Visita Iglesia During Holy Week

Holy Week begins this week for Christians with the celebration Palm Sunday. In the Philippines, the only staunchly Catholic country in Asia, it is a tradition during Holy Week to visit seven churches, called Visita Iglesia, to pray and reflect on the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Last year, my mother had a bittersweet visit to the Philippines because of the death of her mother before Holy Week. After my grandmother's burial, my mother, together with our relatives, visited these old and historic churches in her home province of Laguna and also the nearby city of Taal in Batangas. Some of these churches were built in the 1500s during the Spanish times and mostly during the 1800s. Each church have their own elaborate and grand altars and exhibited a collection of human size santos, Saints for the devotion of the pilgrims. During this Holy Week, I hope you will be a pilgrim to pray and reflect on Jesus' passion, death and resurrection. Remember that God so love the world, He gave us his own son, who died on the cross for our salvation.  

The Altar of the Church of St Peter of Alcantara in Pakil, Laguna.

 

 
In this Church, the devotees visit the image of the Our Lady of Turumba (right photo). 

These are the dress collection of Our Lady of Turumba. 

 
Mother Mary.

 
Another tradition in the Philippines are the religious processions where these elaborate carriages with the image body of Jesus Christ together with other life size santos/saints are carried for a long procession around the town.

 

The Basilica de San Martin de Tours in Taal, Batangas was built in 1575 and is known as Asia's largest Catholic Church.

 

 

 
Image of St Martin of Tours on horseback.

Four different types of Virgin Mary's in one Altar.

National Shrine of St Padre Pio in Santo Tomas, Batangas was designed in the Filipino Style using local materials of nipa straw for the roof and bamboo for the interior. 

 

 
Gigantic image of St. Peter.

 
Image of St Padre Pio.

 
Main Altar of the Shrine designed in the Filipino Style made with bamboo and straw roof. The central image is of God carrying the dead body of His son, Jesus Christ, up into Heaven. Filipinos are mostly devout Catholics, always filling the churches to attend mass and offer prayers.