Nagcarlan Church
San Bartolome Apostol Parish Church, also known as Saint Bartholomew the Apostle Parish Church, is a Roman Catholic church in Nagcarlan, Laguna, Philippines. Its titular saint is Bartholomew and its feast day is celebrated every August 24. The church is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of San Pablo.
History
Nagcarlan was first colonized in 1571 by Juan de Salcedo, grandson of Miguel López de Legazpi. It was founded by Franciscan priests Juan de Plasencia and Diego Oropesa in 1578. The church of Nagcarlan was first built from light materials such as nipa and wood in 1583 under the chaplaincy of its first priest, Tomas de Miranda who also pioneered the cultivation of wheat in the country. The church was dedicated to Saint Bartholomew. During Cristobal Torres' term, a second church made of stone and bricks was built in 1752. The multicolored stones and bricks of the church were offered by the people during its construction.The church was partially destroyed by fire in 1781. Immediate repair and reconstruction was done under the term of Anatacio de Argobejo and later by Fernando de la Puebla, who built the four-storey stone and brick bell tower. Further reconstruction using adobe and renovation in 1845 and addition of the choir loft on three strong arches was done under the supervision of Vicente Velloc. The Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery was built also in 1845 and the church rectory in 1850 under Velloc. In the 1990s, Monsignor Jose Barrion led a huge restoration project for the church. In 2016, part of the church's façade collapsed.