A 19th-century Catholic parish church in the southern province of Misamis Occidental reopened for worship Saturday, 11 days after it was temporarily closed due to an incident of desecration.
READ: Ozamis archbishop orders closure of ‘desecrated’ church
Archbishop Martin Jumoad of Ozamiz led the Mass and the rite of reopening and reconciliation at St. John the Baptist Parish Church in Jimenez town, attended by more than 1,000 faithful.
“Their presence and prayers stand as a powerful testimony of a community united in hope, healing, and renewal,” the parish said in a statement.
Jumoad had earlier announced the reopening, saying the parish had completed its period of penance and reparation.
The archbishop ordered the temporary closure of the church on Aug. 5 after a woman reportedly spat into a holy water font — an act he described as a “grave act of sacrilege.”
He said the closure was meant to encourage “penance and reparation.”
In response, parishioners participated in a holy hour of Eucharistic adoration, received the sacrament of reconciliation, and joined other devotions to express repentance and restore full liturgical life.
The state-run Philippine News Agency described the historic church as a key cultural and religious landmark in the region.
In 2001, the church was designated a “national cultural treasure” by the National Museum of the Philippines.
