Mention Panay Island and the story of the golden salakot comes to mind. The Maragtas Chronicles tell the story of the ten datus who escaped from Borneo and arrived in Panay. Story has it that in exchange for a golden salakot (a wide brimmed native hat), the Bornean datus bought the island from the Aetas (Atis) who originally inhabited it. It’s just a story and there are conflicting claims as to whether or not things really happened that way.

Anyway, Panay Church, home of the largest church bell in Asia, is in Panay Island. From the trivia page of WOW Philippines:

The largest bell in Asia hangs at the belfry of the 221-year old Panay Church. It is 7 feet in diameter and 7 feet in height, and weighs 10.4 tons. Its tolling can be heard as far as 8 km. away. It was casted from 70 sacks of coins donated by the townspeople as a manifestation of faith and thanksgiving.

I have a different theory about the nature of the “donation” but, anyway, here are photos of Panay Church taken on the morning of Good Friday.

Church altar
A bat on the church wall
Warning sign

The name on the bell
Panay Church Bell tower photo
Panay Church Bell tower

Church bell
Church aisle
A chandelier

Church wall
Photo of Panay Church
History of Panay Church

Panay Church
Covered saints
Ferns

Old wood
Paseo de Evangelizacion
Statue of a saint

Sculpture of an angel
Stations of the Cross
Church window


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