9 Interesting Soul Feeder Churches I Visited Last Holy Week Amid Hot Weather Of Metro Manila

Religion plays a vital role in the life of every Filipino. Everyday I go outside our house, ride a jeepney, buy food for my breakfast, take calls at work or a long walk, I see different faces and meet people in all walks of life. Despite of the differences from appearance to status in life there is one thing that is uniform and it is the Faith. Daily, I often see people do "sign of the cross" especially when I ride a jeepney and it passes the church. I often hear "Thank You, God Bless! " when I help someone and even me I often say "Thank you Lord for the blessings!" especially if I attain something. Without a doubt, this Faith has sculpted the personalities and attitude of many Filipinos toward life, one of which is being Resilient. Everyone can still smile and believe that there's a rainbow after the powerful storm. Everyone is willing to turn over a new leaf, a new chapter. With the help of religion, Faith has become the center of our lives.

That again I witnessed last Holy Week. Majority of the population is Catholic, I just remember my social studies subject before about how this religion touched the islands of the Philippines, it started when the Spaniards went here very long time ago with 3Gs (God, Gold and Glory) or let me put it this way, they brought the Holy Cross, the Spanish Culture and the Inverted Cross or "Espada" which was the bad side of it, then the rest was history. Going back, there are a lot of traditions and religious activities during Holy Week in the country such as Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday(Palaspas), Passion of the Christ reenactment(Senakulo), Maundy Thursday- the start of "Pabasa" where neighborhood put up a temporary altar with different sacred images at the center of their houses, they sing the story of Passion of the Christ that's why it's also called "Pasyon", it is a nonstop 24 hours activity that requires patience and strength, Good Friday- after the "Pabasa" normally ends at 3 o' clock in the afternoon exact by 5pm people go to church to join the procession of different sacred images.

There are indeed a lot of practices and there is one that I have never done before, the Visita Iglesia. Catholics visit nearby churches and recite the Stations of the Cross during Holy Thursday. This tradition is also known as The Seven Churches Visitation. It will not only test your faith but your feet and legs too, somehow this walkathon from one church to another may also burn your fats while serving God. Healthy body and healthy soul, amazing, right?

I was not sure at first If I would do this visit but 101% deep inside I was willing, I didn't know where to go first and what to do. I find myself not spiritually inclined. I don't read bible, I don't pray the rosary, I seldom go to church on sunday mass and my faith is not stable. But I pray hard and always talk to God even though I often complain and question His existence into my life. One thing I can assure I still believe in Him no matter what. I don't know but I feel fine everytime I pray, I was a non-believer before and it did not work for me, because I had a lot of negative thoughts, most of the time I was mad. But now I am trying my best to be more positive and faithful to God with the help of my religion.

Monday morning and the holy week has started, while most of the filipinos were at the bus terminal, some went to the beach and some went to their province because of the long holiday, holy thursday most of us no longer had work. Aside from christmas and new year where there are also long holidays, holy week is also a must wait not because of the long vacation but if you are working in a bpo industry where the schedules are not the usual weekday work mode and weekend rest mode, all of us in the office always welcome this holiday double pay. Going back, since I still had work last holy week, I just managed my time and made my Visita Iglesia unique, since I don't want to break my promise I just went to different churches after my graveyard shift. For 4 straight days, from holy monday up to morning of holy thursday. I took different routes from edsa to makati, to mandaluyong and to manila. Instead of reciting the Stations of the Cross I just prayed consistently until on my last church. I made it more of like a vent out to God, I prayed what my heart and soul felt. I've discovered a lot on this quest and I would like to share these to you, let's focus our eyes and read with our souls. 

1. Nuestra Señora De Gracia

Day 1 of my Visita Iglesia, the sun has already risen when I rode a bus from Edsa Boni Aveue going to Guadalupe. It was after work and the weather was not yet hot. I walked toward street of Bernardino to see this first church on my list to visit. A very old church of Guadalupe sits in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Makati City, away from the usual sound and atmosphere of the urban-noisy and smoggy. A baroque church made me compare it to Manila Cathedral but a simpler and smaller version. The silence when I went here gave me peace in praying. There were only like 4 people inside and the birds flying freely in different directions, happily chirping. While the sunlight started to enter the gateways of the tabernacle I just continued to pray hard, kneeled infront of the altar and talked to Him about my worries and disappointments. 

Altar

2. San Roque De Mandaluyong Parish Church

Day 2 of my Visita Iglesia I took the Mandaluyong City to Sta.Ana Manila City route. It was a cloudy morning when I had a long walk from work going to San Roque street. I visited my 2nd church on the list, modern and usual style painted majority in white. I entered in the middle of a mass. After a very moving sermon I stayed again and prayed.

Altar

3. San Felipe Neri

From San Roque I rode a jeepney going to gabbys kalentong to visit my 3rd church. An eye-catching old church because of its remarkable obelisk twin bell tower. Luckily, I had a chance to attend another mass. I felt really tired that time since I came from work and I started to get sweat because of the humid and hot weather. I walked and rode a jeepney again going to my last church that day after the mass.

Altar

         

4. Santa Ana Church

Also called as Our Lady of Abandoned, my 4th and last church on my Day 2 Visita Iglesia. This is one of the oldest churches in Manila and a sanctuary of pre-Spanish old artifacts. A very special church to me since I used to go here every sunday mass when I was a kid. To compare what was sta.ana before and now, I have seen a lot of  great  improvements. The silence when I went inside made me stay longer again and prayed. A short yet deep prayer that made me broke down and cried. I guess this is the power of prayer, it will help you to release your stresses came from your worries and disappointments then you will feel ok again after. I lit 7 candles with different colours which I bought outside the church worth P20, it is a tradition you can everytime you go to church. Every candle has its own color with different meaning. 

Altar

     

        

5. Sto. Nino de Paz-Greenbelt Chapel

Day 3 of my Visita Iglesia. Early morning when I rode a bus again from work going to Ayala. When I reached ayala from Rustan Makati I walked toward Greenbelt Park where a very modern church sits. A one of a kind dome or dish-like church surrounded by man-made pond. Where nature meets holy spirit. Amid skycrapers and high-end malls this serves as oasis to all worshippers in all walks of life.  There was a novena going on that time and it was a breath of fresh air after that.

6. St. Andrew Church

Makati is a very rich city and it also reflects on this another modern and bizarre church. It looks like a flower fell on the ground upside down. A very short ride of Makati Loop-route jeepney can help you go here.  In all the churches I visited last holy week this was the only  chapel that did not cover their images in purple curtains. 

7. Manila Cathedral

Day 4 and the final day of my Visita Iglesia. It was morning of holy thursday and my final route was intramuros to chinatown. From my office in boni I rode jeepneys to gabbys then sta.ana to pedro gil lastly to manila city hall. A short walk from manila city hall to intramuros using the underpass then rode tricyle going to Manila Cathedral. All in all I spent roughly P50 ($1) for my transportation. I considered it as my cherry on top in this Visita Iglesia. Me and my friend attended a Krism Mass led by Cardinal Tagle. It was a very memorable experience to go here inside this very well known church. A very special too since it was my first time to attend a mass here led by a well known Cardinal. The undoubted beauty of this church can be seen in any angle of my camera. A true gem of intramuros. The Mass of Cardinal Tagle was illuminating. I still remember about the Patience he said. I will never forget that everything is not instant.

Inside the Church with a lot of worshippers

8. San Agustin Church

 Another gem in intramuros also known as Nuestra Senora de Consolacion y Correa or Our Lady of Consolation. Also a Unesco World Heritage and considered to be an oldest church in the Philippines. A Church you should not judge by its unattractive facade. This church has witnessed the very warm and alive  faith of the filipinos. There were different groups in all walks of life like bikers and barefooted recited the Stations of the Cross.

 

Its historical altar

9. Binondo Church

We rode a jeepney from Intramuros going to Chinatown, some just walked but we could not resist the heat of the sun. We felt exhausted but our faith helped us to continue, this was our last church anyway. Also known as Minor Basilica of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, a very important huge piece of history to the chinese community who were converted to christianity. An old church located inside Chinatown where the paintings on its ceilings are very noticeable and the altar is like the facade of St.Paul in Rome.

           

          

With Pope Francis hopefully next time it will be real

Roman Catholic religion with its traditions and practices like Visita Iglesia truly test the faith of a filipino worshipper and directly build positive view in life. As a living proof, my belief in God helped me not to despair. From a negative thinker it changed me into someone who thinks there is always a chance and a fighter of trials. There is no religion that will harm someone, anyone or everyone. There is always a loving God. We may have different religions but one thing is for sure it is always on the good side. So, Stop the Hate, Practice your Religion.