Established by the Jesuits in 1753, the Our Lady of Light Parish was ceded in 1768 to the Recollects who built the first stone church in the 1780s. The churches built in 1815, 1850 and 1853-54 were devoured by fire.
The present façade is believed to have survived the last one. This "Crowning Glory of Recollect Architecture" and "Queen of All Heritage Churches in Bohol" was constructed when Fr. Jose Garcia was parish priest from 1854 to 1890. Domingo de Escondrillas, director of public works in Cebu, drew the plans.
The extremely elegant Baroque facade of this biggest church edifice in the Visayas is the finest in Bohol. Consolidating the Moorish tendencies are the bas relief carving, wooden balusters guarding the bell tower windows, and the pointed roofs. The sophisticated architectural styles of the Baroque, the Moorish and the Plateresque are evident in the Corinthian columns and fine details of the lace-like capitals.
The painted ceiling of the interior, done by Reynante Francia in the 1930s, is perfectly in step with the tiled (now GI sheet) roof and the main "retablo" embellished with roundels in bas relief depicting scenes from the life of Mary.
Getting there
Loon is some 27.5 km north-west of Tagbilaran City, along the route to Tubigon. Visitors can catch a bus to Tubigon from the Integrated Bus Terminal in Tagbilaran and ask the driver to let them out in Loon.
For detailed information, please contact:
Reigh P. Monreal
Municipal Tourism Action Officer
+63 38 505 9131
(Text and photo: Municipality of Loon website)
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