Paete

Santiago Apostol Parish

Paete remained a visita of Lumban until 20 October 1600 when it was transferred to the jurisdiction of Pakil, where it remained until 1602. The first church was dedicated to San Lazaro. A church and convento of stone were built in 1646 but were in ruins before 1717, when a stronger stone church and convento were built under the direction of the Fr. Francisco de la Fuente. In 1840, the convento was renovated by Fr. Luis de Nambroca and the church repaired. The church was damaged by the earthquake of 1880 and rebuilt by Fr. Pedro Gallano in 1884. The church was damaged by the earthquake of 1937. The church has been undergoing restoration since the 1970s and was declared a National Historical Site in 1981. The 19th century Paeteño artist, Jose Dans, painted canvases for the church.

Heritage Features: The facade of Paete church is the most florid of the Laguna churches, its tapestry-like design, nearly obliterates the architectural pilasters that decorate the facade. The facade comes to a focus at the bas-relief showing Santiago astride a horse. A small plaza in front of the church displays the facade to its full advantage. The main entrance, fronting the plaza, is generally locked. Entrance to the church is through a side door which has unfortunately been remodeled and outfitted with historically inaccurate decoration.

While the interior remains, the restoration of the altars has been heavy handed, leaving them with a brilliant layer of gold leaf. Other details worth noting are the crocodile heads supporting the choir loft, and two paintings of San Cristobal. The painting on canvas hid a fresco secco on the same theme; this work was uncovered in the process of restoration. Two charming catechetical paintings hang along the nave: one depicts the Seven Sacraments and the other the Last Judgment.