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<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-6/catubig-river.webp" alt="Catubig River" />
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(Section of the present-day Catubig river)
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Catubig, an inland town, lies on the banks of the Catubig River, a waterway that empties near Rauis and the traditional passage to the town. Also called Cagninipa (after an aquatic palm), Catubig is located south of Palapag. Although the Jesuits evangelized the town beginning in 1597, Jesuit practice did not assign a resident missionary to Catubig, but rather through most of the 16th and 17th century, pairs of Jesuits would visit the settlements and missions under the jurisdiction of the Palapag residentia. The Jesuits must have been agressively evangelizing Catubig, even receiving negative reactions from the inhabitants, such that on 11 October 1649, the Italian Jesuit Damiani Vicenzo was killed by natives in Catubig.


Between 1770–75, Huerta opines, the Franciscans moved the town from the old site presently called Las Navas to a new site, because of a Muslim raid. During this raid the town was burnt, many died, and about 500 enslaved. Huerta infers the date of transfer from the diminution in tribute, from 510 in 1768 to 300 in 1775. Huerta’s statement is something of a perplexity because Catubig is closer to the coast than Las Navas, arguably then a more exposed site. However, the decision may have been caused by a ancient folk practice where sites or even dwellings that suffered disaster or setbacks were abandoned.


In 1777, new Catubig became an annex of Palapag; and in 1784 was placed under Lauang’s jurisdiction.


In 1790, Fray Juan de Plasencia (namesake of the famous Franciscan pioneer who founded the towns of Laguna in Luzon and the first resident Franciscan pastor) arrived. This same year he built a new church of wood. In 1805, Fray José Mata built a stone church, which was ruined in no time for lack of care in its construction, probably during an earthquake.


In 1838 and the years following, Fray Agatón Martínez built a new church of wood.


Around 1865, Huerta writes that the ruins of the old Jesuit church could still be seen: “The church, under the advocacy of St. Joséph the Patriarch, was constructed of stone at the old site where today are left some remains.”


In 1886, Redondo reports that stone church in the revivalist style was being built, though not yet completed: 89 yards long, 22 width, and 21 in height.



Reference: 

Panublion, Heritage Sites of the Visayan Islands (www.admu.edu.ph)

The Catubig, Northern Samar heritage