I had the chance to visit the San Sebastian Parish Church or more popularly known as the Lumban Church during one of my field visits with my students. Lumban Church is known as the first and largest stone church in Laguna being built in 1600. It was also the first Franciscan building outside Manila made out of stone.

Lumban, together with Pila were the first Spanish towns in Laguna and became the heart of the Franciscan missionary activities in the province. In 1578, Father Juán de Plasencia served as the parish priest of Lumban with its original patron St. Francis of Assisi. The first church made up of nipa and bamboo was destroyed by flood and rebuilt in wood. Having burned in 1586, a stone church was then erected. However, it was destroyed again by strong earthquakes in 1880 but was again rebuilt.