By Ben Hopkins

Located in northwest Luzon, Ilocos Sur is one of the most historically important regions of the Philippines. As the nation’s only province to have escaped bomb­ing during WWII, the villages and town’s of Ilocos Sur stand like living muse­ums of a spirited past. Cathedral’s and churches, shrines, heritage museums and ancestral homes spanning the past four centuries still stand strong. Straddling a coastal stretch where a myriad of cultures speak proudly of their past through an adherence to traditions, Ilocos Sur offers the perfect destination for those inter­ested in pursuing a pilgrimage tour.

The eight Churches that define the soul of Ilocos Sur were built during the Spanish era, between the 16th and 19th centuries. The historical and spiritual appeal of these churches has been attracting a growing number of travelers and tourists from all walks of life who descend upon Ilocos Sur for a pilgrimage tour.

As a fist time visitor to this region I have no idea of what to expect as Dante, my guide, drives north, past rice plantations to the east and white sand beaches to the west. Traditional trades such as weaving, stonema­sonry and pottery are still widely practiced in communities where it’s not uncommon to spot people using horse and carts as a mode of transport. Juxtaposed to this are a growing number of small but modern shopping centers packed to the rafters with stalls selling electronic gizmos and punctuated with the yellow logo of Western Union outlets; a testament to the large number of families in this region who rely on distant cousins for an extra source of income.

In Ilocos Sur’s northernmost town Sinait, we pull into the compound of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino Parish. The pale pastel exterior stands light against an overcast sky as we enter through cast iron doors into the churches peaceful sanctity. At the far end, some 70 meters away stands a statue of Christ on the cross. According to information garnered from a few scattered documents the statue was discovered in the ocean in the early 17th century.

“The statue was made in Japan but they threw it overboard, it was their loss and our gain,” my guide explains with a wink. Legend has it that the people of a neighboring village found it but couldn’t carry it, so the statue came here. At 18 feet high and carved out of a dark brown hard-wood the statue casts an imposing figure; one can only surmise the 17th century men of Sinait had something in their diet to give them strength.

That little something may well have been garlic. The town is known for its garlic. Stalls in the local market are stacked high and amongst the town’s specialties is garlic ice cream, a strange concept but surprisingly tasty and one sure to keep the Devil at bay from children’s dreams.

Driving on, we pass bamboo villages and rice crops peppered with field workers. At the edge of one field stands a chapel the size of a shed built out of breeze blocks and boasting an ornately carved wooden cross. Further on, as we approach San Guillermo Church, a warm breeze fills the air with the sweet scent of a nearby tobacco plantation.

One of the oldest churches in the region, San Guillermo was constructed by Augustian friars in 1576. Daylight cascades through ceiling high windows to illuminate baroque decorations and a pulpit gilded with gold leaf. Standing behind the pulpit and almost defying gravity stands a 25 me­ter high altar, intricately carved out of wood. “Not one nail has been used in building this pulpit,” Dante explains with an air of pride over his fellow country men’s artistry.

As we leave the church through a back door exit I look up to see the Lord Christ hanging from a cross, his compassionate eyes catching mine through a veil of blood stained tears. Heading south we exit the town under an arch bearing the words, “God Bless.”

Driving towards Ildefonso we stop at a stall selling Basi Revolt wine, a sugar cane wine made famous during the Basi revolt. The sales lady laughs and cautions me to drink a little at a time. I joke about how I’m going to drink the whole bottle after nightfall and imagine myself as a freedom fighter during the Spanish era.

In the small town of San Vincente, we enter a church of the same name. Established canonically in 1795, the church has long been a calling ground for pilgrims seeking miraculous cures. As I enter through the side door my mood immediately lightens. The sweet and gentle sound of bird-song echoes through the building, leaving me with the sensation of a weight being lifted from my shoulders. Glancing towards the altar my eyes fall upon a sculpture of Saint Vincente, looking toward me with innocent eyes and wings on his back.

Noticing my look of surprise Dante explains, “Saint Vincente is the only Patron Saint to have wings, just like a bird.”

Vigan, Ilocos Sur’s capital, is the only preserved Spanish town in the Philippines and since 1999 has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To wander its streets is to step into history. Horse and carts still clatter along the narrow cobbled streets past crumbling ancestral homes set aglow with iron lamps, handicraft shops and street life that seems to pulsate to the rhythms of a time gone by.

Entering into the heart of Vigan we stop for lunch in an 18th century restaurant at the end of Heritage Road. Lap­ping up Spanish influenced cuisine that is unique to this region I glance over my shoulder to spot a taxi driver goading me forward. Looking over his shoulder I notice his taxi is in fact a horse and cart. An hour or two trotting through the historical streets of Vigan seems as civilized a way as any to digest my lunch before paying a visit to the cities Saint Paul’s Cathedral.

Saint Paul’s Cathedral was first built as a wooden struc­ture in 1575 by Juan de Salcedo. Reduced to splinters dur­ing the earthquakes of 1619 and 1627 a second Cathedral was constructed in 1641 before the present baroque style church was erected in the 1800’s. As I enter, the late after­noon sun casts shadows across the creamy white exterior. The rising tones of a choir boy climb skyward to echo off the arch like shapes that define the ceiling. Freshly ar­ranged flowers and newly lit candles flicker wildly as a group of pilgrims imbued with reverence and eager to pray scurry towards the aisles. When a group of school children enter through the large oak side-doors the sound of creaking seems to resonate with the choir boy’s falsetto to the point that I wonder his voice may be prematurely breaking. Once the creaking doors are closed order is restored and the whole building comes to life with a moving rendition of Bach’s Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring.

It must be for a good two hours that I sit listening to the music and studying a series of paintings portraying the Lord Christ’s terrible assent to crucifix­ion. As I exit the sinking sun bleeds a rusty hue across the rooftops of Vigan, creating an eerie ambience where shadows seem to move like ghosts across the cobbled streets.

The following morning I awake to the sound of rain bouncing off the streets and a gale force wind threatening to rip the arms off the trees. By the time I’ve finished breakfast order is restored and the sun is breaking through. As if on cue Dante appears at the door, his SUV keys jangling in his hand.

Driving towards our next port of call, Santa Maria, we stop to buy some sticky rice and mango fruit from some kids perched at the edge of a rocky outcrop. Fishermen stand at the ocean edge, waiting patiently for something to bite while fifty meters out to sea an altar of the Virgin Mary perched on a rock stands strong against the choppy waters.

The sticky rice proves to be the fuel needed to power us up the 82 step stair­way to the Nuestra Senora de la Asuncian church in Santa Maria. Built in 1765 the church was used as a fortress during the Philippine revolution in 1896. Today Ilocos Sur is at peace; a group of school kids fly their kites above the belfry which leans precariously against a strong wind that attempts to steal the kites from their small hands. A fine example of a baroque architec­ture this church was named a UNESCO world heritage site on December 11th, 1993.

Driving on through the province we stop by at a white sand bay where young and old are involved in a basketball tournament. A loan surfer rides high upon the waves while a group of kids bury their unfortu­nate friend under a mole hill of sand. One of the kids asks me if I want to be buried, declining the offer I take a snap shop and move on to the next stop.

Built around 400 hundred years ago, Santa Lucia church in Santa Lucia is most noticeable for its high dome rooftop. Known for its Renaissance style architecture the interior of this church has been beauti­fully maintained. To the west wing of the altar a couple of teenage boys armed with electric guitars are practicing their hits for this Sunday’s mass. Their songs, celebrating the Lord are attracting, a new wave of young worshippers. They call themselves The Miracle Band. Their songs speak of optimism and hope; encapsulating the message of the Lord, keeping alive old traditions through a new medium; sounding forth a welcome from the churches of Ilocos Sur to a whole new generation of pilgrims.