Holy week and most special events make me miss my family more. I couldn't help but feel nostalgic at what we do together during those special times. I miss it when my mom would forever remind us to go to church, join the processions or at least light a candle and say our prayers as she serves us non-meat dish every meal. I long for her malagkit and ginataan dishes too which we would enjoy even if were supposed to fasting and abstaining from too much food.
this year I am not home for this event though. The last time that i didn't go home for the holy week i found myself shocked and bewildered in the island of Puerto Gay-lera. we all know what Galera is like during the holy week, ayt?! which is exactly why i chose to just stay home and try to recall our usual activities back home and at least have my own peace and quiet for the solemn observance for this year.
this year I am not home for this event though. The last time that i didn't go home for the holy week i found myself shocked and bewildered in the island of Puerto Gay-lera. we all know what Galera is like during the holy week, ayt?! which is exactly why i chose to just stay home and try to recall our usual activities back home and at least have my own peace and quiet for the solemn observance for this year.
Holy Thursday's Visita Iglesia
Holy Thursday however was spent for Visita Iglesia. this is my first Visita Iglesia ever and i'm glad i have my friends i could join for this activity. Visita Iglesia or church visit is a Catholic tradition wherein 7 churches are being visited as we recall and reflect on the on the sufferings of Jesus Christ leading to his crucifixion. we initially listed down 11 churches around Quezon City and Manila areas though we actually made to just 8.
after having late lunches for some of us at Mc Donald's Quezon Ave., we hopped on a cab to take us to our first church which is at Sto. Domingo Church.
Sto. Domingo also known as "Our Lady of the Rosary" or "Our Lady of La Naval" is built by the Dominicans in the 1600s. The main altar has a mosaic of St. Dominic designed by Architect Jose Zaragoza. Galo Ocampo designed the stained glass windows.
we bought our Stations of the Cross guide at the peddler in front of the church and agreed on 2 stations per church. From St. Domingo we then rode a jeepney to take us to the University of Sto. Tomas campus where the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church is.
here we prayed and reflected on the 3rd and 4th stations of the cross.
from UST, we took another jeepney to San Sebastian. San Sebastian church also known as the Basilica Minore de San Sebastian is the only all-steel church in Asia. Its interiors feature a Gothic architecture style with its high spires and columns.
from San Sebastian we hailed a tricycle to take us to our fourth stop which is Quiapo Church.
Quiapo church is officially known as the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. every 9th of January, thousands of devotees of the Black Nazarene would flock here for their yearly procession.
from this church we walked though Plaza Lacson and found Sta. Cruz church which is actually built by the Jesuits in the 1600s. this church is also home to Our Lady of Pilar.
from this church we walked though Plaza Lacson and found Sta. Cruz church which is actually built by the Jesuits in the 1600s. this church is also home to Our Lady of Pilar.
farther down the street passing through Chinatown, we made our way towards Binondo to our 6th stop which is the Binondo church.
it was an added delight passing by the Fire Brigaide volunteers offering us free mochi and water from Eng Bee Tin.
it was an added delight passing by the Fire Brigaide volunteers offering us free mochi and water from Eng Bee Tin.
we finally reached that end of the road where the Binondo church is.
Binondo is predominantly populated by Chinese settlers and used to be the business and finance district before Makati. Binondo church is officially known as Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz for this is where San Lorenzo Ruiz was born along with Mother Ignacia del Ispiritu Santo, founder of the Congregation of the Religious of the Virgin Mary.
from Binondo we rode a tricycle to take to Intramuros which has our final two stops.
from Binondo we rode a tricycle to take to Intramuros which has our final two stops.
Seventh Church: Manila Cathedral
the Manila Cathedral is also known as the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and is the official seat of the Archbishop of Manila.
the late President Corazon C. Aquino had her wake and burial mass in this cathedral making her the first woman to permitted to lie in state here.
we finished up to the fourteenth station here before we headed to our final stop which is the San Agustin also in Intramuros since it was already getting too crowded.
San Agustin Church is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines with its ornate carvings on the wooden doors.
its ceilings and walls have this trompe l'oeil or "trick of the eye" art technique creating an optical illusion in which objects appear as three-dimensional.
We finished at around 8pm, tired, hungry yet feeling blissed-out and sated. we then proceeded to Dampa in Macapagal for a much anticipated seafood feast. Kudos to us all.
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