San Bartolome Church

The San Bartolome Parish Church, also referred to as the Magalang Church, is a 19th-century Baroque church located at Brgy. San Nicolas I, Magalang, Pampanga, Philippines. The parish church, dedicated to Saint Bartholomew, is under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando.HistoryTown HistoryThe town of Magalang started as a sub-parish (visita) of the neighboring town of Arayat in December 19, 1598 with Father Gonzalo de Salazar as its vicar. Prior to its establishment as a mission of the Augustinian Friars, Magalang, or completely called San Pedro de Magalang, was a town relocated from a certain Barrio Macapsa (now believed to be under the municipality of Concepcion in Tarlac). The town may have been relocated a couple more times due to the frequent flooding of the Chico River until it has finally settled in its current location after the flooding of September 1856. The town's name was believed to have been given by Father Ramon Sarrionandia, the person responsible for the transfer of the town.Church HistoryThe exact date of the construction of the present church remains unclear although it is suggested in the records that the construction of a structure may have started at around 1725 when the convent in Magalang was relieved from paying its dues to the Augustinian province. The current church, built by Father Ramon Sarrionandia, was erected in 1866. Father Fernando Vasquez continued the finishing touches to the church and installed two large bells, known had the one of the beautiful tones in Pampanga. Father Toribio Fanjul renovated the church flooring and sacristy in 1891.