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LawrenceLately wrote a review Nov 2019
Bulacan Province, Philippines126 contributions70 helpful votes
It's possible to hire a tricycle in Victorias City and go on an impromptu trip inside the VMC compound. A must-not-miss destination is the Saint Joseph the Worker Parish Church, also known as the Church of the Angry Christ for its impressive and vivid art masterpiece that serves as the backdrop of its altar. Touring the compound also gives you a sneak peek of community life inside the sugar mill. This makes me wonder about the opportunities for VMC to leverage the nostalgia, artistry and heritage imbued by the sugar mill and package these as a tourist draw for those interested to learn about Negros' sugar-laden history and society.…
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Date of experience: December 2018
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My in-laws got married here 51 years ago so it was the first time they returned to visit. Nice chapel in the still operating sugar milling company. Quick side trip.
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Date of experience: July 2019
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very beautiful and friendly People sweet as you vmc have succes and especially the living of Family life
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Date of experience: May 2018
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+1
To be honest, we were very faintly interested to see how sugar is manufactured in this huge industrial complex. An old crude artisan sugar mill would have piqued our imagination more. But we came for the chapel's murals painted in 1950 by the artist son of the owner of the Victorias Mills, Alfonso Ossorio. He was already well known in the vibrant art world in the US being associated and was the benefactor of struggling artst Jackson Pollock. The Ossorio altarpiece was painted with special pigments that could withstand tropical conditions and the colours are still vivid to this day. The altar is decorated with images of the Last Judgment. A looming figure of Christ, not the benevolent Christ but the stern judge extending His arms, is shown with the huge red hands of God the Father and the Holy Ghost is above. The iconography must have been controversial at that time. Pains were taken to "Filipinize" images showing Mary as a native Filipina, St Joseph the carpenter with the tools of his trade. Even the Roman soldiers in the stations of the Cross were Filipino soldiers. The Baptistry is interesting for its use of again local glass materials (from used bottles) to create mosaics in a structure recalling ancient baptismal fonts with a dug-out pool. There is a mural of the Last Supper on the back wall at the exterior of the chapel and like the mosaics, this is not Ossorio's creations. The chapel was designed by a Czech architect, again quite innovative at that time for its simplicity of lines, the architectural elements themselves serving as restrained decorations, the open spaces, the high ceiling and perforated upper walls adapted to tropical weather conditions. The chapel is a jewel that embodies art and religiosity on a truly elevated sphere. On the way out, we noticed the old wooden Victorias executives' homes which were reminiscent of colonial residences surrounded by lush gardens. Maybe next time, we'll visit the industrial complex but we were amply satiated by the "Angry Christ" chapel.…
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Date of experience: March 2019
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Has anyone wondered if Christ has been angry? There is a Catholic chapel inside Victorias Milling Company known as the Saint Joseph the Worker Church but it is commonly known and famous as the church of the Angry Christ. One has to come and see for oneself the uniqueness of the church.…
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Date of experience: August 2018
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