Parish Church of Saint Catherine de Alexandria of Santa CatalinaParish Church of Saint Catherine de Alexandria of Santa Catalina is a Registered Property, Municipality of Santa Catalina, Ilocos Sur located at Santa Catalina, Ilocos Sur, Region I.
Devotees believe that Spaniards found a spring at the church's location. The image of St. Catherine de Alexandria appeared in a spring. It is believed that the water possesses healing power. They say that everyone who drank from it were healed from their illnesses. The locals built the church in this location under the Spaniards' supervision.
The church was later named the Parish Church of Santa Catalina. Religious rites and activities of the Roman Catholic Christians are held regularly.
In pursuit of the Spanish expeditionary forces for further conquest, from Ciudad Fernandina, now called Vigan City, they proceeded northward. They came upon a spring at the western part of the area. This is where the present Catholic Church of the town stands. The Spanish soldiers took turns in drinking the water from the spring. An apparition occurred when it was their leader's turn to drink. The oldest soldier in the group recognized the image in the apparition as Saint Catherine of Alexandria. From then on, the place was named Santa Catalina, in honor of Saint Catherine, their Patron Saint.The water from the above-mentioned spring was told from generation to generation. It is believed that it has some kind of miraculous healing power. Both the Spaniards and the locals valued the spring so much that they built the Catholic Church. Santa Catalina was part of Ciudad Fernandina until the late 16th century. The ciudad was founded by Juan Salcedo, the grandson of Miguel Lopez de Lagazpi.