"Alay sa Mag-Aaral"

First of its kind, Grades 5 and 6 student from around the town were given the priviledge as recipient of the project. During the nine day novena mass in honor of Santa Ana at 3pm, students from host schools (as scheduled) flocked at the church to;
1. Listen to the life story of Santa Ana including the story of how the remains of Santa Ana was found (with audio visual presentation).
2. Watch the towns history thru a slideshow prepared by the Commissionon Cultural Heritage of Santa Ana.
3. Finally to experience a tour within the old church. A top the experience they were given the priviledge to go into spaces within the church even those space which were restricted. Further, they were to climb the belfry and see the panorama of the town.
I have assisted in explaining the history of the town (said to be fast), and some spot of the church tour as I explain to the students interest. Quite tiring, the best part was that this young students learn their roots at an interesting side. Another project of Fr. Roger Yambao (Parish Priest of Santa Ana).
Other mentors were; Ma'am Briones, Ate Kis, Ma'am Nerissa and Dra. Gaddi

(above photo from the collection of Ma'am Agnes)

Museum

Santa Ana Museum

The initial phase of Santa Ana musuem was openned to the public right after the first mass at 7am (July 22, 2007). Those who attend the mass were the first to see the items inside. The museum is compose of 2 sets of photo gallery, remaining artifacts, antiquities and a timeline done by Mr Arwin Lingat of the Center for Kapampangan Studies. Each individual is welcomed by the old wooden statue of St. Agustine (titular saint o fthe Augustinian Churches). First photo gallery were the old photos we have collected from different family collections. Photos starts from the oldest which was the one taken from the collection of the National Library of the Philippines. The window panes used were the original panes used at the dome of the church to hold the photos. Next to this gallery was the second photo gallery of those from Santa Ana and became priest and nuns for their vocation. Moving at the next corner was the only retablo left encasing the Image of Santa Ana from the collection of the Buenaventura Family. The Antiques comes next tables, chairs, framed old Image of The Miraculous Medal, crucified christ, almost ruined San Vicente Ferrer, areola, books from the personal collection of the founder of Holy Cross College and artifacts. The remaining artifacts were the original ballusters used to be communion rail of the altar, old wood from the church roofing, adobe for walling and the heavy weight head of one of the bells of the church. Along with the antiques and artifacts is the timeline which differs to the timeline I've seen from others, ours was the lightest appearance. The map of Santa Ana features the old names of the baranggays including photos of their respective chapels. Two sets of Ceriales were also at the exhibit including the original cross at the apex of the church facade. The last was a cabinet handdling old books, the original detail of the altar table and the Majiganga's face. The Image of San Joachin which was a heritage to the baranggay was also added. There were those later added items like that of Ma'am Dunca's tita old portrait on eskayola frame, the former side passage way of the church which was used as a stage then for graduation a vintage photo and the old books of the former parish priest late Fr. Lenon given as gift to his sacristan Jet Pelayo. The most interesting was that people approached us to volunteerly lend their collection to be added at the museum. The success was at the heart of every Memalen, yet the museum had only a temporary space. Hoping that the next generation continues this initiative further and greater.

Belfry

Said to be the most massive belfry among the churches of Pampanga. Documents written that it was a five storey belfry, base it on actual, the actual only had a four storey one. My friend got an old floor plan of the church and there it shows there was still a floor below ground level. It might be that the record tells that what seems like veranda above was counted a floor. Indeed the belfry appears to be massively done on an octagonal shape. Ground floor was dedicated for the repository of Images and there lies the old baptismal font. The stair leading to the top of the belfry starts at the side of the church along the present alley. Slabs of wood used for the stairs were colored painted and embedded at the side walls of the church. The corner end of the stair was dark and narrow, and if one looses track the abrupt change in level of floor may harm. The way after the stair leads to a spacious area called the choir loft. The former choir loft is just at present for the storage of church appurtenances. Further, there was an entry leading to the belfry, here one can notice that some of the openings were closed by adobe and bricks same as the church construction materials. A wooden stair leading to the third level was present as one look above the third level has a wooden floor. The next floor has also a wooden stair up to the top most floors. Slab was present above as it suggest that the above floor was of concrete. The floor slab above had its bracing present at this area, made up of four woods. And the topmost floor is where the bells of the church were. There was also a steel made stair up to the finial. A panorama of the town can be seen here. Bats were also found in this area. Abundant with the manure of these bats, the floor was almost covered. Several times I have been at this post, the first was when I am still a SAKBS. The scene was very accommodating, especially when one sees the other parts of the church like its roofing and the top of the façade. The most I cherished was when we took a shoot at this area for the MTV.

Dome

I remember that the church dome had a painting on it. Shades of yellow and red, I used to stare at it during my high school days when I am still serving masses. The present state of which has just a plain color. Even the old windows were changed into a sampaguita colored glasses; formerly they were just as simple as smoked glass. The original windows were at the storage left. The dome features the adobe vaulting with several lightings on each. Four oblong shaped paintings of the Evangelists were on the domes corner, attached on a cone shape structure. Paintings inside the church have evidence when we saw a ca. 1940’s photo of the interiors of the church. Probably these paintings on the interior walls of the church were still in existence, it is just that they were paint over. The last surviving was at the ground level ceiling of the belfry now a repository of Images. There was a painting of the baptism of the Lord there then, painted over. Renovations and re-paintings were previously done inside the church, yet some of the old features vanished.

Apu Santa Ana

For the third time, I have been given the priviledge to climb up the altar for the altar re-arrangement for the town fiesta. The first one was when I was tasked to clean our Patron's Image, this was the first time I saw the altar Image at close. The next time was when we (together with Wilmer) went up for actul measurements of the altar for the proposed restoration of the retablo mayor. This time for the re-arragement, we (together with the SAKBS) first detached the Risen Christ at the center. The red curtain was arranged afterwards as the backdrop of the Patron's Image. Recently added sunburst was removed to give way to the Image.Moving the Image from the left side to the center follows. Nina Maria was detachchable and so was the bible handled by Santa Ana, so we detached Nina Maria from Her Mom for us to easily move the Image. Then the sunburst back, this was the arrangement last fiesta. I was thinking then that last year arrangement would last. To add up to the arrangement was to up post the side angels holding lights, which was a close simillarity to the 1940's retablo mayor. San Joachin Image at the bellfry was also added at the foot of the altar mayor. To balance San Joachin was the old monstrance as a reliquary to Santa Ana's bone marrow relic. The present altar mayor has undergone several changes, hhope this will be a start for the proposed restoration of Santa Ana retablo mayor. This was the start of the many activities for the upcoming fiesta. The nine day novena starts today, students were scheduled at 3pm for a film showing of the church history and life story of Santa Ana. There will be a church tour after the film showing. And for those who will come early that afternoon will get a chance to watch the film before the Novena Mass starts.

Adobe

Adobe are natural stones previewsly used for walling, post and foundation of old churches. The decorative features of churches were also curved from adobe at times. The reason why the walls of churches are thick, layers and layers of adobe were carefully studied in formation to built a more solid edifice. Nowadays churches were skinned from their original "palitada". Palitada is the only protection of an adobe wall from the acidity of rainwater, removing this may cause the destruction of the structure. Palitada then was not as simple as the machine made cement of present. Lime was the primer ingredient of the old palitada, more of natural elements to be able to protect the natural stone wall adobe. The photo uploaded was the present state of the walls of the church slowly pulverized by natural forces because of exposure. Notice the inclusion of brickstone at the connection of the adobe. The other photo was one of the specie of plants who found their habitat thru the adobe wall. Actions must be taken, it'll take a long time to restore the original palitada but will preserve for good the old church.

Altar

The present Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Roger Yambao added wooden curvings guilded in gold and silver paint at the altar. The original was just kept inside, also the tabernacle was taken out to fit on a new design. The "ambo" is another addition to complete the design. First step the parish did for the restoration of the retablo mayor.

Inserted photo is a close_up shot of one of the angels at the altar standing and holding lights. The angels were formerly painted with light colors, to date they were all in white. The restoration of the old retablo mayor will be of help to return the finnest color of these elements.

Kampana

Santa Ana Church Bells

There are five still existing church bells of the old church. The central bell is the biggest, one of it's distinctive feature is the embossed San Andres curved at the bell. Old bells were dedicated to patron saints. Puzzling was that San Andres was not the patron saint of the town. This bell is hung from the bellfry cieling at the old wood trusses. Next to the central bell was the medium size, connecting the large one to the other small seen from the outside. This bell is no longer in used, sat flat at the floor. The other two bells were the smallest relatively same in size. The one connected to the central bell thru the medium size bell is seen from the church facade. Rope connects the small bell and the central as this rope ends at the lower floor for the so as to be rung. The other small bell was at the opposide side as the former. Both of the small bells cannot turn 360 degrees as they work originally. The other bell at the opposite side lies diagonally due to the deformation of the wood holding the bell attached to the bellfry. One bellhead was there, probably the rumored bell as they say was lost. There seems quite a relative evidence about the story. The other openings of the eight sided bellfry had an indication that there was formerly a bell existing. The rumor stays a slip of a tongue.

(First of series of post featuring Santa Ana Church)