San Gregorio Magno Parish Church, Majayjay
| Majayjay Church | |
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| San Gregorio Magno Parish Church Iglesia Parroquial de San Gregorio Magno |
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The sanctuary of San Gregorio Magno Church
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.svg)
 Majayjay Church
Location in the Philippines
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| 14°08′40″N 121°28′20″E / 14.144564°N 121.472313°ECoordinates: 14°08′40″N 121°28′20″E / 14.144564°N 121.472313°E | |
| Location | Majayjay, Laguna |
| Country | Philippines |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 1571 |
| Founder(s) | Fr. Juan de Plasencia and Fr. Diego Oropesa |
| Dedication | St. Gregory the Great |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | National Cultural Treasure |
| Designated | 2001 |
| Architectural type | Church building |
| Style | Romanesque |
| Groundbreaking | 1616 |
| Completed | 1649 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 60 metres (200 ft) |
| Width | 17 metres (56 ft) |
| Height | 16.5 metres (54 ft) |
| Materials | Adobe, Lumber, Galvanized Iron |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Manila |
| Diocese | San Pablo |
| Province | Manila |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Luis Antonio Tagle |
| Bishop(s) | Buenaventura M. Famadico |
| Priest(s) | Robin A. Dagala |
The San Gregorio Magno Parish (Filipino: Simbahan ng Parokya ni San Gregorio Magno; Spanish: Iglesia Parroquial de San Gregorio Magno), also known as Majayjay Church and St. Gregory the Great Parish Church, is one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches in the Philippines located in the municipality of Majayjay in Laguna. It is recognized by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure (Level 1). The current parish priest is Father Robin A. Dagala.
Majayjay served as the site of early Catholicism in Laguna. The Augustinians first came in 1568. Along with five Augustinian priests and Juan de Salcedo, nephew of Miguel López de Legazpi, they started to evangelize the sceptical townsmen led by Gat Yantok. In 1571, the Franciscans established a mission town with Don Gaspar Osorio, Agustín Osorio, Juan Osorio, Juan de Mendoza, Ventura Mag-olop, Aman Lingasan and Martín Siasip. The first church was constructed by locals in 1575 near the May-it river and was made of nipa and bamboo and was later burned in 1576. In 1578, Franciscans Fathers Juan de Plasencia and Diego Oropesa started to evangelize the town. A church, still of nipa and bamboo, was built that same year under the patronage of Saint Gregory the Great. Due to the lack of religious men, the first parish priest of Majajay, Father Antonio Nombela was only assigned in 1594. Under his pastorship, a long robe worn by wives to the church, called lambón was first used in the Philippines. In 1599, the Superior Gobierno authorized the construction of a stone church. While awaiting its construction, the makeshift church was burned in 1606. Majayjay also served as infirmary for the old religious men until 1606 before it was transferred to Lumban. Construction of the stone church began in 1616 and was completed in 1649 with the help of Maestro de Campo Don Buenaventura de Mendoza. The church was again partially burned in 1660. Rehabilitation started in 1711 and finished in 1730 by 14,000 people on forced labor and a rehabilitation cost of $26,000 by Father Jose de Puertollano. Instead of rebuilding the church, Father Puertollano decided to sandwich the ruins between two layers of brick resulting in an unusual wall thickness of 3 metres (9.8 ft). It took 19 years for the people of Majayjay to complete the church which was made of adobe stone with red tiles and prime lumber. On completion in 1730, the church became the biggest in the Philippines
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