The Mysterious Stories About The San Fernando Rey Parish Of Liloan

​When the Spaniards colonized the Philippines, they built churches all over the archipelago. Many of these churches have stood the test of time and continue to serve the needs of the faithful. But, some of these churches are shrouded by stories of the mysterious kind. One of these churches is the San Fernando Rey Parish in Liloan.

San Fernando Rey Parish – image source: wikimapia.org

Liloan

Liloan was established as a parish in 1845 after it was separated through a government decree from the St. Joseph Parish in Mandaue. The name is based on the Cebuano word for whirlpool, “lilo.” The name Liloan means “a place where the lilo can be found.”

San Fernando Rey Parish – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

San Fernando Rey Parish 

The San Fernando Rey Parish is one of the oldest structures in the town of Liloan. It was built in 1847 and was named after the saint who recaptured Spain from the Moors. The materials used for the construction came from the Camotes Islands and Leyte. On the other hand, the glass window shutters were sourced from Barcelona, Spain. It is the only church on the island that faces west. 

San Fernando Rey Parish – image source: commons.wikimedia.org

​One unique feature of the church is it does not face the sea, unlike many of the churches in Cebu. One theory for this orientation is that the designers of the church may have wanted to protect churchgoers from the heat of the sun during morning services. Another notable feature is its size. When the church was built, the population of the town was smaller compared to Mandaue. But, the church was bigger compared to the church found in Mandaue. 

San Fernando Rey Parish – image source: wikigogo.eng

Mysteries

The San Fernando Rey Parish in Liloan is not only a place of worship among Roman Catholics since the church is shrouded in mysterious stories of caves, treasures, and a giant sea creature. According to stories, there is supposedly a cave behind the altar of the church. It remains uncertain if the cave is man-made, but some people think the cave may have been used as an escape route whenever pirates and marauders attacked the town. The cave is supposedly connected to the Suba Channel.

Suba Channel – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Ancient treasures are supposedly hidden inside the cave. A giant sea creature supposedly guards the treasure. Depending on the person telling the story, this sea creature may be the legendary cogtong, a half-man half fish creature, or a giant red-eyed octopus. Stories of a santelmo or St. Elmo’s fire have also emerged. The santelmo supposedly roams the back part of the church. But, these stories have remained unsubstantiated and have been relegated to the long list of myths and legends of Cebu.

San Fernando Rey Parish – image source: thepicta.com

Getting to the San Fernando Rey Parish in Liloan

The San Fernando Rey Parish is located right in front of the municipal hall of Liloan. You can get there by getting on a jeepney or bus headed for this northern town. Just tell the driver or conductor to let you off at the municipal hall. The church is situated on the right side of the road.

San Fernando Rey Parish – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

​Even as Christianity has laid a strong foundation in the lives of many Cebuanos, myths and legends still have a role to play in society. Whether you believe these stories or not, they provide us with an insight on the way of life of Cebuanos long before the coming of the Spaniards. 

Do you know of any myths and legends in your hometown? Tell us about them through the comments section below.