The Mystery of the Baclayon Church in Bohol

Visiting Bohol had been a long time dream of mine – even before I got into the passion of traveling. I always wanted to see the Chocolate Hills but there was never really anything else I looked forward to other than that and the beaches I’ve heard so much about. So imagine my surprise when we stopped at the Baclayon Church. Unfortunately, the Church was closed when we visited, even on a Thursday so we weren’t allowed inside. However, we did get to learn one thing – even if we just stayed outside.

The beautiful Baclayon Church looked antique, even from the outside. Having been built from coral stones and cemented by egg whites in 1727, it is also one of the oldest built churches in the country, coming second to San Agustin Church in Intramuros.

Might the church have been renovated and restored many times, the part of the stones and egg whites is still visible especially around the back of the church. Since we weren’t able to go inside, we didn’t get to see the Museum or take a look at the artwork of the Church and the alleged dungeon for the wronged natives below the Church.

Fortunately for us, the beautiful and historic façade, artwork and museum of the Baclayon Church isn’t what only brings many tourists to the area. In fact, there is one specific part of the Church that tourists flock to see.

As we took pictures outside, from the parking lot which was located to the right of the Church, our tour guide, Kuya Jun assisted us in snapping a picture of the stone foundation leading to the center entrance of the church. At first, he just seemed helpful and like any ordinary tour guide trying to help his tourists. He even offered to take a picture of my sister against the wall.

 

Little did we know, he had another agenda. As soon as he snapped a picture of the mystery wall that was fascinating him more than it had intrigued me at first, he was pointing something out in the picture.

My heart thumped immediately, wondering if he had seen something, maybe an orb or a face or figure had appeared in the picture. That’d be quite a thriller. Amazingly, he had been pointing out a face, but it wasn’t just the face of any old ghost, it was the face of Padre Pio imprinted, miraculously on the side foundation of the Church.

Padre Pio, or Saint Pio was born on May 25, 1887 in Italy. He had poor health but despite that, he was able to finish his studies due to strong will and soon enough, ordained as a priest in the year 1910.

It was on September 20, 1918, that his simple life as a priest changed when he became the first stigmatized priest in history. All 5 wounds of Jesus appeared on his body, marking his deep love for God and the Eucharist and beginning his life of apostolic activity for the many that flock to his confessionals.

After a devotee found the image on the photos of tourists taking pictures against the wall, Ramon Rodriguez, who had been healed through the intercession of Padre Pio of his half-blindness, called on Fr. Antonio Pompilio, an Italian priest to evaluate and confirm the image.

Since then, Baclayon is considered to be a very special town, a chosen town for Padre Pio to which his face has only appeared since his death.

Some mysteries in the country can be very dark and we all close our eyes and shudder when we hear the name or the history of a place. Some mysteries can never be uncovered and there are no possible answers to our questions. However, there are some mysteries, hidden in the darkness of death, but lighted by the rays of belief and religion, that makes a country like ours a gem to visit.

This is an entry to the Pinoy Travel Blogger’s October Blog Carnival hosted by the Pinay Solo Backpacker, here’s to uncovering the dark tourism of the country – from the darkest and unsolvable mysteries to those that have us trying to solve what can never be fully understood. To the deepest, darkest secrets of life, death and tourism, happy October everyone! Have a great Halloween!

 

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Another place that has a lot of uncovered mysteries is Egypt, where the pyramids are more than enough to keep you entertained with dark tourism involving life and death. Make sure to get the best and most affordable Egypt holidays so you have time and money to tour the many tourist destinations the country has to offer.

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Tags: baclayon, baclayon church, bohol, featured, mystery of baclayon church, padre pio, padre pio baclayon church, tagbilaran

Category: Bohol