visita iglesia 2017

I missed the #chinoylife Binondo-San Nicholas tour  for this, woke up and travelled
as early as 330am to Camp Aguinaldo Grandstand which is the meeting place for the
April 13, visita Iglesia 2017 which is a lenten tradition done by the Catholic faithful
to meditate on the passion of Christ.

yesterday was my very first time to attend and participate. I was invited by a friend
who is also a member of CBCP. traditional this is done before Good Friday.
Churches in Manila are plenty, one of the many reasons why I choose to join this,
and yes, its my first time.

The churches chosen for this year's Visita Iglesia are blessed with historical
and religious significance, reflecting our country's conversion to Catholicism
during the Spanish period, and their unique, ornate architecture.
here are the list of  Church

1. Bacolor Church (San Guillermo Parish) - Bacolor, Pampanga
2. Betis Church - Guagua, Pampanga
3. Sta Rita Parish - San Fernando, Pampanga
4. Carmelite Monastery - Angeles, City
5. Holy Rosary Parish Church - Angeles City
6. Our Lady of Remedies Chapel - Air Force City, Clarkfied Pampanga
7. St Joseph The Worker Chapel - Clarkfield Pampanga

effect of extreme 42deg heat on ur face

our first stop was a church in Bacolor called San Guillermo church,
we also visited some other church, we went to Betis Church in Guagua,
San Agustin Church in Lubao and Santa Rita de Cascia Church in Santa Rita
town.

Traffic was at its worst, just imagine we met up at 6am and we
arrived at around 11am(for a town that is an hour away from Manila). we
arrived in Bacolor, our first stop. many towns were burried during the devastation
of Mt. Pinatubo back in 1991, and  through the efforts of the faith that help

rebuild their town 5 yrs after through church donations. I manage to get a picture
from the net, of how Bacolor looks like before.
our first stop was this church called San Guillermo Church

The area where San Guillermo Church stands here was once a gloomy field that’s
surrounded with mud, covered with rocks and sand, with devastated hearts but
indestructible faith, People of Bacolor started rebuilding their lives after the

eruption. Standing still with their love for God’s temple in this town where I still
can see old houses half buried and there was one house where only the roof
remains. the town was rebuilt in 1995.

San Juan Guillermo church in Bacolor, which is said to be one of the oldest and
largest churches in Pampanga built by the Augustinian friars in 1576, in spite of

the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo whose lahar flows half-buried the church four
years later, Masses are still held here.there is also a museum.


here are the pictures of the museum.




we proceeded to our next stop the Santiago de Galicia Parish Church, better known
as the Betis Church in Guagua, built in the early 1700s, is among the best churches

to visit in Pampanga. its principal attraction is its main altar with an ornate ceiling
that has been compared to the art works at the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. this
should be decalared a national treasure.

the Santiago de Galicia Parish Church, (Betis Church,Guagua,cir 1700s)is among
the best churches to visit in Pampanga. happy to have visited and included this
church on our list.

 here are the interior shots

 Sistine chapel? no! its betis church!

the Sta Rita Church is the oldest existing Parish in the Philippines named after Saint Rita
of Cascia. and this is our third stop.
It used to be a mission attached to Porac and in 1726, became an independent
parish when its administration was separated from that of Porac town.

Around 1835, the land for the parish church was donated by Don Alejandro Rodriguez,
thereby commencing the construction of Santa Rita’s present town proper.

and heres the interior of the church

we then headed to our nexct destination... another beautiful church...

our fifth stop was the HRP(Holy Rosay Parish) in Angeles City.

 The Holy Rosary Parish used to be called Santo Rosario Church, today fondly
called by locals as  (Big Church) stands in the epicenter of the old Culiat town,

now Angeles City its recognized by the NCCA as a historical site.
The backyard of the church became the execution grounds from 1896-1898 in

shooting down Filipino rebels and suspects by the Spanish forces. And it was also used
by the U.S. Army as a military hospital from 1899 to 1900. The church’s belfry was
destroyed in the 1940s, as a result of the World War.  reconstructed in 1944.

The HRP is one of the few churches in the country not created by missionaries.
The Miranda couple, natives of San Fernando, cleared the village of Culiat in 1796,

bringing the image of the Nuestra Señora del Santisimmo Rosario
(Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary) as protection against the Aeta. from a capilia

 made of bamboo, wood and nipa roof that founders Don Angel Pantaleon de Miranda
and wife Doña Rosalia de Jesus built in what was then Barrio Culiat of San Fernando town,
the Holy Rosary Parish evolved in the last 185 years as a strong, crucifix-shaped
Byzantine structure with two bell towers.

along the way I saw this! why did I took this shot? because there are no more

sights like this to be seen in Manila. no more pabasa! specially in my area, Caloocan. 

you can even hear youngsters drinking alcohol while singing KTV at this hour!!

Penitents considered these acts to be mortification of the flesh, and undertake these to
ask forgiveness for sins, to fulfill a 'panata '

guess who is with us?

with Colonel Querubin

then we had a simple lunch inside our coaster from Camp Aguinaldo this is
how you eat when its past 230pm with no breakfast since 330am.

our next stop is Our Lady of Remedies Chapel where we have our mass at 530pm

I also participated in the station of the cross. my first time!

 this is the interior of the church where we had mass. a lot of army personel are
with us since this is located inside airforce city in Angeles.

 we witnessed the traditional washing of the feet, many churches observe the liturgical washing
of the feet on Maundy Thursday of Holy Week

after mass, we went to our final destination...the last of 7 churches.
our last church is St Joseph The Worker Chapel in Clarkfield.

 and the obligatory final group pic! am the photographer here...

then we had dinner before calling it a day

oh, I didnt drink ha!

 After dinner, we head back home, it was a fast way back. 1 hour! no traffic!
we went back to where our cars are parked. Camp Aguinaldo.
thanks to Florence Littaua for inviting me and my friend Jenny to this event.
drive safe.

this is your LOVERBOY Dennis signing out. have a Holy Weekend.