EVERY Lenten season, there is a Roman Catholic tradition wherein we visit seven churches and do the Stations of the Cross. Often called Visita Iglesia, it is done during Maundy Thursday, although sometimes the practice is observed anytime during the Holy Week or within the season of Lent.
However, other faithfuls go on a pilgrimage even beyond the special religious occasions by the church for personal reasons. As to the number of churches, some would opt to visit only a single church, especially when they are with children or the elderly, while others would double the usual number by visiting 14 churches.
I remember this practice when I was still a child. But as I became an adult and lived in Manila on my own, my friends and I would go on a Visita Iglesia to renew our faith and deepen our relationship with the Most High. I have shared these religious trips in detail in my blog and I hope to encapsulate them here.
Bacolod and nearby areas
A few years back while I was still based in Manila, I decided to spend my Holy Week in my hometown, which was not my common schedule. While I was here, my sister and I plotted our Visita Iglesia route, choosing the southern part of Bacolod and bordering Bago, to visit churches that were not familiar to us.
For those who want to mix this spiritual endeavor with a dash of history and art, churches in Bacolod and the nearby towns and cities that are worth the visit are the San Sebastian Cathedral at the heart of Bacolod, Divine Mercy Shrine in Bago, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Valladolid, St. Mary Magdalene Church in Hinigaran, San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church in Talisay, San Diego Pro Cathedral in Silay, St. Joseph the Worker Church in Victorias, and Chapel of the Cartwheels in Manapla, to name a few.
Quezon Province
I have spent several Holy Weeks, aside from the Pahiyas Festival, in Lucban and Lucena, both in the province of Quezon. Many pilgrims find their way to Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church, recognized for its 50-foot tall statue of the Risen Christ on top of a hill with the Stations of the Cross along the way.
There is also the Via Dolorosa Grotto, the Noah’s Ark, Luklukan ni Maria, and the Prayer Room. But apart from the Kamay ni Hesus, other churches that are found in Quezon Province are the San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Parish Church in Lucban, St. Francis of Assisi Church in Sariaya, Minor Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel in Tayabas, Our Lady of the Angels Parish Church in Atimonan, and St. John the Baptist Parish Church in Tiaong, among many others.
Tagaytay
Another of our favorite Holy Week destination is the cool and tranquil Tagaytay City, which is often the venue of many religious retreats all year round. The popular churches here are the Calaruega Church, the Chapel on the Hill, the Adoration Convent of the Pink Sisters, and the Munting Bukal of the Missionaries of Charity.
Beyond Holy Week, my friends and I also went on church visitation of the five Pilgrim Churches in Metro Manila when Archbishop of Manila, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, declared them during the Year of Faith.
Recently, when I went to Antique in Panay, my companions and I also visited the old churches in the southwestern part of the Iloilo province, such as the Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Parish Church or Miag-ao Church, the Church of St. Anne or Molo Church, St. John of Sahagun Church in Tigbauan, and Church of St. Nicolas of Tolentino in Guimbal.