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April 17 is the start of Easter! But before that, Filipinos flock churches for Visita Iglesia.
Visita Iglesia (also known as 7 Churches Visitation) is a Lenten tradition of Catholics all over the world. But in the Philippines, a lot of Catholics still do this today. It is a tradition wherein Catholics visit 7 churches on the evening of Maundy Thursday following the mass of the Lord’s Supper and Blessed Sacrament. Some families visit 7 churches, some 14, some depends on what they prefer to pray to the Blessed Sacrament and pray the Station of the Cross per church they visit.
In the Philippines, Visita Iglesia are done by most Catholics on Maundy Thursday , some on Good Friday. During Black Saturday, churches are closed to signify the mourning on the commemoration of Jesus’s death. It is also a way for the Filipino family to bond in prayer and sacrifice. It is also an opportunity for the pious to see new and other churches, chapels, and cathedrals around them.
Our family always do this yearly and now that we have our own little family of our own, we also do this with our bigger family or if circumstances don’t permit, we will continue this tradition and pass it on to our children. We rarely or maybe never leave during Holy Week. We used to fix our own religious float for the procession and join the procession too. We also prefer to stay in in the city and enjoy less cars on the road and enjoy the more quiet city for several days since majority of the establishments are closed.
Sharing our top picks and list of churches, chapels, and cathedrals you can visit this coming Holy Week in Quezon City.
Don’t forget to make 3 wishes on a place you’ll visit for the first time and plan ahead!
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHEDRAL of CUBAO
Address: 40 Lantana St, Quezon City
Contact number/s: (02) 725 5962
Interesting facts:
- Established in 1950
- We got married here in 2012. The celebrant was Bishop Honesto Ongtiongco. I personally fell in love with this cathedral when we first heard mass here years before our wedding.
- They have parking spaces but limited only around the cathedral
- The church has a long aisle
- not airconditioned
- It has a chapel where some couples choose for their wedding
- It also has a crypt under the altar
- It has a school beside the cathedral – Immaculate Conception Academy
- This cathedral has been made more famous by a celebrity couple who got married here. I heard form a friend that it’s now more difficult to book the cathedral due to full schedules on weekends.
MT. CARMEL SHRINE
Address: Broadway Avenue, New Manila, Quezon City
Contact details: (02) 7245938, (02) 7251508, email- mtcarmelshrine@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.mtcarmelshrine.com
Interesting facts:
- Established February 1975
- There are parking spaces available
- It became a shrine last December 2015
- The shrine holds 6 masses a day from 3 masses on weekdays and they have confessions the whole day everyday.
STO. DOMINGO CHURCH
Address: 537 Quezon Ave, Santa Mesa Heights, Quezon City
Contact details: (02) 743-7756 / (02) 743-2124 / 0997 559 2163
Interesting facts:
- Largest church in Metro Manila
- Declared as a National Cultural Treasure which is built in Spanish Modern style
- Established in 1972
SHRINE OF MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE a.k.a. EDSA SHRINE
Address: EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City
Contact details: (02) 631 5734
Website: http://www.edsashrine.org
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/EDSAShrineOfficial/
Interesting facts:
- Established in 1989
- a memorial of the People Power Revolution
- no parking lot. Usually people park in Robinsons Galleria which is at the back of the church or there are few slots of parking around.
CARMEL OF ST. THERESE OF LISIEUX (a convent chapel)
Address: Gilmore Avenue , Quezon City
Interesting facts:
- Carmelite nuns’ convent chapel
- it has a small parking area inside the convent
- it was built in 1926 and was said that the lot was donated by the rich Hemady family
- We used to go here even before I got married. It’s not a solemn chapel. I love how peaceful and not so big and famous it is.
CHRIST THE KING PARISH
Address: Green Meadows Ave, Bagumbayan, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Contact details: (02) 633 0280
Website: http://christthekingparish.ph
Interesting facts:
- Established in 1979
- They have mortuary chapels
- The church has a crypt as well
- The church has a very spacious parking area
- They have function rooms for wedding receptions too
- There’s a smaller chapel under the main church where sometimes daily masses are held
CHURCH OF THE GESU
Address: Fr. Masterson Drive, Ateneo De Manila University , Quezon City
Interesting facts:
- Built in 2002
- The church’s triangular structure represents the Holy Trinity and the Ateneo’s three-fold mission and vision. The design are also meant to suggest the outstretched arms of the Sacred Heart, and the traditional Filipino nipa hut
- There are a lot of parking spaces inside the campus
SANTA MARIA DELLA STRADA (Our Lady of the Way)
Address: Katipunan Ave., Pansol, Quezon City
Contact details: (02) 929-7790
Interesting facts:
- Established in 1981
- The church is simply beautiful and solemn
ST. IGNATIUS DE LOYOLA CATHEDRAL
Address: Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City
Contact details: (02) 911-6001
Interesting facts:
- has a lot of parking spaces
- a very solemn and simple place of worship. We love hearing mass here
NATIONAL SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES
Address: Kanlaon Cor. N.S. Amoranto Ave. (Formerly Retiro St.), Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City
Contact details: (02) 731 9306, (02) 740 8878, email communications@lourdesshrineqc.com
Facebook: click here
Instagram: click here
Interesting facts:
- has a lot of parking spaces inside the Church and in nearby areas
- Know more about the church’s history here way back from 1892
- Inaugurated in 1951
- 2017 Holy week Schedule here
- We also love going to mass here.
- The church is not air conditioned
- This is where my grandmother from my mom’s side got married
PARISH OF THE HEARTS OF JESUS AND MARY
Address: Daily Mirror St. Quezon City
Contact details: 0917 897 9370
Facebook: click here
Interesting facts:
- established in 1988
- It has a crypt. This is where my late grandfather from my mom’s side is. We frequent this church to
- There’s a small garden on the side of the church and playground
- Limited parking around. The parking is safe since the church is inside a private and gated village.
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