Standing proud at the heart of Sagada is a monumental stone church built by American Missionaries during the early 1900’s, the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin.

The church was founded by the Reverend John Staunton who came to Sagada along with his wife, to spread the Christian faith to its local people. Sagada now is a predominantly Anglican community, with most of its population sharing the faith.

The story of Sagada’s distinctive Anglican identity began in 1904, when American Episcopal missionary Rev. John Staunton established a mission in this remote, mountainous region of the country.

While the rest of the country had been predominantly Roman Catholic for centuries, Sagada’s isolated location had preserved much of its indigenous Igorot culture and kept it largely free of Spanish colonial influence.

This made the area a key focus for the American Protestant Episcopal Church. The mission, with the construction of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, sought not to replace but to coexist with local traditions, a policy championed by Bishop Charles Henry Brent.

As a result, the Anglican presence became deeply embedded in the community, with the church adapting to include elements of indigenous Igorot practices, such as incorporating the dap-ay (a traditional meeting place). This led to a uniquely harmonious integration of Christianity and local customs.

The mission also focused on education and community development. The founding of St. Mary’s School in 1904 provided vital educational opportunities for local children. Over the decades, the mission’s influence grew, and Sagada became the only predominantly Anglican town in the Philippines, with nearly 95% of its residents baptized into the Episcopal Church.

Today, the Church of St. Mary the Virgin remains a central landmark in Sagada and a testament to the enduring legacy of the Anglican mission, demonstrating a unique model of religious and cultural synthesis, where a foreign faith took root by respecting and harmonizing with a strong indigenous heritage.