For my Holy Week Visita Iglesia this year, I decided to join Manilakad’s tour. I knew I could have done it on my own, as I’ve done in the past, especially since it wasn’t my first time visiting most of the churches. But knowing Manilakad’s Jing Ordona, whose tours I’ve joined several times before, I was sure this one would be more special and that I’d walk away learning something new.

True enough, I was right to sign up. I learned things I wouldn’t have caught on my own. Like how Saint Ezequiél Moreno y Díaz, the patron saint of cancer patients, once served as the parish priest of Santa Cruz Church. I also had one of those quiet “oh” moments. All along, I thought San Beda was just another name for Saint Benedict. I had no idea they were different saints. I also walked away with a new life goal. I want to be part of the Order of Malta. It’s a Catholic lay group. It doesn’t own land but is still recognized as a sovereign group.

The Visita Iglesia is a Filipino Catholic tradition during Holy Week. Devotees visit at least seven churches and pray the Stations of the Cross.

Our first stop was Binondo Church, also known as the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint. Lorenzo Ruiz trained here before becoming a missionary in Japan, where he was later martyred. The church is also called Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish. It was founded by Dominican priests in 1596 to serve Chinese converts to Christianity.

After Binondo, we walked through Ongpin Street. Jing brought us to a small church tucked behind Binondo Church. It’s called Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish. It’s not big or famous, and I didn’t even know it was there. I actually thought we were on our way to Santo Cristo de Longos. We visited that too not long after.

Then we went to Santa Cruz Church. Its full name is the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. It is also called the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament. Pope Francis granted the image a canonical coronation in 2017. In 2018, Cardinal Tagle made it an archdiocesan shrine. Just recently, it became a Minor Basilica.

One thing I enjoy about Jing’s tours is how he adds little historical tidbits along the way. Like when he pointed out a marker beside Santa Cruz Church that marks the return of Manila to Spain after the British surrendered in 1764.

After Santa Cruz, we went to Quiapo Church, or the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno. It is the home of the Black Nazarene. Many believe, including me, that the image is miraculous.

The church was full of people that day, as always. You could feel the devotion in every corner. I was glad I stayed in Metro Manila this Holy Week. Watching the steady stream of pilgrims reminded me how deep and alive the faith still is in the city.

We took a lunch break at Wakilah Eatery, which has become quite popular lately. The cook was on break, so there was no roti that day. I settled for mee goreng, a glass of soft drinks, cold teh tarik, and a bottle of water. That’s how hot and parched I felt.

Next, we visited the Holy Face Shrine. My mom used to bring us there when we were kids. The shrine is run by the Sisters of the Holy Face of Jesus. 

Right in front of it is the headquarters of the Order of Malta. This was when I made that new life goal.

Jing said I needed to be filthy rich to join. By that point in the tour, we had already reached our fifth stop and had been walking for three hours. I was already filthy. Now I just need to figure out how to be rich.

The next stop was San Sebastian Basilica, just a few steps down from the Holy Face Shrine. It is also known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. It’s the only steel church in the country. It was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1973 and became a National Cultural Treasure in 2011.

Jing said the steel came from the same foundry as the Eiffel Tower. He also clarified that Gustav Eiffel didn’t build the church, even if many people think so. Still, San Sebastian is one of the most beautiful churches I’ve seen. Its design and details can match some of the grand churches in Europe.

By that time, the heat was too much. We took a tricycle to the Twin Churches of Sampaloc. These are the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto and the Shrine of Saint Anthony of Padua. I remember visiting them as a child. Many people like going here for Visita Iglesia because the churches are side by side.

Binondo, Santa Cruz, Quiapo, San Sebastian, and Loreto are Jubilee 2025 Pilgrim Churches. I brought my Luce figure with me and enjoyed photographing Luce in front of these churches. Luce is the official mascot of the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee. It means “light” in Italian. I also completed the mascot set in Binondo. Fe, Xin, and Sky were all with me. Sadly, Xin lost her walking stick in San Sebastian.

I was supposed to end my Visita Iglesia at the Twin Churches because I had another tour at 4 PM. But when I heard that San Beda was the next stop, I decided to go. I studied in St. Scholastica’s College, so Saint Benedict is also a patron saint. And I never leave home without my St. Benedict Medal. That was when I learned that San Beda and Saint Benedict are not the same.

San Beda Church is also called the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat. It is the main church of the Benedictine monks in the Philippines and was founded by Spanish monks in 1895. This is another lovely church.

That was the final stop for me. I said goodbye to Jing here and headed on to my next tour.