Walkwithchan in special arrangement with Royal Postal Heritage tour, heritage groups conducted a FREE guided tour on Maundy Thursday (April 18) and dubbed the walking tour as Visita Iglesia of 14 Churches and Chapels in Manila.

Palacio del Gobernador and Plaza Roma with art works

We decided to open a FREE Visita Iglesia 2019 walking tour, since our group will visit Intramuros and sharing the beautiful spots in Manila with the ordinary public.

hoardes of people walking along Rizal avenue, Santa Cruz

Visita Iglesia 2019

tarpaulin map of intramuros

huge tarpaulin poster from intramuros administration – this serves as a guide for parking area, churches, chapels and interesting places within the walled city.

station of the cross along General Luna street

The FB event attracted 66 participants but only 30 people manage to find the group at the meeting place which is at Plaza Roma- King Charles IV statue and fountain. cellphone signal is weak.

Manila Cathedral Basilica during the Chrism mass

There were a lot of people at the Chrism mass. This is one of the important liturgies during the holy week. It took me almost 15 minutes to get out of the cathedral basilica. There is only one exit. I have to be at the main plaza by 6:30 am. I saw Philip Reyes then followed by Jose Juan Paraiso ( who did not get a sleep) members of Advocates for Heritage Preservation group and other participants.

The plaza seems abuzz with all sort of tarpaulins, balloons and the mood was very festive. The Chrism mass is being shown via large screen to the people at the plaza.

Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of Immaculate Conception facade

The Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Beaterio St., Intramuros.



Manila Cathedral Basilica back portion

Saint Agustine Church and convent

Saint Augustine interiors

Saint Agustine Church, General Luna St., Intramuros

Father Willmann Chapel, Santa Potencia St., Intramuros.

Dendrobium anosmum aka sanggumay

The group took time in admiring the neatly manicured garden and large trees within the compound. As an orchid grower, I also took time to examine the Dendrobium anosmum (sanggumay) orchid flowering. This is of of the all time favorite native orchids.

Father Willmann chapel altar

statue

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM ) facade

Shrine of Jesus the Divine Teacher, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Muralla St., Intramuros.

Shrine of Jesus the Divine Teacher altar

The Catholic Chapel of the Mapua Institute of Technology, Muralla Street, Intramuros.

Mapua Institute of Technology -chapel altar

The security guards at the Mapua Institue of Technology were also helpful to the participants, Some of them needed to have a bathroom break.

Lyceum of the Philippines University entrance

chapel of the sacred heart of jesus

chapel interior



The group were greeted by the security guards of the university while some participants took time filling up their water bottles at the fountain station.

Colegio de San Juan de Letran facade

chapel

Colegio de San Juan de Letran is one of the oldest secondary school for boys and was established in 1620. The college is already busy preparing their 400th anniversary in 2020.

chapel interior

Colegio de San Juan de Letran’s central courtyard had a neatly manicured lawn with large trees, bromeliads, Dendrobium hybrid orchids, native orchids, frangipanis and ornamental plants.

There is also a fountain and several statues of their alumni and patron saint. There is also a mini koi pond and water plants planted at the fountain area.

The group had a busy time admiring this painting at the back portion of the chapel

Roman Ongpin statue- Ongpin corner Quintin Paredes street

This time, we have to walked from Intramuros cross the Jones bridge towards Binondo district.

main altar

Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz, Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila, Binondo

some of the participants enjoyed hot rice porridge (lugaw) and filtered water courtesy of the barangay chairman of place.

filtered water

rice porridge

The group enjoyed the hearty mid-day meal and some took time buying some treats at nearby Eng Bee Tin bakery. There was also a water station in front of the bakery.

beautiful flower arrangement at the side altar

main altar

Archdiocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament, Plaza Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, Manila

Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, Quezon Boulevard, Quiapo, Manila

Some of the participants had to beg-off after this leg of the tour. It is getting hot as it is almost midday. Our group had to go under the bridge since the underpass is close and the footbridge is few meters away. Signal is also weak.

Bakerite

tasty bread

Bakerite is one of the iconic homegrown bakeries in Quiapo district. They are the ones who popularized the brand “Tasty”. The bread is good and the group took a short snack time inside this bakery.

Shrine of the Holy Face of Jesus, 1111 F. R. Hidalgo Street, Quiapo, Manila

Shrine of the Holy Face of Jesus chapel

The chapel is located at the 2nd floor of the shrine. This is also the final resting place of the founder and of the congregation members.

participants

tomb

Minor Basilica of San Sebastian, Plaza del Carmen St., Quiapo

main altar

D.Genaro Palacios y Guerra ( main architect ) marker at the floor of the minor basilica

San Beda College- Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat, Mendiola Street, San Miguel

historical marker

National Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus, Jose Laurel Sr. Street, San Miguel, Manila

passage way which connects the parish to the center

Saint Jude Catholic School and Parish welcome arch

Saint Jude Thaddeus national shrine main altar ( photo taken from the 2nd floor choir area)

old organ built in Germany in the 1950’s at 2nd floor of the shrine

some participants lighted candles and have their moment of prayer at the shrine

a mid -1930’s ancestral house along J.P. Laurel street

Malacañang place gate 4 along Jose P. Laurel Sr.street

We took a longer route going to the next national shrine, since the presidential security group (PSG) only allowed one portion of Jose P. Laurel street ( security issues).We walked from Arlegui street towards Aguado street passing several old mansions like the ones owned by Laperal family ( Arlegui mansions) and several turn of the century houses along Aguado street. It is sad to see that the former Cocina de Tita Moning ancestral house is closed.

Office of the President ( Presidential Complain Center) along Jose P. Laurel street

The group decided to have a short stop over at Casa Roces– Fine dining restaurant owned by the Roces family ( a separate blog entry) Some of the participants wanted to eat and we have a short photo opportunity. We spend about an hour or so at the restaurant before visiting the next church. It is almost 2:00 pm,when we finished our hearty meal.

San Miguel church main facade

interior

baptismal front

elaborate tombstone by one of the benefactors of the church

group photo at the entrance of the church

National Shrine of St. Michael and the Archangels, Gen. Solano Street, San Miguel

interior and altar

St. Anthony of Padua Shrine, Manrique Street corner J. Figueras street, Sampaloc

facade

Our Lady of Loreto metal sculpture at the side of the church (by Eduardo Castrillo)



Our Lady of Loreto church and Saint Anthony Shrine were dubbed as twin churches of Sampaloc. These two churches were badly destroyed during the closing days of February 1945.

historical marker

interior and main altar

Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto Parish, Sampaloc, Manila

This is like a homecoming event for me, We lived few blocks away from these two churches for almost 15 years. Most of the participants had to finished their Visita Iglesia trip at this point. Only 10 were left and we decided to hitch ride together going to Immaculate Conception church.

Immaculate Conception church interior

side altar bedeck with flowers and candles

Immaculate Conception Parish, Katamanan Street, Tondo, Manila

Espiritu Santo church side entrance

Espiritu Santo interior

decree

It was declared an Archdiocesan Shrine by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle on June 8, 2014, the Solemnity of the Pentecost.

The church an interesting neo-gothic architecture with a lot of modern elements and this had a parochial school located within its compound. This used to be a public cemetery until early 1900. The church was fully completed and solemnly blessed on May 14, 1932.

Archdiocesan Shrine of Espiritu Santo, Rizal Avenue, Santa Cruz, Manila

San Roque de Manila interior

San Roque of Manila church along Avenida Rizal, Santa Cruz, Manila.

We hope to have a repeat tour of these churches next year. The group would like to extend our heartfelt ” THANKS” to the intramuros administration, schools, government buildings, universities and shrines which opened their doors to all the pilgrims, local and foreign tourists.