Pottery-making village boasts of first clay altar
STO. TOMAS, Pampanga, Philippines –A village in this town has begun its bid to have its chapel declared as the site of the first terracotta retablo (main altar) in Central Luzon.
Ronaldo Tiotuico, regional director of the Department of Tourism, has visited the chapel at the invitation of Mayor Lito Naguit, said Teresita Juarez, barangay captain of Sto. Niño (formerly Sapa).
So far, what Tiotuico has confirmed is the claim that Sto. Niño has the first clay altar in Pampanga.
The Archdiocese of San Fernando and the Center for Kapampangan Studies of the Holy Angel University have yet to validate the claim, at least at the provincial and regional levels.
Juarez said the title is being sought on the 25th anniversary of the segregation of Sitio Sapa from Barangay San Matias in 1985.
Two priests, a volcanic eruption and the bayanihan (cooperation) of the people make up the story of a unique altar in a place originally named after a stream.
Sapa, already thriving from a homegrown pottery industry, did not have its own chapel in the 1970s.
The parish priest then, Fr. Benjamin Henson, began celebrating Masses at least once a month at the rice warehouse of Dominga Baluyut.
The warehouse became the venue of the local crusade for the Virgen de los Remedios and Cristo del Pardon, the patrons of Pampanga. In the same warehouse, Arsenio Santos taught catechism to young people.
Teenagers in the town, who call their group Korokan & Co., raised funds, enabling them to commission an artist in Macabebe to make a stone statue of the Sto. Niño (Child Jesus), Sapa’s patron.
By 1978, led by then Mayor Demetrio Pineda, Sapa found a new site for a chapel, which was built as slow or as fast as the residents raised money. In January 1985, the chapel was blessed and Sapa took on its patron’s name.
Mt. Pinatubo’s eruptions in 1991 and lahar flows in 1995 buried the chapel. The stream choked with volcanic debris, causing weekslong flood.
The new parish priest, Msgr. Eugene Reyes, began the reconstruction of the chapel in 2003. Again the residents put their fund-raising skills to work.
Juarez said a parishioner, Jerry Basilio, suggested using clay in making the altar.
“Among Gene was puzzled. He asked me to draw and explain. Others thought the idea was way off or it was grand. I simply wanted to use clay because we have many of that here and we have so many craftsmen to do it,” said Basilio, 47.
Soon an army of workers from the A. Baluyut Clay, CB Pottery, DJ Ceramics, Eliano Baluyut Pottery Inc., FB Ceramics, Hilaga Ceramics, L&G Ceramics and Melquiades Ceramics descended on rice fields, digging for clay.
They fashioned and baked the earth to perfection along Basilio’s designs that were made with the guidance of Reyes.
Except for the statues of the Sto. Niño, Immaculate Conception and St. Matthias, everything in the main altar—casings, small columns and balustrades, walls, candle holders and ornaments—are made of clay.
The base of the minor altar and lectern also used clay.
Irwin Nucum of Kayaptas, a civil society group in Sto. Tomas, said Reyes achieved what he wanted—teach basic catechism through the images and symbols.
With a new retablo that is a feature of Pampanga churches in the times of the Augustinian Order, the chapel was dedicated by Archbishop Paciano Aniceto on Jan. 11, 2006, and blessed by Bishop Pablo Virgilio David on Oct. 14, 2007.
“The retablo is a very concrete expression of our Catholic faith, of how we work together. It is also a showcase of our artistry,” said Basilio. “Clay is not anymore just for plant pots.”
By Tonette Orejas
Central Luzon Desk
Categories
- 19th Philippine Hot Air Balloon Festival in Clark
- 2012 Hot Air Balloon Festival in Clark Philippines Ticket Reservation Form Support Section
- About Angeles City, Pampanga
- About Anti-mosquito patches to prevent Dengue in Philippines
- About Asian cuisine and food of Asia
- About Clark Development Corporation CDC
- About Clark, Freeport Zone
- About Coffee
- About Easter in Clark Philippines
- About Family Bonding and Children
- About Fishing
- About Holy Week and Easter in Philippines
- About Holy Week and Easter in Philippines
- About Hot Air Balloon
- About Italian Food
- About Leisure, Stress and Relaxation
- About Mother's Day and Mother's Day Celebration
- About Nespresso Coffee, Nespresso Coffee Capsules and Pods
- About spa, places to unwind and relax
- About Subic, Baguio and Bulacan
- About the Philippines
- About the Philippines, Pampanga, Clark, and Angeles City
- About Wedding and Receptions
- Advisory and useful travel tips
- Alfresco Outdoor Dining in Clark
- All about Steaks
- All about steaks
- All News & Press Releases Archive
- Articles About Holy Week in Philippines
- Beach resorts and hotels in Clark
- Birthday, debut, baptismal, anniversary etc
- Boating and Kayaking
- Build or buy a house in Clark
- Business and investment in Clark
- Business in Clark
- Business Opportunities in Clark
- Camping and picnic
- Car and Taxi Service in Clark
- Clark
- Clark Events Archive
- Clark Flight schedules
- Clark Hot Air Balloon Festival
- Clark Hot Air Balloon Festival Complaints and Suggestions
- Clark Information
- Clark Investments Archive
- Clark Job Market Archive
- Clark Map
- Company outings and corporate events
- Condominium and Apartment in Clark
- Convenience Stores in Clark
- Corruption in Philippines, Pampanga, Subic, Clark Freeport Zone
- Culinary School in Philippines
- Doing Business in Clark
- Dormitory and Apartment Sharing
- Duty free malls in Clark
- Entertainment
- Event Venues in Clark and Pampanga
- Family outings, reunions and retreats
- Family restaurants and Fast food outlets
- Family retreat, picnics and bonding
- Fine dining Gourmet Foie Gras Cuisine
- Fine Dining Gourmet Kangaroo Cuisine
- Fine Dining Kangaroo Cuisine
- Fine dining restaurants
- Food & Beverage Archive
- Food and Beverage in Clark
- Foreigner and Tourist Assistance in Clark Archive
- Functions and events
- Games and activities for outings and picnics
- Getting around in Clark
- Getting Married in Clark and Pampanga
- Golf
- Gourmet Dining Foie Gras
- Gourmet Dining Venison Cuisine
- Gourmet Venison Cuisine
- Highly Recommended Hotels and Resorts
- Historical sites, places to see and visit
- History of Clark
- Holding a Dinner Party
- Holiday and Vacation in Philippines
- Holy Week and Easter Holiday
- Holy Week and Easter in Clark Philippines
- Holy Week and Easter Packages and Deals
- Hot Air Balloon Festival in Clark Philippines
- Hot Air Balloon Packages & Deals
- Hotel Accommodations Archive
- HOTEL and RESORTS
- Hotels & Resorts in Angeles Pampanga
- Hotels & Resorts in Clark
- Hotels and Resorts in Pampanga
- Hotels and Resorts in Philippines
- Hotels and Resorts in the North
- Hotels and Resorts near Manila
- Internet WIFI spots in Clark Philippines
- Investing in Philippines
- Investment and business opportunities
- Investment in Philippines
- Italian, French and continental cuisine
- Jobs and Careers
- Jobs in Angeles, Clark, Pampanga
- Jobs in Manila, Philippines
- Korean, Chinese and Japanese Food
- Koreans in Philippines
- Land for development
- Laws and Regulations in Clark
- Learn about wine
- Learn English in Philippines
- Leisure and recreation
- Lifestyle in Asia
- Lifestyle in Clark and Pampanga
- Liquor and Wine Shops in Clark
- Listing of businesses in Clark
- Living in Clark and Pampanga
- Manila Bus Hostage Incident 2010
- More about Holy Week and Easter Holidays
- More About Philippines Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Clark Pampanga
- More about Weddings and receptions
- Mother's Day in Philippines
- News
- News about Hot Air Balloon
- News in Manila and North Luzon
- News in Pampanga, Angeles City, Clark, Subic
- Nightlife, casinos and entertainment
- Organizing a Cocktail Party
- Organizing company events
- Organizing Company outing
- Organizing Team Building Events
- Organizing Team Building Events
- Other restaurants, café and dining outlets
- Other shopping in Clark
- Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone or Establishment Grievances and Complaints
- Pampanga Information
- Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta
- Philippines Hot Air Balloon Festival in Clark Pampanga
- Places to go in Clark Archive
- Politics and Opinion
- Press Releases
- Product launching and marketing events
- Real Estate, Properties and Deals
- Residential village and subdivision
- Restaurants and Bars in Clark, Pampanga
- Resto Bars, Clubs and Pubs
- Resume Database
- Retirement in Clark
- Retiring in Clark Archive
- Rules & Regulations of Clark Freeport
- Safety, Law and Order in Pampanga
- Scenic spots, tourist destinations in Clark
- School Camp in Clark
- School Camp in Philippines
- Shopping
- Shopping Archive
- Short-term lease
- Sightseeing and Tourist Spots
- Social and company events planning
- Sports and outdoor events
- Sports and Recreation in Clark and Pampanga
- Sports and Recreation in Clark Archive
- Swimming and Water sports
- Teambuilding and planning
- The Clark Lifestyle
- The Green World of Clark Philippines
- THINGS TO DO IN CLARK
- Tourism and Travel
- Tourism in Clark
- Travel Accommodations Archive
- Travel agencies and airline offices
- Trekking and horseback riding
- Vacation Rental
- Vegetarian Food and Vegan Cuisine
- Vegetarian food, vegan restaurants
- Vintners' Hall of Fame
- Visit Angeles City Pampanga
- Visit Clark Philippines
- Visit Manila Philippines
- Wedding Planners, Caterers & Event Venues in Philippines
- Wedding Planning, Organization and Services
- Wedding reception Venues in Clark
- What's Happening in Clark
- Wining & Dining Archive