 15.

Isabela Provincial Tourism Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-3146.  Mobile number: (0917) 317-3820.  E-mail: isabelatourismoffice@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Information Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-0248.  Mobile number: (0927) 395-7555.  E-mail: letters_info@yahoo.com.

How to Get There: San Pablo is located 464.01 kms. from Manila and 57 kms. north of the City of Ilagan.