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Flooded Church Wedding Defies Rising Waters
1 Sep
Summary
- A Philippine couple married in a church filled with hip-deep floodwaters.
- Heavy monsoon rains caused extensive flooding across the northern Philippines.
- The wedding proceeded despite church advice to postpone due to rising waters.

In Hagonoy town, north of Manila, a Filipino couple recently celebrated their wedding ceremony within a Catholic church that was inundated with hip-deep floodwaters. The ceremony took place on a Tuesday, as persistent heavy rains have affected large areas of the Philippines for about a month.
Despite the rising water levels, which had partially submerged the church for nearly a month, the couple, Leian Lieza Galang and Gilbert Chico, chose to proceed with their union. The parish priest officiated an abbreviated ceremony for the couple, both in their thirties, at the Saint John the Baptist church.
This year's monsoon season brought heavier-than-usual rains to the northern Philippines in August, resulting in landslides and flash floods that claimed 34 lives according to recent official reports. The wedding photographer noted that the couple's decision to proceed was driven by their strong love for each other.