Visiting the Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church in Pakil, Laguna

The St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church (Filipino: Parokya ni San Pedro Alcantara), designated as the Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba, is a Roman Catholic church in Pakil, Laguna, Philippines. It enshrines the Our Lady of Turumba painting.

History.
The first Catholic community in Pakil was organized by Fray Pedro Bautista (later canonized as San Pedro de Bautista) as a visita of Paete in 1588. It was separated from Paete in 1676. Father Francisco de Barajas, a priest from Santa Ana de Sapa Church in Manila, was named as the first parish priest on May 12, 1676. The first church was constructed of bamboo, nipa and other light materials, by volunteers under the patronage of Peter of Alcantara.

In 1684, the government, through Governor General Gabriel Curuscalegui, approved the collection of a tribute for five years for the sole purpose of constructing a stone church. The foundation was laid in 1732 during the term of Father Fernando Haro, but it burned down in 1739. It was begun again, and the construction of the church finished in 1767 with the addition of a tower in 1777. The image of Our Lady of Turumba was unveiled in 1788. In 1840, Father Joaquin de Coria repaired the church, but because of a fire in 1851 which ravaged most of the town, Father Juan de Llanera fixed the damages to the church the following year. Father Juan de Dios de Villayos rebuilt the church roof and bell tower after it was damaged by an earthquake in 1881, and the church was rebuilt again in 1883 by Father Paulino Camba. Damaged by the earthquake of 1937, it was repaired again by Father Federico Diaz Pines with the help of the Confederation of United Catholics (Kapisanang Unidad Catolica). During World War II, the church suffered damage and was later renovated. A major repair was done from 1980 to 1984, when a story of the bell tower was rebuilt and the ceiling was renovated under the Parish Council of the Laity.

Affiliation with St. Mary Major in Rome
The Chancery of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo confirmed that the diocese received a letter from Santos Cardinal Abril, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. The letter conferred a Spiritual Bond of Affinity between the basilica and the church of Pakil.

Additional info from one of local of Pakil
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Taga Pakil at deboto ng birhen ng turumba para po sa kaalaman nyo ayon po mismo sa kasaysayan ng bayan at simbahan ng Pakil at ayon na din sa matatanda tanging ang simbahan ng Pakil na sya dambana ng mapaghimalang birhen ngTurumba tanging ang simbahan ng Pakil ang nag iisang simbahan sa buong Laguna na hinde nabomba at nawasak noon panahon ng ikalawang digmaan pandaigdig sa paniniwala pinoprotektahan ng birhen ang simbahan at ang Buong bayan ng Pakil.