Did Padre Damaso build this cemetery?

The beautiful cemetery gate of Dingras, Ilocos Norte.

Any tour itinerary of Ilocos Norte always goes through a familiar list: Paoay Church, Laoag's so-called Sinking Belltower, the Marcos mausoleum, the beaches of Pagudpud, Bangui's windmills, etc. To a lesser extent, some tourists visit the once-ruined, now-restored church in the town of Dingras.

But what about its Spanish-era cemetery? But that is getting ahead of the story.

At 32 meters wide, 32 meters high and 90 meters long, the church of Dingras is both massive and monumental. Two Augustinian priests, Damaso Vieytez (yes, a Damaso, but definitely not the fictional Padre Damaso of Noli Me Tangere fame) and Ricardo Deza, are cited as the ones behind its construction in 1879. 

A look at the church's now-reconstructed facade gives the viewer an intriguing thought: could one of these curates also be the person responsible for the town's imposing cemetery gate? Was it Padre Damaso? Was it Padre Ricardo? Or was it both of them?

Located just beside the highway leading to town, the size and style of the cemetery gate echoes that of the town church. A two-tiered brick portal is flanked by engaged faux columns capped by Ionic capitals. Above it is an unusually tall open niche also flanked by similar columns. 

As such, this makes it one of the most impressive examples of cemetery architecture in the Ilocos region. 

Although the gate is now in a semi-ruined condition, the structure's features are complemented by a beautiful perimeter fence and old, large trees. It is a sight that should be definitely preserved--just like the padres' nearby church.

An impressive sight, Dingras cemetery is just beside the road leading to the town proper.

The back portion of the cemetery gate.

Bucolic beauty: a cow grazes beside the perimeter wall of the cemetery. 

The reconstructed facade of Dingras Church. Image courtesy of
Dingras Local Government Unit Facebook page.