Rough Groove

Bosoboso church

I read one of Sassy Lawyer’s post on Bosoboso a few months back and when I just saw that ancient church of Bosoboso, I was just so captivated with it that I said to myself that I should go there and see it for myself. A month later, I was asking my officemates on how to go to that place but nobody can answer. I checked the map and its just too far. But I persisted.

Old Bosoboso (if you say it the wrong way, it might mean to peep, like a peeping tom) is part of Antipolo City. Its not such a big place and because of its distance, there is no mobile phone signal in this area. I couldn’t believe it that there’s still places near mega Manila that has not been touched with the cellular companies’ reach.

The church was first constructed in 1700 under the Jesuits but was destroyed by an earthquake in 1880. In 1930, it was abandoned when the town was moved to another location but the people later came back. In 1943, it was razed by fire. It was only in 1995 that it was restored back to its original design and construction.

Inside the church is a simple altar made of bricks.

Cashews, still attached to the fleshy part is sold at the streets or the seeds being dried along the road in Bosoboso is one of the major cash crop in the area. The shelled seeds are sold in the streets and markets of Antipolo City. I have only seen and tasted the bittersweet but aromatic fruits back in my father’s hometown in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental years back when we were still children. Tasting it again brought back these sweet memories.

Antipolo church

My original plan was to go directly to Old Bosoboso, a remote town in Rizal province and a part of Antipolo City. However, there was a mix up in the jeepney that I took in Cubao that I was left with no choice but to stop by Antipolo City and visit its famous church, a pilgrimage site for the Our Lady of Antipolo.

The image of Mary as the Our Lady of Antipolo, said to be a miraculous icon that people visit and pay homage to for prayers, pleas and invocations.

A candle vendor outside the church selling these unusual man and woman wax figure. She said that devotees buy her candles including these to pray for blessings for the family. The man and woman eventually represents the husband and wife. These are included in lighting the candle.

A lady vendor across the street selling cashew nuts (roasted and salted), various kakanin (native delicacies) like suman, kalamay (various stuff made from rice) and other sweets.