We started these having these activities since I was a kid - and until now, me being at the age of 31, has never stopped. I can say all these activities are the things that make us closer with each other. That's why we are a one big happy family!!!
March 28, 2013 marked our first activity - Visita Iglesia. It has been our tradition that we go to seven churches during Holy Thursday.
Just a brief information for you guys. The Seven Churches Visitation, also known as Visita Iglesia, is a pious Roman Catholic Lenten tradition by attempting to visit seven churches or religious sites. Traditionally observed on Maundy Thursday, it is commonly practised during any day of the Holy Week. (Source: Wikipedia)
In the Philippines, the tradition is known as Visita Iglesia (English: Church Visit). The general practise is to visit seven churches either on Holy Thursday or Good Friday and recite the Stations of the Cross in them. The pious would double the number of churches to fourteen, while the infirm and elderly usually visit only one or a handful. Until the 1970s, people recited all fourteen stations in one church. (Source: Wikipedia)
Originally, the custom was to visit a single church and pray before the Blessed Sacrament placed in the Altar of Repose after the Rite of Transfer on Holy Thursday. Tradition holds that the number of churches multiplied because there were seven churches in pre-War Intramuros. (Source: Wikipedia)
The practise of visiting seven churches is ultimately rooted in visiting the seven churches of Rome which was initiated by Pope Boniface VIII. There are no set of prayers given by the Church except to pray for the intentions of the Pope and recite the Our Father, Hail Mary and Gloria Patri. People have instead opted to pray the Stations of the Cross, the recitation of which is liturgically proper to Good Friday. (Source: Wikipedia)
In our family, we try to make each year different. We try to visit different churches every year. This year, we went around Fairview area. It was my mom who suggested for this year's activity - she researched churches near our area. We recited the New Way of the Cross in each church - two stations per church. We took turns in reciting each station. At every church we visited, I did notice that there are a lot of Filipino who follows this tradition - even to the Churches we thought would not be visited.
Here are the list of 7 Churches we visited, in order of visit:
1. St. Peter Parish
Originally, the custom was to visit a single church and pray before the Blessed Sacrament placed in the Altar of Repose after the Rite of Transfer on Holy Thursday. Tradition holds that the number of churches multiplied because there were seven churches in pre-War Intramuros. (Source: Wikipedia)
The practise of visiting seven churches is ultimately rooted in visiting the seven churches of Rome which was initiated by Pope Boniface VIII. There are no set of prayers given by the Church except to pray for the intentions of the Pope and recite the Our Father, Hail Mary and Gloria Patri. People have instead opted to pray the Stations of the Cross, the recitation of which is liturgically proper to Good Friday. (Source: Wikipedia)
In our family, we try to make each year different. We try to visit different churches every year. This year, we went around Fairview area. It was my mom who suggested for this year's activity - she researched churches near our area. We recited the New Way of the Cross in each church - two stations per church. We took turns in reciting each station. At every church we visited, I did notice that there are a lot of Filipino who follows this tradition - even to the Churches we thought would not be visited.
Here are the list of 7 Churches we visited, in order of visit:
1. St. Peter Parish
2. Parish of Saint Benedict
3. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
4. Cathedral Shrine of the Good Shepherd
(Photo grabbed from the internet)5. Divine Savior Parish
6. Ascension of Our Lord Parish
7. Mary the Queen Parish
When I was young, my mom told me that for every new church I go to, I should pray one Our Father, 3 Hail Marys and 1 Glory be; and then make three wishes and wait for it to come true.
We all started at St. Peter Parish since it is like a halfway point. I was with Mom, Dad, my brother JC, Auntie Shiony, Kooky, Auntie Boots, Trevor, Tracy and Tricia. Then Ate Ria and Kuya Abel met us up at the Cathedral Shrine of the Good Shepherd. After that, we made a quick stopover at our house to drink water and have a bathroom break - and also met up Uncle Trennie there. Then we headed to the next churches.
One thing we love about Visita Iglesia is the food - the all sorts of food and snacks you get to buy outside the church. Just to name a few - puto bumbong, bibingka, sweet corn, and nuts are some just.
After all churches, we headed for Pearl Drive in East Fairview along Commonwealth Avenue. At first, we had difficulty in deciding where to eat dinner. Majority of us wanted Shakey's but it was full. We ended up in Toni's Grill, since it can accommodate all of us. It was all our first time to eat there - and I can say the food tasted great. It was worth it.
While waiting for our food to be served, Auntie Shiony handed us calendar of events and also the mechanics for our third activity.
While waiting for our food to be served, Auntie Shiony handed us calendar of events and also the mechanics for our third activity.
Tata for now!
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