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The interior of the Los Angeles de la Guardia church of Angeles in the 1890s (above and below). The church suffered relatively
slight damages during the revolution and World War II. (Fray Francis Musni/Convento de San Agustin)
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The Church of
Angeles
The town was accepted by a meeting among Augustinians in 1830, under
the advocation of Los Angeles de la Guardia, or Angeles Custodios. It
was served by a secular priest until Fray Vicente Andres was appointed its
prior in 1843.
The original church was made of nipa and bamboo. Fray Guillermo
Masnou replaced it with one of wood in 1855. Fray Ramon Sarrionandia
started building the present edifice of stone and bricks in 1860; it was
designed by an architect from Manila, Antonio de la Camara. Fray Juan
Merino continued its construction in 1881. It was opened to the public in
1890 although still unfinished. It was Fray Pedro Ibeas who completed the
church in 1892: “a magnificent church, a perennial monument to the religious
dedication of the townspeople of Angeles.” Fray Rufino Santos (not
to be confused with the Kapampangan cardinal) added a few renovations in
1893. The church was completely finished in 1897—a legacy of the Spanish
Augustinians on the eve of their departure.
Source: Angels in Stone: Augustinian Churches in the Philippines by Fr. Pedro
G. Galende, OSA (Manila: San Agustin Museum, 1996)