Argao Church

Argao Church
Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of Saint Michael the Archangel
Church Complex of Argao
Argao Church Republic of the Philippines
9°52′55″N 123°36′28″E / 9.88199°N 123.607794°E / 9.88199; 123.607794Coordinates: 9°52′55″N 123°36′28″E / 9.88199°N 123.607794°E / 9.88199; 123.607794
Location	Poblacion, Argao, Cebu
Country	Philippines
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Founded	1703
Dedication	St. Michael the Archangel
Architecture
Status	Parish church
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	National Historical Landmark
Architectural type	Church building
Style	Baroque
Groundbreaking	1703
Completed	1788
Specifications
Materials	Sand, gravel, cement, mortar, steel and bricks
Administration
Archdiocese	Cebu
Clergy
Archbishop	Jose S. Palma
Pastor(s)	Camilo Alia, H.P.

Argao Church, canonically known as the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of Saint Michael the Archangel, is a Roman Catholic church in Argao, Cebu, Philippines. The municipality of Argao was established as a parish in 1703 under the Augustinian order. To serve the parochial needs of its people, a stone church was constructed in 1734 and was completed in 1788. The church was dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel.

The coral stone church is a two-level structure with an imposing, highly ornate pediment and double-pilaster columns on its facade. Together with its convent, the church was fortified to also serve as refuge during Moro raids in the 18th and 19th century. The facade contains articulate carvings depicting the patron saint displayed on its niche, flanked by oversized urn-like finials standing on rectangular bases at each corner of the pediment.

The church follows the usual cruciform plan. The interior contains a single aisle with a double nave. Five altars adorn its sanctuary and transept areas, with the main altar containing 3 life-size statues of the three archangels: St. Michael, St. Raphael and St. Gabriel. The vaulted ceiling is made of wooden panels arranged longitudinally with details of seraphs protruding as corbels. Paintings depicting the life of the angels and archangels, plus several Biblical passages, adorn the ceiling surface—half of which were painted by the renowned master Cebuano painter Raymundo Francia, and the other half by an unknown Boholano artist.

Interior of Argao Church

Ceiling Paintings of San Miguel Arcangel Parish Church, Argao, Cebu (100 dpi)

The bell tower has three levels supporting a single large bell on the second level, with 8 smaller bells on the third. The base of the belfry supports a square plan, while the second and third bases follow an octagonal plan, topped by a domed roof. The bell tower is connected to the church by a single-level baptistry.

The convent at the right side of the church served as a seminary during the early part of the 19th century. Today the convent serves as a museum for tourists. At the left of the church structure is the site of the former town cemetery, which now serve as the church complex's gardens.