Paete was established as town in 1580 by Franciscan priest Fray Juan Plasencia under the patronage of Saint Lawrence.

[1] The first stone church and convent were built by Paete natives under the supervision of Fray Andres de Puertellanoin 1646 but it was later destroyed by an earthquake in 1717.

[6] In 1884, the church was rebuilt under Father Pedro Galiano, now facing the Laguna lake but this was again destroyed by another earthquake on August 20, 1937.

[2] The church served as a dungeon and torture house to the people of Paete during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II.

Across the Juicio Final mural is reliquary containing two silver medals and a rock from St. James tomb given by the Archbishop of Santiago de Compostella in Spain.

The large wall paintings on wood panels inside the church were executed by another notable son of Paete, Luciano Dans.

These depict Langit, Lupa, Impiyerno – Heaven, Earth, Hell – and large murals of Saint Christopher.

Dans used natural color pigments mixed with volcanic ash and brushes made from cats' hair to create the murals.

[10] The large painting of San Cristobal on wood was purchased during the time of Father Francisco de Santa Gonzaleza for ₱22 in October 1852.

On Holy Tuesday, a procession of miniature poon carried by children along the church patio takes place.

The most famous poon during the Holy Week celebration is Mariano Cagahastian Madriñan's replica of his own work of Mater Dolorosa.

Madriñan, Paete's hero received a diploma of award and the King Alfonso XII of Spain Medal of Honor for his Mater Dolorosa work in 1882 which was exhibited at the International Exposition held in Amsterdam.

[16] Negotiations for conservation spearheaded by the Parish pastoral council, the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.