ILOILO CITY: The religious tradition of visiting seven churches during Holy Thursday not only heightens one’s faith but is also an opportune time to raise awareness of pilgrims of the tangible and intangible heritage of Iloilo.
Gilbert Marin, head of the Iloilo Provincial Culture, Arts, History and Tourism Office (PCAHTO), said they coordinated with the Department of Tourism in coming up with a tour package, not for selling but to give guests an idea of where to go for the Visita Iglesia.
The package has two clusters consisting of churches from the southern towns of Iloilo starting with Oton, Tigbauan, Guimbal, Tubungan, Igbaras, Miagao, and San Joaquin, while the second cluster covers central-northern Iloilo churches taking off from Leganes, Zarraga, Dumangas, Barotac Nuevo, Dingle, Dueñas, and Passi City.
The province has added another cluster in central Iloilo covering Leganes, Pavia, Sta. Barbara, Cabatuan, Janiuay, Lambunao, and Calinog.
Marin said the churches in the southern part of Iloilo are heri
tage churches.
‘These churches have been well-known even without the celebration of Lent or any occasion. On their own, they are an attraction because of their age and architectural beauty. We can see their various features, others are red bricks, others are coral rocks, and others are sandstone. We have churches that have ornate decorations on the façade, others have facades depicting war,’ he said in an interview.
He said there are also existing attractions beside or near the churches.
‘We have heritage sites like monuments and markers that are just in the plaza, ruins of their convent. These are points of interest that once they go Visita Iglesia, they can check these heritage markers because they form part of the history of our municipality,’ he added.
In Iloilo City, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas recommended the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral, declared the National Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria and famous for its all-male saints, and the St. Anne Parish Church in Molo, known for its all-female saint
s.
‘If you wanted to see the third oldest Sto. Niño in the Philippines, you go to Arevalo. Just near us (city hall) is the Santa Maria church, where you can see the Chinese Madonna,’ he said.
The San Jose de Placer church beside Plaza Libertad, where the famous Dinagyang Festival started, Espousal of Our Lady Parish Church in Mandurriao, the newly-renovated Nuestra Señora de La Paz y Buen Viaje in La Paz, and St. Clements Church, which started the novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help in the Philippines back in 1946 are also among the recommended places of worship to visit.
Visita Iglesia is a practice of visiting seven churches after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, according to the Commission on Social Communications of the Archdiocese of Jaro.
It aimed to ‘dispose the people to celebrate more meaningfully the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ.’
In preparation for the influx of people, especially in the province, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Co
rnelio Salinas said they are now on the blue alert status as mandated by the Office of the Civil Defense.
‘Among our convergence areas are our churches and transport hubs. So municipal disaster risk reduction offices where these convergence areas are situated are on standby, in tandem with other response agencies.
They are now in their state of readiness,’ he said in an interview.
He added the public is encouraged to do their part since disaster preparedness is a ‘shared responsibility.’
Source: Philippines News Agency