Molo Church, Gothic-Renaissance church in Molo district, Iloilo City, Philippines
Molo Church is a parish church built in Gothic-Renaissance style in Molo district, Iloilo City, featuring a white coral stone facade and two red pointed bell towers. These towers contain thirty bells of varying sizes that create the sound marking daily life in the neighborhood.
The permanent concrete structure was built beginning in 1866 under Don Jose Manuel Locsin and Fray Agapito Buenaflor, replacing an earlier tabique pampango building. The church lost one of its towers during bombing campaigns in 1945 but has remained a community landmark since.
The church holds a special place in local devotion through its display of sixteen female saint statues arranged in two rows inside, which visitors notice immediately upon entering. This focus on women saints shapes how the community gathers and prays within its walls.
Visitors can reach the church using jeepneys marked 'Arevalo' or 'Molo' that regularly pass through the main plaza in front of the building. The central location makes it easy to find and approach on foot from the surrounding streets.
The building served as an evacuation center protecting the local community during World War II combat operations in the area. This role as a refuge remains part of how residents remember and value the church today.
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