Thursday, March 29, 2018

Visita Iglesia 2018

This is my first time to perform Visita Iglesia in my home country the Philippines during Holy Week. Today which is Maunday Thursday, I revisited seven churches which are close to my heart. These churches are big influence of my being a Catholic and had been my refuge during the times of my hardship and trials in my life. As a devout Catholic my faith to Jesus Christ became strong every each day and these churches are the houses of God which I can carry out my devotional prayers. Visita Iglesia is a lenten tradition of Catholics to  visit seven churches to pray the Blessed Sacrament on each church. 


San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila 

Worshippers inside the San Agustin Church 

Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church), Manila

Worshippers inside the Quiapo Church

Sta. Cruz Church, Manila 

Worshippers inside the Sta. Cruz Church

Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of Immaculate Conception
(Manila Cathedral), Intramuros, Manila

 The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Baclaran Church),
Paranaque City


 Worshippers inside the Baclaran Church

 Our Lady of Remedies Parish (Malate Church), Manila

Worshippers inside the Malate Church

The Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guidance (Ermita Shrine/Church), Manila

Worshippers inside the Ermita Shrine/Church



Sunday, March 25, 2018

Palm Sunday

Churchgoers waving their palm branches to be bless

Worshipers at Saint James the Greater church


I attended the Sunday mass today.  Actually, today is Palm Sunday and it is the start of the Holy Week for all Catholics in the Philippines and around the world.  Palm Sunday is a Christian activity that falls on the Sunday before Easter. It is the day that we remember and commemorate the successful entry of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. The church where I attended are full of worshipers bringing with them different palm branches for the blessing of the priest after the mass. We are doing this as a tradition to recollect the act that was done by a large crowd when Jesus Christ rode a donkey, entered Jerusalem and people gathered to laid palm branches and their cloaks across the road.


Thursday, March 22, 2018

Cavite Day

Today is Cavite Day. We are commemorating the 149th birth anniversary of General Emilio Aguinaldo, the first President of the Philippines. It's a special non-working day in the province of Cavite as declared by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte under Proclamation No. 446, s. 2018.

General Emilio Aguinaldo monument at the Cavite Provincial Capitol
at Trece Martires City

Monday, March 19, 2018

Proud to be Imuseno

I never regret living and residing here at the City of Imus from the province of Cavite. It is considered the flag capital of the Philippines. The City of Imus is rich with historical places, museums, and old churches which every visitor will enjoy and learn upon visiting them. You can visit the Battle of Imus Monument, Alapan Flag Monument, Cathedral of our Lady of the Pillar (known also as Imus Cathedral), Imus Heritage Park where you can see the 104 feet tall flagpole of Philippine flag, the General Licerio Topacio Plaza (which is right in front of the city hall), and many more historical places which I also need to explore. Come and visit the city of Imus and experience the hospitality of its people and its beautiful places.

 General Licerio Topacio Plaza at Imus City, Cavite


 Replica of an old artillery canon displayed at the Imus Plaza (behind is the old municipal building of Imus (right) and the new city hall (left) 


 Another old artillery canon displayed in front of General Licerio Topacio monument


Imus Plaza (behind is Cathedral of our Lady of the Pillar)

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Stations of the Cross

Last Wednesday (March 14), I visited and attended the 12:00 am mass at the National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio at Sto. Thomas, Batangas. After the solemn mass the priest announced that a newly built stations of the cross was already opened at the back of the church for the churchgoers to see and visit it. This is timely for all the devotees as the celebration of Holy Week is nearly approaching and they can visit and offer prayers for each stations.  I was very lucky to take pictures of the stations of the cross without too much people around. 

Entrance - Stations of the Cross

 1st Station - The Last Supper

2nd Station - The Agony in Gethsemane

 3rd Station - Jesus before the Sanhedrin

4th Station- Jesus is Scoured and Crowned with Thorns

5th Station - Jesus Carries His Cross

6th Station - Jesus Falls Under the Weight of the Cross

7th Station - Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus to carry His Cross 

8th Station - Jesus meets the Women of Jerusalem 

9th Station - Jesus is nailed to the Cross

 10th Station - The Repentant Thief

 11th Station - Mary and John at the Foot of the Cross

 12th Station - Jesus dies on the Cross

 13th Station - Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

14th Station - Jesus Rises from Death

Friday, March 09, 2018

Summer is Here

The month of March is normally the start of the summer season in the Philippines. As the days goes by, we can already feel the scorching heat of the sun from 10:00 am up to 4:00 pm.  Everybody is preparing and excited to go to the beach resorts to relieve the hot weather. Even the garden near the market place where I used to buy plants, flowers, and soil, the caretaker is ready to water the plants so as to make them hydrated and fresh during the day.