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April 9 is the start of Easter this 2023! 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 (but other Churches are closed after 3pm). 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.
Makati is so close to my heart because this is where we spent 4 years of our married life and we had kids here too- not one but 2. Wonderful blessings from above. I worked also in Makati for a long time so as much as I hated it before because of the congestion, I love it now because of all the memories we had there. It’s a beautiful city.
Sharing our top picks and list of churches, chapels, and cathedrals you can visit this coming Holy Week in Makati.
Don’t forget to make 3 wishes on a place you’ll visit for the first time and plan ahead!
NATIONAL SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
Contact details: (02) 882 8095
Interesting facts:
- Established in 1951
- Declared a national shrine in 2010
- Our Lady of Guadalupe represents pro-life
- There’s parking in the area
NUESTRA SENORA DE GRACIA
Address: 7440 Bernardino Street, Guadalupe Viejo Makati City
Contact details: (02) 896 8444
Interesting facts:
- Also known as Guadalupe Church
- Baroque Roman Catholic design
- Church was completed and established in 1630
- One of the oldest church in Metro Manila
- Founded by Augustinians
SANCTUARIO DE SAN ANTONIO
Address: 3117 Mckinley Road, Forbes Park Subdivision, Makati City
Contact details: (02) 843 8830
Website: https://ssaparish.com
Interesting facts:
- Established in 1975
- It is one of the top choices of a lot of couples to be married here.
- Our son Matteo Paolo was baptized here last year (August 2016)
- They have available parking spaces nearby but it gets full since there’s a commercial area
- They have function rooms for events
- They have funeral chapels too
NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE SACRED HEART
Address: 4 Sacred Heart St., San Antonio Village, Makati City
Contact details: (02) 895 6331, E-Mail: nsshparish@ymail.com
Website: http://nsshph.blogspot.com
Interesting facts:
- Began in the 1950s
- They have parking spaces inside the church compound but may still be not enough
- This is where our eldest, Chesca, was Baptized and our first big family car was blessed
- This church is near where we lived in Makati before that’s why it’s close to our hearts
- an artistic fusion of post modern and classic interiors thoughtfully designed to complement elegance, and accentuate comfort with solemnity of worship
ST ANDREW THE APOSTLE
Address: 62 Constellation, Bel-Air II, Makati City
Contact details: (02) 890 1796
Interesting facts:
- Established in 1968
- Has a modern architecture
- We love hearing mass here back when we lived in Makati. This is the nearest church from our home.
- They have a lot of parking spaces around the church especially on holidays and Sundays.
SAN CARLOS SEMINARY CHAPEL (LAY FORCE CHAPEL)
Address: San Carlos Pastoral Formation Complex, EDSA, Guadalupe, Makati,
Interesting facts:
- It’s inside the compound of San Carlos Seminary
- I didn’t even expect that there’s a place like this along EDSA when I visited this place more than a decade ago with my family.
- There are parking spaces inside the compound.
- The way of the cross is usually outside the past years
ST. JOHN BOSCO CHURCH
Address: Don Bosco Compound A. Arnaiz Avenue corner Amorsolo Street, Makati City
Contact details: (02) 894 5932
Website: http://sjbmakati.com
Interesting facts:
- Established on March 1976
- There are a lot of parking spaces inside the church’s compound
- Arrive early for mass so you get a good parking slot
- Managed by Salesians of Don Bosco
ST. ALPHONSUS MARY DE LIGUORI CHURCH
Address: 1232, Humabon, Makati, 1232 Kalakhang Maynila
Contact details: (02) 852 2750
Interesting facts:
- Built in 1968
- It was consumed by fire in 2004
- Parking lots available for churchgoers
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