San Salvador del Mundo Parish

San Salvador del Mundo Parish, commonly known as Caraga Church, is often recognized as one of the oldest churches in Mindanao and is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Mati in Davao Oriental. Caraga itself was established as a town in 1861, while its stone-and-wood church was constructed beginning in 1877 as a mission station for Spanish missionaries and completed in 1884. Built mainly from limestone blocks, coral, and wood, the fortress-style church was dedicated to San Salvador del Mundo, or Christ the Holy Saviour of the World, also associated with the name El Salvador del Mundo San Salvador. Among its surviving heritage features are a church bell dating to 1802 and an antique image of San Isidro Labrador, the town's patron saint, which can still be seen at the altar. On July 16, 2012, the church was declared a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, recognizing its historical and cultural significance. Visitors and pilgrims can check the latest mass schedule while discovering the centuries-old Catholic heritage preserved at Caraga Church in Davao Oriental.