ST. STEPHEN CHURCH HISTORY

by Engr. Norman V. Mendoza

Source: Angels in Stone, Architecture of Augustinian Churches in the Philippines, pp 300-301, by Fr. Pedro G. Galende, OSA

Location. The town of San Esteban is located on sandy and plain land close to the sea and near the Cordillera on the east. It is bounded on the north by Sta. Maria; on the south by  Santiago; and on the west by the China Sea. It has a good port.

Foundation. According to the Mapa of 1848, this town was founded in 1625 as a visita of Santiago and placed under the advocation of San Esteban, Protomartyr. San Esteban and Santiago were visitas of Candon until the end of the 18^th century. Bishop Miguel Garcia, O.P. in his report of 1774, indicates that San Esteban had 200 tributos  or 1,200 souls. Bishop Blaquier reports that in 1800, San Esteban was under the administration of Fr. Alejandro Peyrona, parish priest of Sta. Maria. From 1805 to 1842, San Esteban was under the administration of Filipino diocesan priests. By that time, it had 1,350 souls. In 1848, Fr. Damaso Vieytez became the first parish priest colado or beneficiary. From this time, the population of San Esteban rose to 2,474. There is no available data on its population in 1896 because Jorde places San Esteban together with Santiago. In 1980, its population reached 5,054. To date, the population is approximately 8,000 and more or less 1,500 households.

Construction of the Church.  The church of San Esteban is as small as that of Santiago. The same priest may have constructed both edifices.

According to the report of Bishop Blaquier, Fr. Alejandro Peyrona administered this town along with Santiago in 1800. This offers strong evidence that Fr. Peyrona must have built or at least started the construction of the church. Fr. Damaso Vieytez, parish priest in 1848, was also very instrumental in this construction and completion. The report of the Illustracion Filipina, a periodical, notes that “the church is being constructed at present” (1860). Assisted by Don Agustin Santiago and Don Domingo Sumabas, Fr. Vieytez also built two magnificent defense forts which occupied an area of 32 varas  (88.96m) and were 19.40 meters high.

Style of the Church. The stucco-coated façade with its recessed arched entrance and the heavy engaged pilasters point to a Baroque style, although there is a striking bareness of decoration. The Baroque design is reinforced by the thick buttresses on the side walls of the church. The façade has two blind windows of pseudo-Gothic style on the first level. There is a semi-circular arched window at the choir left level. The triangular pediment is decorated by a flower-like motif.