During the Holy Week observance there is a tradition among the Filipino Catholic community called “Visita Iglesia,” where the faithful visit seven churches. This practice first originated in Rome with early pilgrims visiting seven basilicas as penance.

In the Philippines, the custom is performed on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday while reciting the Stations of the Cross. Visita Iglesia could vary as some recite all 14 stations at every church, while others carry a cross to each church or take the opportunity for sightseeing.

During last week’s observance, I took the opportunity to go home to San Clemente, Tarlac with the sole purpose of visiting seven churches which, to me, are unique in some ways.

My first church visit was to the Monasterio de Tarlac, a popular tourist destination located at Mt. Resurrection in the town of San Jose, Tarlac. The monastery was founded by Rev. Fr. Ronald Thomas ‘Archie’ Arellano, who is also a native of the province. The monastery was opened on January 30, 2007.

Most tourists come to view the statue of Christ overlooking the valley, which is reminiscent of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, most of the public are not aware that the monastery houses the relic of the True Cross.

The Cross was discovered by St. Helena, mother of Roman Emperor Constantine, in the year 320 AD on the site where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in modern-day Israel now stands. The relic of the Cross was later disbursed to various churches worldwide, including the Monasterio de Tarlac.

The following day, Holy Thursday, we woke up early to attend 7:00 a.m. mass at the Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine in Manaoag, Pangasinan. We had previously visited the church in 2015, prior to my joining Watchmen Daily Journal. The church was founded in 1610 and there has been a running legend among the townsfolk claiming, prior to its founding, the Virgin Mary appeared before a local farmer in a tree where the church stands today.

The said Marian apparition is depicted on mural in the church’s transept.

The Our Lady of Manaoag is a 17th century ivory image of the Virgin Mary with The Child Jesus and was brought over via Spanish galleon from Mexico by a priest named Fr. Juan de San Jacinto. The image is reported to be miraculous, wherein anyone’s wish (as long as it is for the good of the individual or for anyone) will come true.

When I interviewed some of the locals and family members, they all said the best time to visit during Holy Week is in the early morning hours of Holy Thursday as the church later becomes crowded with pilgrims through Good Friday.

Prior to returning to Manila the next day, we paid a visit to the Church of St. Raymund de Peñafort in Mangatarem, also in Pangasinan.

The church is made of stone and was established in 1830 and completed in 1835. The structure itself is from the Spanish-colonial era and reflects an early renaissance architectural style. Some things to note about the uniqueness of this church were its giant dome and wooden doors.

On Good Friday, we again woke up early to finish the last four church visits in Manila. To my surprise, while traveling along the highway in Capas, Tarlac, we encountered a group of teenagers carrying wooden crosses and several others practicing flagellation. I thought, with this current age, this tradition had already been long forgotten – the Catholic Church in the Philippines has even voiced opposition to the tradition. I also noticed several groups of old men and women practicing the tradition of “Pabasa,” which involves uninterrupted chanting of Christ’s Passion.

Our first stop in Manila was at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Manila Cathedral. Located inside the walled city of Intramuros, the church was established in 1571 by Fray Juan de Vivero and Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi, who served as the first governor-general of the Philippines

The church itself was destroyed numerous times by earthquakes and other natural disasters. The last time it was destroyed was during the liberation of Manila in 1945, when it was heavily bombarded by allied forces. The structure was later rebuilt in 1958 and also underwent earthquake retrofitting in 2012 before being reopened to the public in 2014.

Unfortunately, we were not able to enter the church due to the long queue of pilgrims and tourists.

We then proceeded on to the San Agustin Church, which is located a few blocks away from the Manila Cathedral.

The San Agustin Church is a baroque-type church and considered the oldest church in the country, completed in 1607.

Unlike the Manila Cathedral, the San Agustin Church survived numerous earthquakes and even escaped destruction during World War II. However, the church was used as a concentration camp during the final days of the liberation of Manila and became the site where hundreds of residents and clergymen were killed at the hands of the Japanese.

The church was later rebuilt and renovated in 1970 and 2013. Aside from being a place of worship, the San Agustin Church also serves as burial ground for Spanish colonials, with Legazpi’s tomb located towards the left side of the altar.

Aside from Legazpi, the church also holds the remains of Spanish conquistadors Juan de Salcedo, Guido de Lavezaris, and Filipino artist and revolutionary Juan Luna.

Our third church visit of the day was to the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo de Ruiz, also known as Binondo Church. The church was founded by Dominican priests in 1596 and primarily served Chinese Christian converts. While the first church also suffered its fair share of earthquakes, disasters, and wars, it has been rebuilt or repaired several times.

The ceiling of the church depicts the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, with the Joyful Mystery located on the right side, the Sorrowful Mystery on the left, and the Glorious Mystery in the middle.

The church was renamed after San Lorenzo de Ruiz in 1987 after he was canonized as a saint by St. Pope John Paul II.

It also holds masses in Filipino, Mandarin, Hokkien, and English.

Our final church visit to complete this year’s Visita Iglesia was the Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo.

The church was established in 1586 by Fray Antonio de Nombela and was originally dedicated to St. John the Baptist.

According to legend, the image of Jesus carrying the cross was blackened due to a fire that broke out while on its way to the Philippines from Acapulco, Mexico. However, studies later conducted show the blackness of the image was because it was made of mesquite wood, which is only found in the Americas. Like the image of the Our Lady of Manaoag in Pangasinan, the Black Nazarene enshrined in the Basilica is also known to be miraculous with “terminally ill” people reportedly being cured after visiting the church.

After completing all seven churches for Holy Week, I realized, even though the Catholic faith is currently being tested, the majority of the faithful remain steadfast despite the criticism. Even at a time when cultural values are declining, some of the youth are still willing to carry out the traditions instilled by their forefathers.

I’ve also come to the realization that these beautiful places of worship should also be taken care of by the public in order for the next generation to appreciate./DGB, WDJ