National Registry of Historic Sites and Structures

CHURCH OF NUESTRA SEÑORA DE MANAOAG

ADMINISTERED SINCE 1605 BY THE DOMINICANS, THE FIRST CHURCH OF WOOD LASTED A CENTURY. THE SECOND ONE, WHICH WAS OF STONE, WAS BUILT THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF GASPAR DE GAMBOA AND AGATA YANGTA, AND INAUGRATED IN 1720. IN 1733 IT WAS DONATED TO THE DOMINICAN CORPORATION, BUT WAS DESTROYED BY THE EARTHQUAKE OF 1892. THE PROVISIONAL CHURCH, BUILT OF WOOD, WAS BURNED DURING THE INSURRECTION OF 1898. THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PRESENT CHURCH BEGAN IN 1901 WITH THE RETURN OF THE DOMINICANS. THE IMAGE OF NUESTRA SEÑORA DE MANAOAG IS FAMOUS THROUGHOUT PANGASINAN. IT WAS PRESERVED IN DAGUPAN DURING THE REVOLUTION, THEN TAKEN BACK TO THE SANCTUARY BY THE PEOPLE OF MANAOAG WHERE IT WAS SOLEMNLY CROWNED ON APRIL 21, 1926, IN THE PRESENCE OF THOUSANDS OF THE FAITHFUL, BY MONS. GUILLERMO PIANO, APOSTOLIC DELEGATE TO THE PHILIPPINES.