25/07/2025
Happy Fiesta St. James the Greater Parish Community! The Diocese of Legazpi Diocesan Multimedia Services Inc. (Veritas Legazpi 1008 kHz, Veritas TV DCTV Channel 2, 94.7 Spirit FM, Via Maria Press and Publishing, Vita Catholica Bookstore, Verbum Creatives and Katiwala 1008 Community) wishes a joyous celebration of your Parochial Fiesta!
The town of Libon, Albay traces its origin to the Second Expedition of Captain Juan de Salcedo to the Bicol Region in 1573. Although, Salcedo reached as far as Paracale, Camarines Norte in his First Expedition in 1751. he could not establish a settlement there because his uncle, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi who had captured Manila earlier ordered him back to Manila in that same year.
On his second trip to Bicol two years later, Salcedo sailed beyond Paracale, and after sailing the Bicol River upstream, his group finally reached its source which is Bato Lake. It was on the banks of this lake that Salcedo laid the foundations of a settlement for Spaniards and christened it "Santiago de Libon" indicating that the settlement was under the patronage of Señor Santiago Apostol. According to Fr. Felix de Huerta, this was the first town founded in the province of Camarines Sur to which it belonged until 1847. This writer also stated that this was the "first place where the Franciscan missionaries worked upon their arrival in the region in 1578. According to Fr. Huerta, the Franciscan missionaries were entrusted with the Christianization of the entire island of Luzon which was divided into five different territories one of which was the entire Camarines which in those days comprised the present provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur. Albay and Sorsogon.
Later, two Franciscan fathers, Fr. Pablo de Jesus and Fr. Bartolome Ruiz together with another Spaniard, a Captain Juan de Guzman, reached Libon and found there a Spanish garrison surrounded by native settlements. There they built a bamboo and nipa church. From Libon, these two fathers started to spread the Gospel in the surrounding areas.
In an article written by Dr. Josefina R. Cortes, it is clarified that Libon was the first settlement for Spaniards established in the Bicol Region, by no less than Captain Juan de Salcedo who was recognized as the Spanish conquistador of the southern part of Luzon, and that Libon served as the starting point for the propagation of the Christian faith in the entire region. The construction of a concrete church building was started in 1591. A story about the building of the first church in the poblacion of Libon narrates that since there were no means of transportation to carry the materials needed like the red bricks, stones, honey,etc., the people decided to form a line from the barangay called Linao where the materials were found to the poblacion, and they passed the materials from one hand to another. They did this everyday until they were able to pile enough materials to build the dome of the first church. Later the rest of the materials were brought on a sled pulled by a carabao.
About a century later a big convento of strong materials was constructed and a few years before the coming of the Americans, the er****on of a tall belfry was finished under Fray Diego Prieto.
A terrible earthquake in 1907 destroyed the church with its belfry and the convento. Only the presbytery with a dome over it withstood the quake and remains undamaged to this day as if to inspire the people of God to go on and keep the faith in more meaningful ways.
In 1960, the proverbial ingenuity, generosity and devotion of the Libonenses took a concrete shape. A concerted effort at the year-round improvement of the church was made with the help of the Santiago de Libon, Inc., an association of Manila-based Libonenses) under the inspiration and leadership of Fr. Jesus V. Fernandez, SJ, a native son of Libon.
When Rev. Fr. Francisco Gianan (1961-1971) was assigned to lead the flock, he generated more enthusiasm among the parishioners to continue the work of reconstruction and expansion. The fifty by twenty-five meters finished structure designed to withstand earthquakes and 250 kilometers per hour typhoons is a combination of the antique, composed of the old presbytery with its original dome and the modern, consisting of the imposing façade and the main building with its tropical side walls. But this was just the start of the continuing reconstruction of the church to meet the pressing needs of the Parish as it continues its journey in faith towards the Father.
Then the year round improvement started. The crumbling rectory was torn down and a more decent building put up to include the pastor's and the parochial vicars quarters and the office. This was spearheaded by Santiago de Libon, Inc. Then Rev. Fr. Zosimo Vasquez, also a native son of Libon had the big posts inside the church improved. Rev. Fr. Eulogio Lawenko, Jr. picked up from where his predecessors left by having the sides of the church widened and the façade beautified. Because of his zeal and industry he was able to gain the wholehearted cooperation of the parishioners. He was so determined to improve the place that a two storey pastoral center was constructed which answers the need of the varied parish concerns and provides a venue for the activities of church-based organization. It was also during Fr. Lawenko's stay in the parish that the campanario was constructed. These constructions were made possible because he did not just depend on the aid sent by the Santiago de Libon, Inc., but he worked hard in raising funds.
Meanwhile, Santiago de Libon, Inc., continues to look after the improvement of the church. Two years ago the flooring of the church and the convento were improved. Even the church grounds underwent some improvements. The concrete fence around was made prettier by graceful arches of steel railings. The Commission on Temporalities solicited funds from abroad to boost the contributions of the different barangays. And lately the parish under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Josefino Templado planned to put up an Adoration Chapel by soliciting contributions front generous people
The journey of faith continues with the glorious history of the town as starting point. The Parish entered the Third Christian Millennium with strong faith in Divine Providence and with ardent devotion to Senior Santiago.
