BANTAY CHURCH|ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH CHURCH

The Saint Augustine Parish Church in Bantay, Ilocos Sur was built in 1590 by the Augustinian Friars, thus the name of the church. According to history, in 1763 the Ilocano hero, Diego Silang lead an uprising to the site where the church stands. The structure was damaged during World War II and was reconstructed in 1950.

The church's facade after its reconstruction boasts of  a neo-gothic design mixed with pseudo-Romanesque elements. On June 12,1956,  Msgr. Vagnozzi thePapal Nuncio to the Philippines crowned the Miraculous image of Our Lady of Charity  also locally known as Apo Caridad and the church was consequently became the  Shrine of our Lady of Charity. In between 1591-1592 the belltower was erected on the hill very near the church.

 

Bro. Bing Padua, one of the tour guides of the Apo Caridad pilgrimage site , recounted that the image of Our Lady of Charity otherwise known as Nuestra Senora de Caridad was  found by fishermen floating in the Bantaoay river in Bantaoay, the village bordering  the towns of San Ildefonso and Bantay. Residents of neighboring towns and provinces came to take the image that was placed  inside a wooden box but to no avail. No one was able to move the precious cargo even a bit. Apparently, only the people of Bantay can move and carry the image thus it became the town's Patron Saint. They later on named it Our Lady of Charity because of Her numerous miracles to her devotees.