File:Patnongon Church.jpg

English: Patnongon Church (Ruins), Patnongon, Antique:

One of three places where the Augustinians built a church and convento of stone and mortar, Patnongon has unfortunately lost its much of historic structures due to human agency. Fray Manuel Asensio, appointed parish priest in 1860, commenced construction of the church. The succeeding pastors, Sabas Fontecha (1872-89), Wenceslao Romero (1889) and Eustaquio Hera (1895) continued work on the complex and completed it. Fray Joaquín Fernández designed and landscaped the church plaza in 1896. Unfortunately, two yeas later the church was partially destroyed by revolucionarios. Although the Mill Hill fathers repaired the convento, restoring its neoclassic lines, they demolished the remaining walls of the church, except for part of the façade, to make way for a school.

The existing historic remains at Patnongon and old pictures of the church show that both church and convento belonged to the neoclassical idiom. The characteristics of both are shallow engaged pilasters, flat walls, pierced by arched windows. The pilasters do not have proper capitals; in their place are horizontal bars of masonry. The church represents a late colonial style characterized by greater simplicity and economy of ornamentation. (Panublion) text from www.philippineheritage.com