400-year old church bell returns back home to La Union
After more than 100 years, the church bell which was seized by American soldiers during the Philippine-American war, was returned back home to its rightful place in Bauang, La Union.
SAN PEDRO BELL. After 115 years, the bell is finally back home to Bauang, La Union as it was reinstalled in the church and unveiled by Capt. Dennis Wright and Bauang Mayor Eulogio de Guzman. Photo by Richard Balonglong, grabbed from inquirer.net
The return of the bell was made possible as it was transported from West Point Community in New York, USA and arrived in the Philippines on May 17. The bell, known as the San Pedro bell, was installed at West Point’s Most Holy Trinity Chapel when retired US Navy Captain Dennis Wright and the team started the process to return the bell back to PH.
Upon arrival, the San Pedro bell was given a celebratory welcome in Bauang last May 23. San Fernando, La Union bishop Rodolfo Beltran held mass during the ceremonial rites, which was also attended by representatives of the US embassy, US war veterans, West Point Association of the Philippines, locals and residents of the said town.
The bell which weighed 400 kilos is an alloy of gold, silver, and copper. It was installed at Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church in Bauang, La Union. According to historical reports, the bell was almost destroyed during the revolution.
Wright rediscovered the bell with a group of American veterans and worked with several people to process the return. It was in January 2016 when Lt. General Robert Caslen Jr., the 59th Superintendent of the US Military Academy honored the request to return the bell as a “gesture of goodwill and recognition of America and PH’s enduring relationship, as reported by Manila Bulletin.
Source: Manila Bulletin; Philippine Star
