A view of the church and the convent.

Boljoon was established as a visita of Carcar in 1599 by the Augustinians and became an independent vicariate on October 31, 1690. It was abandoned and handed over to the Jesuits in 1737 due to lack of personnel but was taken back by the Augustinians in 1747.

The main altar retablo (left) and the pulpit (right), both sporting various influences.

The present day church was built in 1783. An earlier church made of light materials was built in the 17th-century but was gutted down by fire. Since Boljoon was constantly plagued by slave raids, Father Julian Bermejo who was assigned to the parish many times on different occasions built a series of watch towers, around three dozen, which lined the southeastern coast of Cebu for a stretch of more than 90 kilometers. A handsome number of these still exist today. He also fortified the church complex with stone walls. An armed bulwark, which is currently being used as a belfry, was also built at the southeast portion of the fortification. On a hill to the north of the church is a watchtower overlooking the town.

The interior.

The church is connected to an L-shaped rectory which still has its original clay-tiled roof. A museum currently occupies the ground floor. At the epistle side of the church is an enclosed cemetery with an arched entrance topped with a relief of a dancing skeleton. Also within the church complex is an old school building built in 1940.

Retablos at the south and north transepts (left, center) and at the baptistery (right).

Boljoon Church is a national heritage landmark and is currently undergoing restoration and rehabilitation. It is the only Spanish colonial church in Cebu today that is still in its most original form (i.e. clay-tiled roofing in church, belfry and convent, etc.) and the only one included in the list of twenty-six National Cultural Treasures by the National Museum of the Philippines. The church has also been nominated for inclusion to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.

The southern portal to the church complex (left); A massive bulwark that once formed part of a fortification that protected the church and other structures within it (right).