Sta. Maria was not in my original itinerary. I heard about the Sta. Maria church from a fellow guest staying at Grandpas Inn. I got curious. My curiosity paid off!
Sta. Maria is around an hour by bus from Vigan. I boarded the bus heading for Baguio from the terminal near the Public market complex. Buses going to manila is also an alternative when going to Sta. Maria.
One
cannot miss the church. All buses going to and from the town passes by
it. With its impressive bell tower and stone steps, one can never miss
the location. The church is also a world heritage site.
The church interiors is impressive. Stepping inside the church made me felt as if I went back in time due to the century old wood carvings and statues found inside.
On my way in through the rectory, I spotted some worn out documents inside an 'aparador' in one corner. They seemed old. I noted of making a detailed inspection on my way out...
They were indeed baptismal records and church hymnals dating back to the 1700s! I was even surprised when the records keeper showed me more documents stored in another 'aparador'.
I was overwhelmed by the age of such documents, however, I felt sad realizing the fact that no form of protection was being done to safeguard these documents from further decay. I confirmed this from the office workers in the rectory. Paging, National Historical Commission !!!
My Sta. Maria trip was a short but revealing visit. After lunch I headed back to Vigan.
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