The sun was beating hard upon Siquijor. It was exactly twelve in the afternoon and the light was practically blinding as we alighted from our tricycle to check out the first stop of the usual Siquijor island tour.

St. Francis de Assisi Church or simply Siquijor Church as the locals dubbed it is just a hop away from the local port. We actually passed this on our way to a hot lunch and just went back to check it out in detail and snap a few photographs.

According to its National Historical Institute marker plastered along its wall, the parish was founded in 1783. The church used to have a nipa roof which has now been converted into a tin one. It has a very simple façade and is constructed from rough whitish coral stones.
Like most old churches, its adobe bell tower also acted as a lookout for marauding invaders. Located some meters from the church it stands on a hilly part of the area and towers over the nearby shore. A convent built right beside the church also served as a sanctuary during these raids.
Siquijor Church has the basic cruciform plan. Although it has a petite front exterior, its interior goes in pretty deep. The décor inside was very minimal, limited only to a few hanging chandeliers, religious icons and the ornate yellow tiles of its nave. Its walls and barrel ceiling are painted bare white with dark brown wood beams acting as trims.
It almost reminds me of a church in Taal, Batangas sans the elaborate dome paintings on its transept crossing. Both have the same simple rural charm that most grand churches lack.
St. Francis de Assisi Church was a good introduction to the churches of Siquijor and we have a few more to visit including a UNESCO World Heritage Site candidate in the town of Lazi.

Siquijor Church | St. Francis de Assisi Church
Siquijor Circumferential Road, Siquijor, Siquijor
GPS Coordinates: 9.215077,123.513821
Click to view location on Google Maps

Recommended Siquijor Island Tour Guide
Kuya Joam: 0927-6932095
Php1,000.00 inclusive transportation,
port pick-up, lodging transfer and lots of stories :)

          SIQUIJOR THREE-DAY SERIES
          TRIP ITINERARY | MANILA - DUMAGUETE CITY - SIQUIJOR | ST. FRANCIS DE ASSISI CHURCH | CAPILAY’S SPRING PARK AT SAN JUAN
          OVER AND BELOW LAZI’S CENTURY-OLD BALETE TREE | LAZI CHURCH - SAN ISIDRO LABRADOR PARISH | LAZI CONVENT
          THE CAMBUGAHAY FALLS AT LAZI | SANTA MARIA CHURCH & ITS BLACK MARIA | SUNSET ON THE ROAD
          SAN JUAN’S COCO GROVE RESORT | COCO GROVE ACCOMMODATIONS AT SAN JUAN | COCO GROVE’S SUNSET RESTAURANT
          SUNSET AND SUNRISE AT SAN JUAN’S TUBOD BEACH