Vito Church in Sagay City is the Shrine of St. Vincent Ferrer. Barangay Vito is a bustling fishing village along the coast of Sagay City facing Molocaboc Island. Its old name was Narvaez.
Vito Church and the Palapak
Vito church was established during the religious administration of Negros by the Recollect Friars. The first Recollect missionaries were assigned in Vito in 1898 but the church and convent were constructed only in the 1930s.
The religious tradition of palapak is still being practiced at Vito Church. The base of a small statue of St. Vincent Ferrer is lightly pressed on the head of a devotee. Thus it’s called palapak, taken from the word lapak, Hiligaynon meaning “to step on”. A devotee who receives a palapak is said to receive healing through St. Vincent Ferrer’s intercession.
Below is a video of the palapak.
History of the San Vicente Ferrer Image
According to the book Handurawan: Visita Iglesia Negros y Recoletos, a fisherfolk named Juan Barco found a driftwood in Molocaboc Island. He originally wanted to use it as firewood but after several signs and miracles given to him by a saint, he decided to carve an image out of the driftwood. This image was later identified to be St. Vincent Ferrer.
The old wooden image of San Vicente Ferrer at Vito Church is said to have miraculous healing powers. This is the reason why every Friday, especially the first Friday of the month, devotees flock to Vito Church to pray for healing or as part of their panaad (religious vow).
How to Get to Vito Church
The best time to go to Vito church is on the first Friday of the month so you can witness the old tradition of palapak being practiced.
Sagay is approximately 82 kilometers northeast of Bacolod City or approximately 2-hour drive by private vehicle. If you opt to take a bus and Vito, take a Ceres bus at the North Terminal in Bacolod City. If you are not planning to stop by Sagay City proper, take a bus plying north such as Escalante, Toboso or San Carlos City because Barangay Vito is located after the Sagay City proper. Inform the conductor to drop you off at Crossing Vito. From Crossing Vito, ride a tricycle to take you to the San Vicente Ferrer Church or popularly known as Vito Church.
Here’s the location map of Vito Church for your reference.
Alam ba ninyo sabi sabi dati na ninakaw ang, mahiwaga kampana ng vito, may mga saksi sa ng yari may mga suspect din pero ngayon malalaki na bahay nila pinaniwalaan sankot sa nakawan
Sabi na nilala mama dati mapaka lakas daw ng kalimbang noon abot 5kilometro layo.
Yan lang sabi nila naninirahan ako ngayon dito sa vito.
best ever place:)
Hello Gladys, can you please post a how-to-get-there guide for visiting the Vito Church. Thanks!
my ancestral came fr vito , sagay neg occ CANOY-REQUIRON family i was lil’ girl went i went to vito town fiesta May 1…. may be i was 6yrs old at that time my lolo Nemisio Requiron accompanied me and the group of there town fiesta. ..so long time i didn’t able to visit again my ancestral home were my other great grand lolo fr my mother side were once a mayor in Viito LOLO PAULINO CANOY ,,,hopefully, i will visit our dearest VITO .
Naalala ko pa ang pag punta ko dito, pero sayang hindi ko nakita ang cave sa ilalim ng simbahan na ‘to, sa mga sabisabi ko lang narinig na may cave sa ilalim at dito kinukuha ang holy water at ang cave daw na ito ay may bantay na sawa, hindi ko lang masyado ini-intindi kasi hindi ko nakita ‘nong nag punta kami dito, hindi ko alam kong totoo ba ang mga sabi-sabi.
Interesting. I’m not aware of this story. Will try to ask around to validate this story. If this is true then this is something that I want to see for myself also. 😀
Hello…
could ANYBODY there please FIND OUT some information on the EXACT year that the Church of Vito was founded by the Recollects??…
Sir Edwin, according to the book Handurawan published in 2006, the first missionaries were assigned in Vito in 1898 but also left the same year when the revolution broke out.
problema namo dia nami cebu unya gusto sa ako bana makuha iya baptismal cert diha sa sn vicente ferrer iya name christopher tanoy cuison unsaon man namo pagkuha iya baptisma diha pls help………….
kami ngaun ay kasalukuyang nakatira d2 sa olongapo city.,d2 sa church na ito nabinyagan yung mother ko..problema nmin ay kung papano makakuha ng baptismal certificate d2?hndi mafile ng mother ko ung sss pension nya dhil nid ng baptismal…dpat 1 yr and 5 mons. na nagpe-pension mother ko…gs2 ko nmin umuwi d2 sa lugar na to pra ayusin ,kya lang problema nmin pera.wla nmn kontak mother ko sa kamag-anak nya d2.,sna me paraan si Lord na ma2lungan kmi…
pkibigay mo yng pangalan ng nanay mo at adres sa olongapo gagawa ako ng paraan matulungan ka ito yng no. ko 09214662000
I remember when I was a kid, my mother brought me to Vito Church every six months, on a Friday, to have a “palapak kay San Vicente”. The church was full of people, even outside, like a fiesta. I would kneel and the man holding the statue of San Vicente placed the statue on my head for about 2 – 3 seconds, and then my mother would utter a silent prayer. Even now, I still respect that religious tradition in Vito Church.
A lot of people from other places go to Vito church for the palapak. Those with a panaad has been doing it for decades. It’s a small church but continues to draw devotees because of the miraculous saint.