One religious activity that most Filipino Catholics engage in during the Holy Week or the Lenten Season, is Visita Iglesia or “church visit”. The general practice is to visit seven churches within their area and recite the Stations of the Cross while in the church. As there are 14 Stations of the Cross, in each church, two Stations of the Cross will be recited. The number “7” is associated with the Seven Last Words or “siete palabras” of Jesus on Mount Calvary.
In the past, visita iglesia is usually done on Maundy Thursday. Today, it is practiced in any day within the Holy Week, prior to Good Friday. Seven of the famous churches in the Philippines which the Catholics in their areas go to for their Visita Iglesia are:
San Agustin Church (Manila)
This is the only church in the historic Intramuros that survived the Second World War. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the oldest church in the Philippines. The church was built from 1587 to 1607. It had survived earthquakes, the Philippine Revolution, the Philippine-American War and World War II, which saw the destruction of all other churches in Intramuros, leaving San Agustin, standing alone.
San Gregorio Magno Cathedral (Old Albay District, Legazpi City, Bicol)
People from the Bicol Region, south of Luzon, also call this cathedral the Albay Cathedral, the Episcopal Seat of the Diocese of Legazpi. The cathedral used to be a wooden chapel built by the early Spanish missionaries in the 1580s. The church was damaged during World War II and was rebuilt and renovated in 1951. Today, Albay Cathedral is the most prominent landmark in the Old Albay District and is the endpoint of one of the grandest Good Friday processions in the region.
San Pascual De Baylon Church (Obando, Bulacan)
It is also known as Obando Church. It is one of the oldest and historic churches in the Philippines. It is the home of the Our Lady of the Immaculate Concepcion of Salambao. Obando Church was founded by Franciscan Missionaries during the Spanish Era and has gained popularity among the faithful who desires to be blessed with a child. While couples troop to the church during the month of May to join the 3 day Fertility Rites, during the Lenten Season, the Catholics from Bulacan and nearby towns include Obando Church in their Visita Iglesia list.
Nuestra Señora del Santissimo Rosario de Manaoag (Manaoag, Pangasinan)
Otherwise known as Our Lady of Manaoag Church, this is one of the most frequently visited Roman Catholic churches in the Philippines. Devotees of the Virgin Mary from all over the country, travel to this church in Central Luzon all year round. This is one of the churches visited by the townsfolk of Pangasinan and nearby Tarlac.
Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu (Cebu)
This church was built in 1732 following the destruction of the previous buildings by an earthquake. This church represents the birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines with Cebu being the first Spanish settlement on the island. This is where evangelization started. The historic cross was planted by Ferdinand Magellan as a sign of the introduction of Christianity in Cebu.
Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Church (Miag-ao, Iloilo)
This large fortress-church was completed in 1797 by Spanish Agustinian missionaries. It has withstood typhoons and earthquakes. It was ravaged by fire twice – first was during the revolution against Spain in 1898 and the second was during the Philippine-American War a few years later. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and listed as part of the “Baroque Churches of the Philippines”. Now a famous tourist attraction in Iloilo, the church is frequently visited by devotees during Holy Week.
Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion (Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur)
This church is another UNESCO World Heritage Site and a cultural gem of the Ilocanos in northern Luzon. The church was built perched on top of the hill because of the pirate attacks during the 19th century. The Ilocanos welcome numerous visitors to this church during Visita Iglesia on Maundy Thursday.
