Orion Church | |
Fullname: | Saint Michael the Archangel Parish Church |
Pushpin Map: | Luzon mainland#Philippines |
Map Caption: | Location in Luzon##Location in the Philippines |
Coordinates: | 14.6216°N 120.5763°W |
Location: | Bataan |
Country: | Philippines |
Denomination: | Roman Catholic |
Founded Date: | 1667 |
Founder: | Father Jose Campomares, OP |
Dedication: | Saint Michael the Archangel |
Status: | Parish church |
Functional Status: | Active |
Architectural Type: | Church building |
Style: | Baroque |
Completed Date: | After 1852 |
Materials: | Brick, Sand, Stone, Gravel, Cement, Steel, Concrete |
Parish: | Saint Michael the Archangel |
Province: | San Fernando |
Metropolis: | San Fernando |
Archdiocese: | San Fernando |
Diocese: | Balanga |
Division: | Vicariate of St. Michael the Archangel |
Archbishop: | Florentino G. Lavarias |
Bishop: | Sede Vacante |
Priest: | Fr. Abraham SP. Pantig |
The Saint Michael the Archangel Parish Church, commonly known as Orion Church, is a 16th-century, Baroque Roman Catholic church located at Brgy. San Vicente, Orion, Bataan, Philippines. The parish church, dedicated to Saint Michael, the Archangel, is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Balanga. A marker bearing the brief history of the structure has been installed in its façade by the National Historical Committee, precursor of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. The current priest of the parish church is Fr. Abraham SP. Pantig.
Orion was established by the Dominican Priests on April 30, 1667. The present-day 19th-century church was built by Father Jose Campomanes, OP after an earthquake in 1852 which destroyed the previous structure.[1]
The church façade is of barn-style Baroque, a style that has been described as typically found in most Spanish-era churches in the Philippines. It features side pillars capped by urn-like finials, pilasters that divide the façade into five segments and cornices that divide the expanse of the wall into two levels. The pediment is semi-arched and ends into two small volutes before tapering down to the sides. It is adorned by a framed saint's niche flanked by two hexagonal windows. A concrete porte cochere has been added later into the structure. To the left of the church rises the four-level, slender belfry. The two uppermost levels are octagonal and are pierced with rectangular, circular and semicircular arched campanile windows.
The main altarpiece or retablo, which was done in the early 18th century, is done in Rococo style.[2]