Santa Monica Parish Church Bell – Biggest in Asia

SANTA MONICA PARISH CHURCH BELL

Capiz Santa Monica Church Bell Photo from: http://jovlyjustgre.blogspot.com/2010/10/panay-biggest-bell.html

The quiet town of Panay is home to several national cultural treasures —the Santa Monica Parish Church (commonly known as Panay Church) is considered the oldest in the whole island of Panay, and dakong lingganay is known as the largest church bell in Asia and third biggest in the world.

Measuring 7 feet in diameter, 5 feet in height and weighing 10.4 metric tons, it was definitely the biggest bell that I’ve ever seen.

This bell was completed in 1878 through the donations of the local people which amounted to about 70 sacks of gold and silver coins. The old bells dates back to 1721. Read More: http://www.backpackingpilipinas.com/2014/09/panays-dakong-lingganay-biggest-church.html

Photo from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttZEnYQ9l-0

Although the church and its bell have been a popular tourist attraction for decades, it only started gaining national recognition recently. In 1997, the National Historical Institute declared the church bell a national treasure. In 2004, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts listed Sta. Monica Church as one of 26 churches that were National Cultural Treasures, calling it “the best preserved sites in Panay province.” In an article “Angels in Stone: Augustinian Churches in the Philippines,” Augustinian priest Pedro G. Galende, calls the church “a grand structure made of coral stone” measuring 70 meters long, 25 meters wide and 18 meters high. The bell, known in the province as “dakong lingganay’ (huge bell), weighs 10.4 tons and was cast in 1884 by noted blacksmith Don Juan Reina. As much as 70 sacks of gold and silver coins were reputedly melted down to make it. Tour guide Bendejas said the base of the bell is just over two meters wide and many visitors like to squeeze themselves inside to get a sense of its power. Townsfolk said the bell sounds like “the voice of God.” That belief is boosted by the inscription in Spanish on one side of the bell that reads: “I am God’s voice, which I shall echo and praise from one end to the other of the town of Panay, so that the faithful followers of Christ may come to this house of God to receive heavenly graces.” Claims that the bell is the largest in Asia has led to debate, especially over the Internet where rival claims in Myanmar, Korea and Japan are often cited. However, as far as the Philippines is concerned, ‘dakong lingganay’ surpasses all its rivals.Read More: https://www.ucanews.com/news/santa-monica-bell-proves-a-big-attraction/5075

Photo from: http://isiah-johnson-capiz-delicacies.blogspot.com/2012/01/capiz-delicacies-oldest-bell-panay-bell.html

If Taal has the biggest church in Asia, Panay has largest Catholic bell in the continent. It unbelievable weighs more than ten metric tons. To put that in perspective, an average SUV weighs in at two metric tons. That’s more than five Ford trucks combined.
Between 1844 to 1886, the local friar collected a total of seventy sacks of coins from the parishioners which were in turn melted and casted into the Big Bell of Capiz.
A Spanish inscription marks the bell’s face; Soy la voz de Dios que Ilevarey ensalzare desde el principio hasta el fin de este pueblo de Panay para que los fieles de Jesus vengan e esta casa de Dion a recibit las gracias celestiales.

I am God’s voice which I shall echo and praise from one end to the other of the town of Panay, so that the faithful followers of Christ may may come to this house of God to receive heavenly graces.

And it cannot be more true. The booming sound of the massive bell can be heard as far as eight kilometers around town. Read More: https://www.lakadpilipinas.com/2013/12/panay-church-capiz.html

Photo from: https://www.ucanews.com/news/santa-monica-bell-proves-a-big-attraction/5075