Panay Bell

One of the oldest churches in the country, Sta. Monica Church was built o 1774. With majestic Baroque influences defined by the use of attached coupled piers in Corinthian style, the architecture of the facade is articulated following the tenets of the Baroque movement. The grand structure of the church is made up of coral stone which is 70m long, 25m wide and 18m high. The wall are 3m thick, the floor is covered with marble. Its structure is shaped in the form of latin cross with one large central altar and four lateral ones, the gilded gorgeously sculptured of a fine hardwood. Various polychromed statues are highly decorated in an artistic quality.
In the topmost tier of its five-level belfry is the biggest and most likely the heaviest Christian bell in Asia which was cast in 1878 using 70 sacks of coins. It is about 5 ft. in height and 7ft. in diameter and weighs 10.4 tons. The bell can be accessed through a 63-step iron stairway inside the tower of Sta. Monica church.
Inscribed on the bell in relief are the following Spanish words "se fundio esta campana en este pueblo por d.j. reyna la gloria de dios y de la virgen de consolacion siendo cura parroco del mismo el p. f. jose beloso". Near the rim are the words "panay 21 de diciembre de 1878 f. jose beloso. At the other side is written "soyla voz de dios que llevare y ensalzare desde el principio hasta el vir de este pueblo de panay para que los fieles de jesucristo vengan esta casa". In english, this means "i am God's voice which shall echo praise from one end of the town of Panay to the other, so that Christ's faithful followers may enter this house of God to receive heavenly graces". The bell is used not only as a reminder to worship but also as a warning for towns people to take shelter in it during those times that the town was under pirate attack. The bell can be heard at within a radius of 8 kilometers.
It was declared a National Landmark by the National Historical Institute of the Philippines on 1997.