Functional status Active | Denomination Roman Catholic Architectural type Church | |
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Location Barangay Bancuro, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro Similar Ambon‑Ambon Falls, National Historical Commissi, Mount Apo, Mount Halcon, White Beach | ||
The Bancuro Church Ruins, or locally known as Simbahang Bato (Stone Church), is a Roman Catholic church located in Barangay Bancuro, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. It earned the moniker "a church within a church" because a small chapel is currently housed within the ruins' massive walls.
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History
The Simbahang Bato was built in the early part of the 17th century when the Augustinians established their first settlement in Bancuro, Naujan. Its thick walls were made of coralline stones and bonded by lime mortar.
Since the 17th century, Mindoro was frequented by Moro invaders and because of this, the church served not only as house of worship but also as a fort and refuge for the locals. In 1824, the Moros burned the fort, leading to the destruction of the church.
Archaeology
In 2004, the University of the Philippines Archaeological Studies Program excavated in the church ruins with the goal of investigating the main settlement of Naujan, as mentioned in old written documents. Initially seen as a suspicious activity in the light of the looming 2004 national and local elections, the excavation contributed to the tourism sector later on when the municipal and provincial governments included the Bancuro Church Ruins in their list of tourist attractions.
