It’s Holy Week once again. Aside from we
have to repent, it is also a time to reflect on what we done to others and most
of all with ourselves. It is also a time of the year (well, we must do this
everyday) to talk to our Lord God and ask for His forgiveness and guidance.
One of the activities during Holy Week is
the Visita Iglesia. It is one of the Filipino Tradition wherein they visit
different churches to do the station of the Cross. And this year, it was my
first time to do such thing and I am so grateful that P and I did it yesterday.
It was fulfilling and such a great accomplishment. So, next year I would probably
do it again.
As per P, there should be 14 churches to be
visited and do 1 station of the cross per church. But due to the limited time
and it was my first time to do the Visita Iglesia, P limits the church we visited
into five. So, here we go…
1. St. Jude Parish – St. Jude Thaddeus
Archdiocesan Shrine (1420 J.P. Laurel, San Miguel, Manila – beside Malacañang).
The weekly novena to St. Jude started in June 1959 and has been held every
Thursday since then. The devotion spread over the years and has become very
popular in Metro Manila. Devotees come from far and wide including students,
board examination reviewees, office workers, parish and others with all kinds
of requests and seemingly hopeless problems. Thursday is always a busy day,
with preaching, confessions, and counselling forming an important part of the
work. Masses and novenas are scheduled hourly throughout the day from early
morning until evening. So, if you need some help and guidance about your exam
and anything under the sun, St. Jude is there to rescue you. Meanwhile it was
also my first time to visit this church, so I am eligible to make a wish and I
just did, however I won’t announce what it I wished for. Ha-ha. (website: http://www.stjudeshrinemanila.ph/)
2. San Miguel Church – National Shrine of St.
Michael and the Archangels (1000 J.P. Laurel corner Gen. Solano St., San Miguel, Manila). Another
first church for me. San Miguel is also the place where the famous San Miguel
Beer produced hence the name it is. The historic past of San Miguel as a
primarily middle-class residential area of Manila, Malacañang Palace, the
official residence of the President of the Republic of the Philippines.
3. Quiapo Church – Minor Basilica of the Black
Nazarene (Plaza Miranda Mall, Quiapo, Manila). Known for Black Nazarene wherein
the weekly novena is held every Friday. P has been a devotee of the Black
Nazarene and I am occasionally do novena that starts on the first Friday of the
Month.
And before we reached the Quiapo Church we’ve
seen the Black Nazarene procession. A lot of His devotees were there to touch
and kiss Him.
4. San Sebastian Church (Plaza del Carmen, Quaipo,
Manila). The Basilica Minore de San Sebastian, better known as San Sebastian
Church is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Manila. San Sebastian church is noted
for its architectural features. An example of the revival Gothic architecture
in the Philippines, it is only the all-steel church or basilica in Asia and
claimed as the only prefabricated steel church in the world. It was designated
as a National Historical Landmark by the Philippine government in 1973.
5. San Beda Church – Our Lady of Monserrat
(Mendiola, Manila). It was my first time to enter this church located in
Mendiola, just along the University Belt. San Beda Chapel formally known as the
Abbey of Our Lady of Monserrat located inside the San Beda College in Mendiola,
Manila was built in 1965. Its titular patron is the Sto. Niñ0 de Praga. The
College Chapel has a neo-Gothic Architecture, reminiscent of 20th
Century churches. It has a very spacious interior flank with murals and paintings
which are most admired of the church.
That’s how we did our Visita Iglesia yesterday.
I love to visit century old churches that are so rich of beautiful stories. A
grand interior and interesting design always gives a delightful view on my
eyes. It was really an awesome experience to see and visit God’s place.
Till next time and tomorrow will be a great
day for all of us!
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