Naga was originally a visita of San Nicholas. It was erected as an independent parish on June 12, 1829 under the advocation of San Francisco de Asis ( Redondo, 1886:155). A plan for the church was executed by bishop Santos Gomez Maranon and built by Fr. Simon Aguirre un 1850. A rectory was built by Fr. Enrique Magaz who was parish priest from 1857 to 1864. In November 25, 1876 a typhoon damaged the belfry although it was repaired later on. Towards the end of World War II, the Church was damaged by American Bombing runs while the belfry and the rectory were totally destroyed. A different Belfry was was later built by Msgr. Cesar Alcoseba in 1979 while a new rectory was built in the mid-1970 by Fr. Arturo Tecson. The church is a single-nave cruciform structure that stands along the highway facing the old municipal hall and plaza. Much of the interiors are already contemporary although the original façade has been retatained except for its rectangular pediment which was originally triangular. This Façade is the church’s central attraction, the only one in Cebu that so heavily embellished with motifs and symbols in Bas relief uniquely combining Islamic and indigenous Central American or Mexican Influences called “tequiterqui´. Right above the main entrance, at the center of the façade, is a low relief depicting the first mass in Cebu. Surrounding it is inscribed the year “1521” and the Latin words “Praedicate Evangeliun omni Creaturae”. Buttresses that are capped with minaret-shaped domes support all the four sides of the church. A contemporary belfry whose design is totally incongruous to that of the church stands freely beside it. Right behind near the rectory, is a badly-proportioned statue of San Franciso de Asis lording over the parking area.

( Source: Balaang bahandi)

Mark Raphael Morales