Bisita Iglesia

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Bisita Iglesia (Church Visits) is a filipino tradition fulfilled by Catholics every Lenten Season. The tradition is observed by paying a visit to seven catholic churches and offering adorations to the Lord.

In celebration of the Lenten Season, let me share to you the glimpse of churches that we visited during the eve of Holy Thursday. The images also portray the radiance of the religious observance.

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Shrine of Jesus, The Way, The Truth & The Life

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Our Lady of Fatima Church

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Good Shepherd Church

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St Joseph Church (The Las Piñas Bamboo Organ)

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Shrine of our Lady of Perpetual Help (The Famous Baclaran Church)

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The Famous Las Pinas Bamboo Organ

[Alibangbang]

Bon,

Thank you so much for sharing. Your pictures are wonderful. Kibali sab kami ga bisita eglesia.

Bon, you stirred a slumbering memory deep within, kaganahi gayod dayon mo tiyaho.

When I was little, distinctly remember na min-iban ako kan Tatay after we had listened sa transistor radio nan Siete Palabras. Gapanaw kami yangadto kami sa Capilya (for those of you familiar with Victoria, you'll know where the Capilya is. Forgive me for sounding selfish, but this was when Victoria was populated with only a handful of closely-knit families, unlike what it is today).

Before we cross the dirt road, sa kilid, gaponit si Tatay nan 14 pcs of pebbles. Pag duot namo, he handed me the pebbles and told me to stay, in the shade (provided by a coconut tree), close to the bamboo fence. He then explained that he will walk around the Chapel 14 times and each time he pass by me, I should drop one pebble to the ground and when all the pebbles are gone (from my hand) I have to tell him because it meant, 14 times na siya yakalibot. I asked, why mo libot siya? He said, mag VIA CRUCIS siya. I watched him, but I was distracted. Ga dalipasa ako kay malangkahi dayon ma boyong an mga ga-ngis (cicada) pasoi sa yadto na adlaw. When I looked, he had his black rosary (same rosary I took to Cebu (during college) then here) in hand so I knew na dugay siya matapos.

Kon may molabay agi sa karetera mag payong molingi ako. I wasn't really paying attention as he passed me by. Bored, I started dropping pebbles indiscriminately because I wanted it to be over. I wanted to go home or stop at Iyo Pedong's house to hear what's playing on the radio kay may mga drama sa yadto nan passion or to swing by my cousins: Baby and Alol's house. When I told him na hurot nan mga bato, he didn't believe me. He continued on and signal me to go on home ahead. I went home.

Much later, he explained the via crucis (station/way of the cross). Dayon an Bisita Iglesia which was, originally, laong nan mga karaan, supposed to be 14 churches kay each representative nan station of the cross. (Pero kay "precious-and-few" tapos lagyo san mga simbahan ---labi na sa probensia... Town = 1 church, Bario = 1 Chapel, Sitio = 0, abhas, kahas pamasahe, pahangyo nan --- inday kon Vatican --- 50% discount... kanaman 7 churches dakan . Aduy kahabnayan gayod ako anhi nan bagakay . Peace all...)

Anyway, saligmaat seguro gusto niya mag via crucis ora mismo, amo na didto libot dakan 14 times sa Capilya... which was a practice his pious relatives in Bohol observed. Kay Capilya dasa isab an ila and short silan pamasahi mo kadto sa town (Cortes) or city (Tagbilaran).

The years that followed sa simbahan na kami nan Tago mag via crucis (sila mag tubag-tubag in hush prayers ako mag concentrate sa "sorrowful" images hanged on the church wall, till was old enough to understand the full meaning of it). When done, we offer silent prayers and pay homage to the statue of the body of Christ laid in the "Caro" dapit sa main door nan simbahan then, we walk back home. Not clear kon sa Tago or sa Tigao ini na mo iban kami nan SUGAT.

Ag pa mag Sugat koman sa ato? (K-Spy???.....) Easter, at dawn may duha ka procession pa sugat ag bitayon an mga angels then one special angel amoy mo korona kan Lord Jesus?


Nan didi sila sa NY, ga reminisce kami... isa ini na amo inka hisgotan, not the Sugat but, of how I cheated on the pebbles and, how the snakes are thought to be super aggressive and mas ma lah kon simana santa.... not true... just so para mahadlok mag libod an mga para-libod - - - save them from gossiping during the holy week. The subject gave us a good satisfying laugh.

Fast forward... enter my mother-in-law. Bon, kon adi ngani sila mag holy week. Ayay... week or so before, e map out nan mga simbahan sa tristate area kay as much as possible, gusto niya yaon wara pa niya ka sudli amoy bisitahan. It has to be 14 churches kay kara-an na count an iya paga follow no more, no less. She calls it, "VIA DOLOROSA". Naman out-of-town kami during holy week kon adi sila kay iya sa tanan lad-ladon. Waray maka ipli. Last time they spent holyweek here, we found ourselves in Quebec, Canada didto kami ga Bisita Iglesia.

Bon, Lu's nostalgic gazing at your pictures kadumduman niyan ila controlled chaos and convoy kon mag Via Dolorosa kay saynan kaw his parents plus 10 children plus the entire household iban... As they grew older, iban nan mga boyfriends/girlfriends. A family tradition his mother is hoping her children would continue.

Yadto na sila sa silong ga tina(dye) nan eggs, his family's fun tradition that he want Alexa and Karlo to carry on.

JESUS is risen... HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!

Happy Easter to all of you...

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Mana Abb,

Thank you for sharing your memoirs about Bisita Iglesia. I'm also grateful that you appreciate my snapshots.

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[edpels]

thnx bon for sharing the pics. as if we've done also our pious bisita iglesia by looking at those beautiful pics.

[BONSAL]

thnx bon for sharing the pics. as if we've done also our pious bisita iglesia by looking at those beautiful pics.

Thanks Edpels! That's one good thing about photography it can capture a minute part of reality.