Visiting The Immaculate Conception Church Of Oslob

​Southern Cebu can be paradise for heritage buffs with the century-old churches and heritage buildings in this part of the island. While some of these churches were restored after being destroyed for various reasons in the past, much of their façade have remained relatively the same. One of these churches is the Immaculate Conception Church of Oslob.

Immaculate Conception Church – image source: tripadvisor.com.ph

​Immaculate Conception Church

The Immaculate Conception Church was established on May 4, 1830. While the plans of the church were made by Bishop Santos Gomes Maranon, Fr. Julian Bermejo selected the site for the church. Bishop Maranon is the same prelate behind the construction of the kiosk protecting Magellan’s Cross. Fr. Bermejo supervised the construction of the church, which was completed in 1848. Aside from the residents of Oslob, the residents of Santander, formerly Tañon, and Nueva Caceres, formerly Ivisan, helped in building the church. 

Immaculate Conception Church – image source: cebu-bluewaters.com

​In 1942, the church was burned down by Filipino guerillas before it was restored by the residents of the town. On November 7, 1955, the church was destroyed again when a fire gutted it. Nearly everything inside the church was destroyed by the fire. Only the image of the Immaculate Conception was spared.  The townsfolk pitched in to rebuild the church. A third fire hit the church on March 26, 2008. Restoration efforts were completed on December 10, 2010. 

Immaculate Conception Church – image source: mugstoria.com

​The Immaculate Conception Church served to meet the religious needs of the people of Oslob. The church has a plain yet imposing façade. The interior of the church features a high ceiling. Since the Immaculate Conception Church was destroyed in the fires that gutted it in the past, much of the interior may have changed when compared to when it was originally built. The church was made of coral stones quarried from the seas and cemented using lime from seashell ashes.  Its bell tower of the church stands at 30 meters and had a neo-classical style dome. An unfinished Cuartel stands in front of the church. The Cuartel was supposed to be the barracks of the Spanish guardia civil.

Immaculate Conception Church – image source: tripadvisor.com.ph

Getting to the Immaculate Conception Church of Oslob

You can visit the Immaculate Conception Church of Oslob by getting on a bus headed for Oslob at the Cebu South Bus Terminal.  Once you reach the town proper, you can simply ask for directions from locals since the church is within walking distance from the center of the town. 

Immaculate Conception Church – image source: tripadvisor.com.ph

​Even as the Immaculate Conception Church of Oslob went through a number of renovations after it was gutted in the past, it still evokes a sense of faith among local and visitors to the town. Its façade may be simple, but it is quite imposing. The bell tower itself is also nearly as wide as the façade, which makes it different from many churches in Cebu. It is also one of the places history and culture lovers should not fail to visit if they ever get to pass by the town of Oslob.

Have you visited the Immaculate Conception Church of Oslob already? Tell us about the visit on the comments section below.