During the first months of the pandemic, churches everywhere in the Philippines closed as a way to follow social distancing and quarantine protocols. After more than a year of being at home and attending online masses, several churches were then reopening and accepting devotees and people who needed divine intervention in their lives.
Five Churches in Tarlac Perfect for Visita Iglesia
The reopening of churches also made it possible for people to resume their Visita Iglesia, or the tradition of visiting different churches during Holy Week. For those who lived in a house or an apartment for rent in Tarlac province, there were five churches potentially nearby where they might want to reflect and pray:
San Sebastian Cathedral (Tarlac City)
Also known as Tarlac Cathedral, the San Sebastian Cathedral served as the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tarlac. The church was built in 1868 and donned a postwar Neo-Gothic architectural style. This design created an alluring contrast between the past and present in Tarlac’s environment.
San Sebastian Cathedral was dedicated to Saint Sebastian, the patron of soldiers, disabled people, and the plague-stricken, among others. With the pandemic still at large, devotees could come here to pray for penance and the healing of their sick loved ones.
Santa Faustina of the Divine Mercy Parish (Paniqui)
Fiction often portrayed churches to be ridden with bats and spooky tales. But in the town of Paniqui lay a beautiful church all clad in white that starkly contrasted the creepy depictions of churches in fiction—the Santa Faustina of the Divine Mercy Parish.
This magnificent sanctuary was Asia’s first and only basilica dedicated to Saint Faustina Kowalska, and where a first-class relic of hers was housed. During her first years as a nun, Saint Faustina suffered from tuberculosis. After she recovered, she remained faithful to her calling and ministry to the church. Pilgrims from Tarlac and other parts of the Philippines came to the Santa Faustina of the Divine Mercy Parish to pray for healing.
San Nicolas De Tolentino Parish (Capas)
With Holy Week being the time for most Catholics to reflect on their actions and repent of their shortcomings, a visit to the San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish in the town of Capas might help devotees pray for penance and be guilt-free of what they had done.
Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, locally known as Apung Kulas, was the patron saint of poor souls in purgatory. Devotees could plan their prayer and worship in his minor basilica in Capas, Tarlac to repent and ask for him to intercede for their souls to be saved from Purgatory, and perhaps from the fiery pits.
La Sagrada Familia Parish (Gerona)
Churches weren’t just quiet spots to pray, worship, and meditate; they were also stunning works of art by talented crafters and artists. And if you were after a cultural trip during your Visita Iglesia, heading over to Gerona and marveling at the beauty of La Sagrada Familia Parish was ideal.
Designed by the late architect-slash-priest Father Alex Bautista, the parish combined intricate elements of classical designs and the functionality of modern architecture. Other than its art, La Sagrada Familia was also a popular tourist destination as it housed a slab of the Papal table used in the 2015 Papal Mass in Luneta, Manila.
Monasterio De Tarlac (San Jose)
Now, if you were after a walk of penance during your Visita Iglesia, adding the Monasterio de Tarlac in San Jose to your church-hopping itinerary was common. This monastery sat on top of Mount Resurrection Eco Park and presented the archetype site for penitential walks during Holy Week.
Monasterio de Tarlac comprised several chapels within its eco-sanctuary complex and a three-hundred-foot statue of the Risen Christ. In a way, the monastery mirrored the divine natural beauty of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Housed in one of the monastery’s chapels was said to be a relic of the True Cross of Jesus Christ.
During Holy Week, taking the time to reevaluate your actions, repent of any shortcomings, and take accountability for any mistakes was valued. Planning your Visita Iglesia in these five churches in Tarlac helped you reconnect with your spirituality and ask for divine intervention.
