TURUMBA FESTIVAL (Pakil, Laguna, Philippines)

Dearest readers, do you know that the Turumba Festival, or Lupi Festival, is the longest religious celebration in the Philippines? If you are not familiar with this festival, allow Tita S to tell you more.

            Source: https://www.facebook.com/SaBirhen/photos/a.358199954809752/492333538063059/?type=3&theater

Here are 6 facts about the Turumba Festival, or Lupi Festival:

1.The Turumba¹ Festival is an annual religious celebration held in the town of Pakil², in the province³ of Laguna⁴, in the Calabarzon⁵ Region⁶ of the Philippines.

Photos used in collage taken from the official Facebook account of Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish

2. It is held in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows⁷ and consists of seven Turumba¹ novenas⁸, or lupi, for seven months, commemorating the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary.

The original oil painting, Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba, 1788, enshrined in St. Peter of Alcantara Church, Pakil, Laguna

Know more about this iconic painting in a related post: NOW YOU KNOW: NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LOS DOLORES DE TURUMBA

The statue of Our Lady of Sorrows used in Lupi Fiestas, housed in St. Peter of Alcantara Church, Pakil, Laguna

The Seven Sorrows (or Dolors) are events in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary that are a popular devotion and are frequently depicted in art: the prophecy of Simeon⁹ (Luke 2:34-35), the flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-23), the loss of the Child Jesus in the temple of Jerusalem (Luke 2:43-45), Mary’s meeting Jesus on the Via Dolorosa¹⁰ (not in the New Testament), the Crucifixion of Jesus on Mount Calvary (Matthew 27:34-50, Mark 15:23-37, Luke 23:33-46, John 19:18-30), the piercing of the side of Jesus with a spear, and His descent from the Cross (John 18:34), and the burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea¹¹ (Matthew 27:57-61, Mark 15:43-47, Luke 23:50-53. John 19:40-42). These Seven Sorrows should not be confused with the five Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.

3. The Seven Days of Sorrows are known in the Philippines as Lupi Fiestas:

• First Lupi, or Biernes Dolores, falls on the Friday preceding Palm Sunday¹²
• SecondLupi, or Pistang Martes, falls on Tuesday following Easter Sunday¹³
• ThirdLupi, or Pistang Biyatiko, falls on the second Wednesday after Easter Sunday
• Fourth Lupi, or Pistang Biyernes, falls on the third Friday after Easter Sunday
• Fifth Lupi, or Pistang Linggo, falls on the fourth Sunday after Easter Sunday
• Sixth Lupi, or Feast of the Ascension¹⁴, falls on the fifth Sunday after Easter
• Seventh Lupi, or Feast of the Holy Spirit, falls on the Sunday of Pentecost¹⁵

Lupi is a local term, meaning “to fold”, because at the closing of every festivity, the novena⁷ booklet is folded to mark the pause in preparation for the next lupi. Remember, the Lupi Fiestas last for seven months. making it the longest religious celebration in the Philippines.

This was the original 2020 Lupi schedule. Source: https://www.facebook.com/SaBirhen/photos/a.358199954809752/492333538063059/?type=3&theater

Alas, all Lupi fiestas have been cancelled util further notice.Source: Official Facebook account of Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish https://www.facebook.com/SaBirhen/photos/a.358199954809752/503240466972366/?type=3&theater

4. On the Sunday nearest September 15, the Catholic Church celebrates the national feast of the discovery of the image of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba¹⁶, in 1788. Know how this iconic painting was discovered in a related post: NOW YOU KNOW: NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LOS DOLORES DE TURUMBA

Photos used in collage taken from the official Facebook account of Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish and the Wikipedia page “Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church”

5. Homage to Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba¹⁶ is done through song and dance, drumbeat and cries of the devotees to manifest Mary’s grief during the Passion of Christ¹⁷.

Dresses sown for the image of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba¹⁶ are blessed, shredded and given to pilgrims as tokens. It was said that when you keep a piece of cloth from the Virgin close to you, it has the miraculous power against personal injury, accidents, fire and calamities.

However, during ordinary days, you can get free pieces of this blessed cloth for your wallet or bag, in the Turumba Store, just outside, to the right, of Pakil’s Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church¹⁸, as well as for your chosen loved ones and friends. Other religious items are also offered for sale in this store.

6. The image is also taken on a procession on October 19, the town fiesta¹⁹ of Pakil², Laguna⁴.

The information was obtained from the Wikipedia pages “Our Lady of Turumba”,²⁰ “Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church”²¹ and “Our Lady of Sorrows”²². Sorry, I cannot access my personal pictures for now. I will just add them when I can do so.

This is not a sponsored post. I just want my readers to know more about the Philippine festivals.

Did you find this post informative? Have you ever attended the Turumba Festival in Pakil, Laguna? I would like to hear from you if you did, since I have not.

See other interesting places through other posts in this category and other categories of SCapades, Pinoy Delights, and Smart Traveler – Now You Know, Short and Simple, and Say, Say, Say. Happy reading, and I hope that you will appreciate what I shared and some of the featured destinations will be part of your future travel plans!

Remember to share this post with your friends, follow me by clicking on the bottom right corner of your device, and do not forget to like this post. Thank you.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The following terms are defined for interested readers, especially those with “Senior-Moments”, not familiar with Filipino and religious terms, and those too busy or lazy to Google such terms:

¹The word turumba is from the Tagalog²³ phrase “Natumba sa laki ng tuwa” (“Had trembled in great joy”), based on stories that the townspeople sang and danced to welcome the painting of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba¹⁵ upon its discovery on September 15, 1788.²⁴ Read more about this in my post:

²Pakil is a fifth class municipality²⁵, in the province⁷ of Laguna³, in the Calabarzon⁵ Region⁶ of the Philippines. The town was named after Gat Paquil who ruled over this place when the Spaniards arrived in 1571. It became an independent town on May 12, 1676. Its name was officially changed from Paquil to Pakil by Executive Order No. 77 in 1927. It now has 13 barangays. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Pakil, Laguna.”²⁶

⁷A province is the primary administrative and political division in the Philippines. It is the second-level administrative sub-division of a region⁶. There are 81 provinces (called “lalawigan”) in the Philippines. Each province is governed by an elected legislature called the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and by an elected governor. Remember, a province in the Philippines is divided into cities and municipalities²⁵ (or towns), which in turn, are divided into barangays²⁷, formerly called barrios. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Provinces of the Philippines.”²⁸ See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT ARE PROVINCES IN THE PHILIPPINES?

⁴Laguna is a province³ in the Calabarzon⁵ Region⁶ of the Philippines, located southeast of Metro Manila, north of Batangas, west of Quezon, south of the province of Rizal, and east of Cavite. This is the 7^th richest province in the country, and the third largest province in the region. It hugs the southern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. It is composed of 24 municipalities²⁵ and 6 cities. The provincial capital is the town of Santa Cruz since 1858, after Bay (1581-1688) and Pagsanjan (1688-1858). It is historically one of the first provinces in the Philippines to have been visited by Christian missionaries. Its main natural resources are its agriculture and fisheries, owing to its position near Laguna de Bay and the surrounding lowlands. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Laguna (province)”²⁹

⁵Calabarzon, or Region IV-A, or Southern Tagalog Mainland, is a Philippine region⁶ located in the island group of Luzon, with Calamba as its regional center. CALABARZON is an acronym for this region’s five provinces³: CAvite, LAguna⁴, BAtangas, Rizal, QueZON. It is the most populated region in the country and the country’s second most densely populated region, after Metro Manila. This region is located south of the National Capital Region (NCR), bordered by the provinces of Aurora, Bulacan and Metro Manila in the north, Manila Bay in the west, Tayabas Bay, and Sibuyan Sea in the south, and Lamon Bay, and the Bicol Region in the east. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Calabarzon”³⁰ and https://lga.gov.ph/region/region-iv-a.

⁶A region is an administrative division based on geographical, cultural and ethnological characteristics. Each region is further subdivided in provinces⁶, composed of cities and municipalities²⁵ (or towns), which in turn, are divided into barangays²⁹, formerly called barrios, according to Wikipedia page “Regions of the Philippines”.³¹ See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT ARE THE REGIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES?

⁷Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother, Mother of Sorrows, Our Lady of Piety, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours, all refer to the Virgin Mary in relation to sorrows in her life, and portrays her in a sorrowful and tearful effect, with one or seven knives or daggers piercing her heart, often bleeding. her feast is liturgically celebrated every September 15. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Our Lady of Sorrows.”²² See Fact 2 above for the seven sorrows of Our Lady.

⁸A novena (Latin for “nine”) is an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers repeated for nine successive days or weeks. During a novena, the devotees make petitions, implore favors, or obtain graces by worshipping Jesus Christ, and asking for intercessions of the Virgin Mary, or the saints of the faith. Novena prayers are customarily printed in small booklets, and the novena is often dedicated to a specific saint, angel, a specific Marian title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or one of the personages of the Holy Trinity. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Novena”.³²

⁹Simeon, according to Luke 2:25-35, was a just and devout man of Jerusalem who met Mary, Joseph, and Jesus as they entered the temple to fulfill the requirements of the Law of Moses on the 40^th day from Jesus’ birth, at the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. The Holy Spirit visited Simeon and told him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Christ. When he took Jesus into his arms, he uttered a prayer and gave a prophecy alluding to the crucifixion. This event is commemorated every February 2 as Candlemas, or more formally, the Presentation of the Lord, the Meeting of the Lord, or the Purification of the Virgin. His prophecy is used in the context of Our Lady of Sorrows⁷, and venerated as a saint with feast day On February 3. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Simeon (Gospel of Luke).”³³

¹⁰Via Dolorosa, Sorrowful Way or Way of Suffering, is believed to be the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary on His way to the crucifixion in the Old City of Jerusalem. The winding route from the former Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a distance of about 600 meters (2,000 feet), is a celebrated place of Christian pilgrimage. This current route was established in the 18^th century and is marked by nine Stations of the Cross³⁴, with the remaining five stations, located inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Via Dolorosa.”³⁵

¹¹Joseph of Arimathea, according to all four canonical gospels, was the man who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after His crucifixion. According to John 19:38, upon hearing of Jesus’ death, this secret disciple of Jesus “asked Pilate (Roman governor who presided at the trial of Jesus and gave the order for His crucifixion) that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission.” He immediately purchased a line shroud (Mark 15:46) and proceeded to Golgotha to take the body of Jesus down from the cross. Joseph and Nicodemus took the body and bound it in linen cloths with the spices that the latter bought, according to John 19:39-40. He is the Patron of Funeral Directors and Undertakers and his feast day is March 17. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Joseph of Arimathea.”³⁶

¹²Palm Sunday is a moveable Christian feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. It commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, mentioned in all four canonical Gospels. It is celebrated by the blessing and distribution of palm branches or the branches of other native trees (e.g., box, olive, willow, yew), representing the palm branches the crowd scattered in front of Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Palm Sunday.”³⁷

¹³Easter, Pascha or Resurrection Sunday, is a festival and holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day afer His burial, following His crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus, preceded by Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, prayer and penance. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Easter.”³⁸

¹⁴The Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ, also called Ascension Day, Ascension Thursday, or sometimes, Holy Thursday, commemorates the Christian belief of the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Feast of the Ascension.”³⁹

¹⁵The Christian holy day of Pentecost, celebrated fifty days after Easter Sunday, commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Pentecost.”⁴⁰

¹⁶The Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba, or Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba, is a 9 by 11 inches (23 by 28 cm) oil on canvas painting of the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Sorrows⁷. The image belonged to some missionaries who crossed Laguna de Bay in a launch on September 1788. Unfortunately, the launch was shipwrecked due to a storm, and some fishermen found this icon in their nets in Laguna de Bay. They brought it to the shore near Pakil² Church where a group of women found the icon the following Sunday morning. The parish priest called the sacristans, choristers, and churchgoers at Mass to fetch and welcome the image. The townsfolk sang and danced their way back to the church, giving birth to the turumba¹ and the devotion of Our Lady of Sorrows by the church in Pakil, St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church¹⁸. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Our Lady of Turumba”²⁰ Read more about this icon in a related post: NOW YOU KNOW: NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LOS DOLORES DE TURUMBA

¹⁷The Passion of Christ refers to the short final period in the life of Jesus, among other events, and consists of:

• Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem – This marks the beginning of His Passion, days before the Last Supper (see below). Crowds gathered around Jesus as He rode a donkey, then a colt, while entering Jerusalem. The people lay their outer garments on the ground to welcome Him. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Triumphal entry into Jerusalem”.⁴¹
• His Cleansing of the Temple – Jesus expelled the merchants and the money changers from the Temple of Jerusalem, accusing them of turning the temple into “a den of thieves” through their commercial activities. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Cleansing of the Temple”.⁴²
• His anointing – The anointing of Jesus’ head and feet by Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, in the city of Bethany, as recorded in all four gospels. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Anointing of Jesus”.⁴³
• The Last Supper – The final meal shared by Jesus with His apostles in Jerusalem, before His crucifixion. During the meal, Jesus predicted His betrayal by one of the apostles present, and foretold that peter would deny Him thrice. He then broke bread, gave it to others and said, “This is My body given to You.” It is commemorated by Christians especially on Maundy Thursday. It provides the scriptural basis for Holy Communion in Catholic mass. Jesus washed the feet of the apostles, giving the new commandment “to love one another as I have loved you” as a farewell discourse. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Last Supper”.⁴⁴
• His agony in the Garden – All four gospels states that Jesus took a walk to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper, accompanied by three apostles – Peter, John and James, whom He asked to stay awake and pray. This was where He prayed three times “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by,” since He was filled with overwhelming sadness and anguish, the disciples were asleep, and an angel came from heaven to strengthen Him. Jesus finally accepted that the hour will come for Him to be betrayed. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Agony in the Garden”.⁴⁵
• His arrest – The Temple guards of the Sanhedrin arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, immediately after the kiss of Judas, an act of betrayal, after the latter made a deal with the chief priests to arrest Jesus. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Arrest of Jesus”.⁴⁶
• His Sanhedrin trial – This trial was held at the high priest’s palace, later that night, after the arrest of Jesus. Jesus was brought to the Sanhedrin (Jewish supreme court), His case was examined, and he was sentenced to death. They then sent Him to Pontius Pilate, the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, with three charges: perverting the nation, forbidding the payment of tribute, and sedition against the Roman Empire. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Sanhedrin trial of Jesus”.⁴⁷
• His trial before Pontius Pilate – Pilate, as governor of Judaea, found that Jesus, being from Galilee, belonged to Herod Antipas’ jurisdiction, so he decided to send Jesus to Herod, a first-century ruler of Galilee and Perea. The latter did not see Jesus as a threat, and returned Him to Pilate. After learning that Jesus did not wish to claim any terrestrial kingdom, Pilate publicly declared that he found no basis to charge Jesus, asking them if they wanted Jesus freed, which they declined, preferring the freedom of Barabbas, a prisoner. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Pilate’s court”.⁴⁸ Pilate appealed to the crowd three times to choose sensibly, but the crowd demanded that He be crucified. Pilate then released Barabbas and handed over Jesus to be scourged and crucified.⁴⁹
• His crucifixion – Jesus was stripped of His clothing, was scourged, carried His cross on the way to Calvary, and was crucified between two convicted thieves, according to the Wikipedia page “Crucifixion of Jesus”.⁵⁰
• His death on Good Friday – Jesus died six hours after He was crucified, commemorated during Good Friday, according to the Wikipedia page “Crucifixion of Jesus”.⁵⁰
• His burial – According to the four gospels, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus, and after Pilate granted his request, he wrapped it in a linen cloth and laid it in a tomb, assisted by Nicodemus. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Burial of Jesus”.⁵¹
• His resurrection – This is the Christian belief that God raised Jesus after His crucifixion as first of the dead, i.e., as firstborn son, starting His exalted life as Christ and Lord. This event guarantees that all Christians who died will be resurrected at Christ’s second coming. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Resurrection of Jesus”.⁵²

¹⁸St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the town of Pakil², in the province³ of Laguna⁴, in the Calabarzon⁵ Region⁶ of the Philippines, under the patronage of Peter of Alcantara⁵³. It was designated as the Diocesan Shrine⁵⁴ of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba¹⁶. It enshrines the Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba painting. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church.”²¹ Read a related post to know more about this church: ST. PETER OF ALCANTARA PARISH CHURCH, PAKIL, LAGUNA

¹⁹Fiesta is the Filipino term for festival. Each town in the Philippines has its own fiesta, dating back to the Spanish colonial period when towns were predominantly Catholic and had a patron saint assigned to them.

A fiesta could be religious, cultural, or both, usually held to honor the local Roman Catholic patron saint, to commemorate local history and culture, to promote the community’s products, or to celebrate a bountiful harvest. It is celebrated with Holy Masses, processions, parades, theatrical plays and reenactments, religious or cultural rituals, trade fairs, exhibits, concerts, pageants, and even a perya (a trade fair with a temporary amusement park, along with games). Other festivals focus on Islamic or indigenous concepts.

There are 42,000 known major and minor festivals in the Philippines, down to the barangay (or village) level, that is why the country is traditionally known as the Capital of the World’s Festivities, according to the Wikipedia page “List of festivals in the Philippines”.⁵⁵

²⁰“Our Lady of Turumba,” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Turumba

²¹“Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church,” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter_of_Alcantara_Parish_Church

²²“Our Lady of Sorrows,” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Sorrows

²³Tagalog refers to the second largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, after the Visayan people, numbering around 30 million, with most of them inhabiting Metro Manila, the Calabarzon⁹ region¹⁰ in southern Luzon, the islands of Marinduque and Mindoro in the Mimoropa Region, as well as a plurality in the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Zambales in Central Luzon. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Tagalog (people).”⁵⁶

²⁴https://www.facebook.com/PhilippinesMyPhilippines/photos/a.309425989196935/397745393698327/?type=1&theater

²⁵A municipality is a small, single urban administrative division, or local government unit (LGU), in the Philippines which has corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by law. It is a unit under a province³, subdivided into barangays²⁷, and is locally called “bayan”. In the Philippines, a municipality is headed by a mayor, a vice mayor, and members of the Sangguniang Bayan (legislative branch). It can enact local policies and laws, enforce them, and govern its jurisdictions. It can enter into contracts and other transactions through its elected and appointed officials and can tax as well. It enforces all local and national laws. There are almost 1,500 municipalities in the Philippines. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Municipalities of the Philippines.”⁵⁷ See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: HOW MANY CITIES ARE THERE IN THE PHILIPPINES?

²⁶“Pakil, Laguna,” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakil,_Laguna

²⁷A barangay in the Philippines is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines, headed by a barangay captain, aided by a Sangguniang Barangay (Barangay Council). It is the native Filipino term for a village. It was formerly called a barrio. In a metropolitan area, a barangay is an inner city neighborhood, a suburb, or a suburban neighborhood. The word barangay originated from the term “balangay”, a kind of boat used by a group of Austronesian people who migrated to the Philippines. A number of barangays grouped together is called a district. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Barangay.”⁵⁸

²⁸“Provinces of the Philippines,” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_the_Philippines

²⁹“Laguna (province),” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laguna_(province)

³⁰“Calabarzon,” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calabarzon

³¹“Regions of the Philippines,” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_the_Philippines

³²“Novena,” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novena

³³“Simeon (Gospel of Luke),” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simeon_(Gospel_of_Luke)

³⁴The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, Ways of Sorrow, or Via Crucis, refers to the series of fourteen images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of His crucifixion and accompanying prayers, considered to be patterned after the Via Dolorosa¹⁰ in Jerusalem which is believed to be the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary for His crucifixion. The devotion of Roman Catholics to do the Way of the Cross during Holy Week is like a spiritual pilgrimage through the contemplation of the Passion of Christ (the final period of the life of Jesus from His entrance in Jerusalem till His crucifixion). The 14 stations are: (1) Pilate condemns Jesus to die; (2) Jesus accepts His cross; (3) Jesus falls for the first time; (4) Jesus meets His mother, Mary; (5) Simon helps carry the cross; (6) Veronica wipes the face of Jesus; (7) Jesus falls for the second time; (8) Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem; (9) Jesus falls for the third time; (10) Jesus is stripped of His clothes; (11) Jesus is nailed to the cross; (12) Jesus dies on the cross; (13) Jesus is taken down from the cross; and, (14) Jesus is placed in the tomb. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Stations of the Cross”.⁵⁹ See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT IS VISITA IGLESIA?

³⁵“Via Dolorosa,” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Dolorosa

³⁶“Joseph of Arimathea,” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_of_Arimathea

³⁷“Palm Sunday,” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_Sunday

³⁸“Easter,” accessed April 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter

³⁹“Feast of the Ascension,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_the_Ascension

⁴⁰“Pentecost,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecost

⁴¹“Triumphal entry into Jerusalem,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumphal_entry_into_Jerusalem

⁴²“Cleansing of the Temple,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleansing_of_the_Temple

⁴³“Anointing of Jesus,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anointing_of_Jesus

⁴⁴“Last Supper,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Supper

⁴⁵“Agony in the Garden,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agony_in_the_Garden

⁴⁶“Arrest of Jesus,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrest_of_Jesus

⁴⁷“Sangedrin trial of Jesus,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanhedrin_trial_of_Jesus

⁴⁸“Pilate’s court,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate%27s_court

⁴⁹https://www.gotquestions.org/Barabbas-in-the-Bible.html

⁵⁰“Crucifixion of Jesus,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucifixion_of_Jesus

⁵¹“Burial of Jesus,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burial_of_Jesus

⁵²“Resurrection of Jesus,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_of_Jesus

⁵³Peter of Alcantara (1499 – 1562) was a Spanish Franciscan friar, beatified in Rome by Pope Gregory XV on 1622, and canonized by Pope Clement IX on 1669. It is said that Peter slept very little, awake most of the time when his brother friars were sleeping, and that he always slept sitting up, so he is considered the patron saint of night watchmen and nocturnal adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. His feast day is October 18. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Peter of Alcantara.”⁶⁰

⁵⁴A diocesan shrine is a designation given to a church “to which numerous members of the faithful make pilgrimage for a special reason of piety.” It must exceed other churches in terms of worship, Christian formation, and social services. The honor is conferred by the local bishop or archbishop, who canonically elevates the church to a diocesan shrine. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “National Shrine.”⁶¹

⁵⁵“List of festivals in the Philippines,” accessed February 15, 2018,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_festivals_in_the_Philippines

⁵⁶“Tagalog people,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagalog_people

⁵⁷“Municipalities of the Philippines,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipalities_of_the_Philippines

⁵⁸“Barangay,” accessed January 29, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barangay

^59”Stations of the Cross,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stations_of_the_Cross

⁶⁰“Peter of Alcantara,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_of_Alc%C3%A1ntara

⁶¹“National shrine,” accessed February 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_shrine

NOW YOU KNOW: NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LOS DOLORES DE TURUMBA

Dearest readers, are you familiar with Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba? If not, allow Tita S to tell you about her.

Here are 6 facts about Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba:

1.The Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba, or Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba, is a 9 by 11 inches (23 by 28 cm) oil on canvas painting of the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Sorrows¹.

The original image of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba, an oil painting, 1788 – Photo by Randy Caponpon, DM, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Turumba#/media/File:TurumbaIcon.jpg

The word turumba is from the Tagalog² phrase “Natumba sa laki ng tuwa” (“Had trembled in great joy”), based on stories that the townspeople sang and danced to welcome this painting upon its discovery on September 15, 1788.³ Read more about this below, see fact 4.

2. The face of Our Lady of Sorrows¹ is contorted by pain, from the dagger plunged into her heart, which Simeon⁴ prophesied.

3. This painting is enshrined at the Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church⁵ in the town of Pakil⁶, in the province⁷ of Laguna⁸, in the Calabarzon⁹ Region¹⁰ of the Philippines. Know more about this church in my post: ST. PETER OF ALCANTARA PARISH CHURCH, PAKIL, LAGUNA

Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church, Pakil, Laguna, Home of Our Lady of Turumba – Photo by Richard Eusebio, own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, created 30 November 2011,   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter_of_Alcantara_Parish_Church#/media/File:The_Pakil_Church_or_the_San_Pablo_de_Alcantara_Church_in_Pakil,_Laguna.jpg

4. The image belonged to some missionaries who crossed Laguna de Bay in a launch. Unfortunately, the launch was shipwrecked due to a storm, some of its relics were washed ashore including the icon of the Virgin.

One September 15, 1788, some fishermen found the icon in their nets in Laguna de Bay, on the bank of the Matamig River. Believing it to be a religious image, they decided to bring it to a parish church. When the men carried the small painting, they found it too heavy.

They tried sailing in different directions with the icon until they brought it to the shore near Pakil Church⁵. When they headed that way, the wind and current aided their course. Upon landing, they left the heavy image on a rock so they could continue their fishing duties.

A group of women found the icon the following Sunday morning. Although it had rained during the night, the canvas was miraculously dry. When they tried to take the icon away, they could not move it; even the strongest among them, Mariangga, could not lift it. They quickly told the parish priest, who in turn, called the sacristans, choristers, and churchgoers at Mass to fetch the image. As they lifted the image, it gave way. The townsfolk around begun to sing and dance, giving birth to the turumba (see fact 6) and the devotion of Our Lady of Sorrows¹, by the local people in Pakil⁶.

5. The second image of the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Sorrows¹ is a replica of the image of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias¹¹ in Spain. This was episcopally crowned by the Bishop of Lipa, Alejandro Olalia, on May 23-24, 1953.

Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba – Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/SaBirhen/photos/a.358083401488074/358086178154463/?type=3&theater

The statue is enshrined at the retablo¹² in the main altar of Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church⁴. The image is dressed in violet as a sign of sorrow for Her Son’s passion (the color of Lent).

The original image is enshrined in a separate retablo¹² around bas reliefs¹³ of her Seven Sorrows¹⁴ at a chapel in the church of Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church⁵.

6. The Turumba Festival of Pakil⁶, Laguna⁸ is held in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows¹. It is said to be the longest religious celebration in the Philippines. It consists of seven Turumba novenas¹⁵, or lupi, for seven months, commemorating the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary¹⁴. I featured this festival in another post: NOW YOU KNOW: TURUMBA FESTIVAL, PAKIL, LAGUNA

Photos used in collage taken from the official Facebook account of Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish

So far, the April celebration of this festival has been cancelled. Let us see if they will resume after this pandemic.

Photo source: https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/02/14/pakil-laguna-lgu-cancels-municipal-events-amid-covid-19-threat/

The information was obtained from the Facebook account, Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish,  Wikipedia pages “Our Lady of Turumba”¹⁶ and “Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church”¹⁷. Sorry, I cannot seem to access my personal pictures for now. I will just add them when I can do so.

And now for a brief recall of the last time I visited this iconic image:

I brought my college buddies to Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church⁵ early March 2020. By walking through the passageway to the right of the church interior, almost near the altar, we went up the second floor to get to the adoration chapel where the original oil painting of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba was located. The walls on the ground floor and second floor are filled with framed information and pictures about Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba in English and Filipino. We turned right from the stairs at the second level.

The adoration chapel is very peaceful. The iconic oil painting is located at the center of an intricately designed wall. A small glass container below the said painting is filled with blessed, sampaguita¹⁸ scented oil for visitors to apply on any part of their body which needs to be healed.

A tall box-counter to the left of the entrance, complete with paper, ball pen and small white letter envelopes, enables visitors to write their petitions. Voluntary donations are most welcome. You can just drop them all at the slot provided.

A small table-altar is located at the center of the room. A statue of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba is enclosed in a glass cabinet at the left side of the room. (insert pic)

There are cushioned wall seats with cushioned kneelers which are comfortable for seniors to sit and kneel on, if desired.

Do not forget to register in the logbook upon exit.

It would be advisable to simply buy the healing oil from the Turumba Store at the ground floor, on the right side, outside the church. A small and large plastic bottle of the oil are available for sale, your choice of sampaguita¹⁸ or menthol scent.

Do not forget to ask for a free piece of the cloth of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba that you can place in your wallet or bag to protect you against personal injury, accidents, fire and calamities. The kind woman-clerk is generous enough to give you extra pieces for relatives and friends who might need it too. Other religious items are also offered for sale.

This is not a sponsored post. I just want my readers to know more about Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba.

Did you find this post informative? I would like to hear from you re your visit to the chapel of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba in Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church. I would like to hear from you re other facts you might want to add to this post, or comment on the above facts.

See other interesting posts in this category (Now You Know), Smart Traveler (Short and Simple and Say, Say, Say), and other categories – SCapades and Pinoy Delights. Happy reading, and I hope that you will appreciate what I shared and some of the featured destinations will be part of your future travel plans!

Remember to share this post with your friends, follow me by clicking on the bottom right corner of your device, and do not forget to like this post. Thank you.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The following terms are defined for interested readers, especially those with “Senior-Moments”, not familiar with Filipino, Catholic and architectural terms, and those too busy or lazy to Google such terms:

¹Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother, Mother of Sorrows, Our Lady of Piety, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours, refers to the Virgin Mary in relation to sorrows in her life, and portrays her in a sorrowful and tearful effect, with one or seven knives or daggers piercing her heart, often bleeding. Her feast is liturgically celebrated every September 15. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Our Lady of Sorrows.”¹⁹ See footnote 14 above for the seven sorrows of Our Lady.

²Tagalog refers to the second largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, after the Visayan people, numbering around 30 million, with most of them inhabiting Metro Manila, the Calabarzon⁹ region¹⁰ in southern Luzon, the islands of Marinduque and Mindoro in the Mimoropa Region, as well as a plurality in the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Zambales in Central Luzon. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Tagalog (people).”²⁰

³https://www.facebook.com/PhilippinesMyPhilippines/photos/a.309425989196935/397745393698327/?type=1&theater

⁴Simeon, according to Luke 2:25-35, was a just and devout man of Jerusalem who met Mary, Joseph, and Jesus as they entered the temple to fulfill the requirements of the Law of Moses on the 40^th day from Jesus’ birth, at the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. The Holy Spirit visited Simeon and told him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Christ. When he took Jesus into his arms, he uttered a prayer and gave a prophecy alluding to the crucifixion. This event is commemorated every February 2 as Candlemas, or more formally, the Presentation of the Lord, the Meeting of the Lord, or the Purification of the Virgin. His prophecy is used in the context of Our Lady of Sorrows¹, and venerated as a saint with feast day On February 3. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Simeon (Gospel of Luke).”²¹

⁵St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the town of Pakil⁶, in the province⁷ of Laguna⁸, in the Calabarzon⁹ Region¹⁰ of the Philippines, under the patronage of Peter of Alcantara²². It was designated as the Diocesan Shrine²³ of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba. It enshrines the Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba painting. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church.”²⁴ Read a related post to know more about this church: ST. PETER OF ALCANTARA PARISH CHURCH, PAKIL, LAGUNA

⁶Pakil is a fifth class municipality²⁵, in the province⁷ of Laguna⁸, in the Calabarzon⁹ Region¹⁰ of the Philippines. The town was named after Gat Paquil who ruled over this place when the Spaniards arrived in 1571. It became an independent town on May 12, 1676. Its name was officially changed from Paquil to Pakil by Executive Order No. 77 in 1927. It now has 13 barangays²⁶. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Pakil, Laguna.”²⁷

⁷A province is the primary administrative and political division in the Philippines. It is the second-level administrative sub-division of a region¹⁰. There are 81 provinces (called “lalawigan”) in the Philippines. Each province is governed by an elected legislature called the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and by an elected governor. Remember, a province in the Philippines is divided into cities and municipalities²⁵ (or towns), which in turn, are divided into barangays²⁶, formerly called barrios. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Provinces of the Philippines.”²⁸ See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT ARE PROVINCES IN THE PHILIPPINES?

⁸Laguna is a province⁷ in the Calabarzon⁹ Region¹⁰ of the Philippines, located southeast of Metro Manila, north of Batangas, west of Quezon, south of the province of Rizal, and east of Cavite. This is the 7^th richest province in the country, the third largest province in the region, and hugs the southern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. It is composed of 24 municipalities²⁵ and 6 cities. The provincial capital is the town of Santa Cruz since 1858, after Bay (1581-1688) and Pagsanjan (1688-1858). It is historically one of the first provinces in the Philippines to have been visited by Christian missionaries. Its main natural resources are its agriculture and fisheries, owing to its position near Laguna de Bay and the surrounding lowlands. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Laguna (province)”²⁹

⁹Calabarzon, or Region IV-A, or Southern Tagalog Mainland, is a Philippine region¹⁰ located in the island group of Luzon, with Calamba as its regional center. CALABARZON is an acronym for this region’s five provinces⁷: CAvite, LAguna⁸, BAtangas, Rizal, QueZON. It is the most populated region in the country and the country’s second most densely populated region, after Metro Manila. This region is located south of the National Capital Region (NCR), bordered by the provinces of Aurora, Bulacan and Metro Manila in the north, Manila Bay in the west, Tayabas Bay and Sibuyan Sea in the south, and Lamon Bay and the Bicol Region in the east. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Calabarzon”³⁰ and https://lga.gov.ph/region/region-iv-a.

¹⁰A region is an administrative division based on geographical, cultural and ethnological characteristics. Each region is further subdivided in provinces⁷, composed of cities and municipalities²⁵ (or towns), which in turn, are divided into barangays²⁶, formerly called barrios, according to Wikipedia page “Regions of the Philippines”.³¹ See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT ARE THE REGIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES?

¹¹Nuestra Señora de las Angustias, Virgen de las Angustias, or Our Lady of Sorrows, is a Marian dedication worshipped in the city of Ayamonte, Huelva province, in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, in Spain. It is housed in the main altar of the church of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias in the said city. It is a 1.13 meter high polychrome wood sculpture group, made up of the typical scene of the Sorrowful Mother: The Virgin on her knees, covered with a large blue cloak over a red dress, holding her Son by the head, and she makes a gesture of wiping tears from His cheeks. This iconic image was said to have been discovered in a big heavy box at the end of the 16^th century, when the Coritos brothers cast their nets in the San Bartolome estuary in Portugal. They reported the figure to the authorities, and subsequently, a parish was erected in 1576, in honor of the image. Her feast day is on September 8. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Nuestra Señora de las Angustias”³²

¹²A retablo is a large altarpiece painting or an elaborate wooden structure with sculpture, or a combination of the two, above an altar, and an elaborate framework enclosing it, according to the Wikipedia page “Retablo”.³³

¹³Bas relief refers to a type of art in which shapes are cut from the surrounding stone so that they stand out slightly against a flat surface.³⁴

¹⁴The Seven Sorrows (or Dolors) are events in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary that are a popular devotion and are frequently depicted in art: the prophecy of Simeon⁴ (Luke 2:34-35), the flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-23), the loss of the Child Jesus in the temple of Jerusalem (Luke 2:43-45), Mary’s meeting Jesus on the Via Dolorosa³⁵ (not in the New Testament), the Crucifixion of Jesus on Mount Calvary (Matthew 27:34-50, Mark 15:23-37, Luke 23:33-46, John 19:18-30), the piercing of the side of Jesus with a spear, and His descent from the Cross (John 18:34), and the burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea³⁶ (Matthew 27:57-61, Mark 15:43-47, Luke 23:50-53. John 19:40-42). These Seven Sorrows should not be confused with the five Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Our Lady of Sorrows”.¹⁹

¹⁵A novena (Latin for “nine”) is an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers repeated for nine successive days or weeks. During a novena, the devotees make petitions, implore favors, or obtain graces by worshipping Jesus Christ, and asking for intercessions of the Virgin Mary, or the saints of the faith. Novena prayers are customarily printed in small booklets, and the novena is often dedicated to a specific saint, angel, a specific Marian title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or one of the personages of the Holy Trinity. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Novena”.³⁷

¹⁶“Our Lady of Turumba,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Turumba

¹⁷“Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter_of_Alcantara_Parish_Church

¹⁸Sampaguita, Jasminum sambac, Arabian jasmine or Sambac jasmine, is a species of attractive and sweetly fragrant jasmine native to tropical Asia, from the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia, used as a fragrant ingredient in perfumes and jasmine tea. It is a small evergreen shrub or vine, with smooth ovate leaves, clustered and strongly scented flowers which bloom all throughout the year, with purple or black berry-fruits. Sampaguita is the national flower of the Philippines, adopted on February 1, 1934, via Proclamation No. 652, issued by American Governor-General Frank Murphy. Filipinos string the flowers into leis, corsages, and sometimes crowns, commonly sold by vendors outside churches. The garlands are used as a form of bestowing honor, veneration, or accolade. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Jasminum sambac”.³⁸

¹⁹“Our Lady of Sorrows,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Sorrows

²⁰“Tagalog people,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagalog_people

²¹“Simeon (Gospel of Luke),” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simeon_(Gospel_of_Luke)

²²Peter of Alcantara (1499 – 1562) was a Spanish Franciscan friar, beatified in Rome by Pope Gregory XV on 1622, and canonized by Pope Clement IX on 1669. It is said that Peter slept very little, awake most of the time when his brother friars were sleeping, and that he always slept sitting up, so he is considered the patron saint of night watchmen and nocturnal adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. His feast day is October 18. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Peter of Alcantara.”³⁹

²³A diocesan shrine is a designation given to a church “to which numerous members of the faithful make pilgrimage for a special reason of piety.” It must exceed other churches in terms of worship, Christian formation, and social services. The honor is conferred by the local bishop or archbishop, who canonically elevates the church to a diocesan shrine. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “National Shrine.”⁴⁰

²⁴“Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter_of_Alcantara_Parish_Church

²⁵A municipality is a small, single urban administrative division, or local government unit (LGU), in the Philippines which has corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by law. It is a unit under a province⁷, subdivided into barangays²⁶, and is locally called “bayan”. In the Philippines, a municipality is headed by a mayor, a vice mayor, and members of the Sangguniang Bayan (legislative branch). It can enact local policies and laws, enforce them, and govern its jurisdictions. It can enter into contracts and other transactions through its elected and appointed officials and can tax as well. It enforces all local and national laws. There are almost 1,500 municipalities in the Philippines. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Municipalities of the Philippines.”⁴¹ See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: HOW MANY CITIES ARE THERE IN THE PHILIPPINES?

²⁶A barangay in the Philippines is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines, headed by a barangay captain, aided by a Sangguniang Barangay (Barangay Council). It is the native Filipino term for a village. It was formerly called a barrio. In a metropolitan area, a barangay is an inner city neighborhood, a suburb, or a suburban neighborhood. The word barangay originated from the term “balangay”, a kind of boat used by a group of Austronesian people who migrated to the Philippines. A number of barangays grouped together is called a district. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Barangay.”⁴²

²⁷“Pakil, Laguna,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakil,_Laguna

²⁸“Provinces of the Philippines,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_the_Philippines

²⁹“Laguna (province),” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laguna_(province)

³⁰“Calabarzon,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calabarzon

³¹“Regions of the Philippines,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_the_Philippines

³²“Nuestra Señora de las Angustias (Ayamonte),” accessed February 3, 2018, https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuestra_Señora_de_las_Angustias_(Ayamonte)

³³“Retablo,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retablo

³⁴https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/bas-relief

³⁵Via Dolorosa, Sorrowful Way or Way of Suffering, is believed to be the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary on His way to the crucifixion in the Old City of Jerusalem. The winding route from the former Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a distance of about 600 meters (2,000 feet), is a celebrated place of Christian pilgrimage. This current route was established in the 18^th century and is marked by nine Stations of the Cross⁴³, with the remaining five stations, located inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Via Dolorosa.”⁴⁴

³⁶Joseph of Arimathea, according to all four canonical gospels, was the man who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after His crucifixion. According to John 19:38, upon hearing of Jesus’ death, this secret disciple of Jesus “asked Pilate (Roman governor who presided at the trial of Jesus and gave the order for His crucifixion) that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission.” He immediately purchased a line shroud (Mark 15:46) and proceeded to Golgotha to take the body of Jesus down from the cross. Joseph and Nicodemus took the body and bound it in linen cloths with the spices that the latter bought, according to John 19:39-40. He is the Patron of Funeral Directors and Undertakers and his feast day is March 17. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Joseph of Arimathea.”⁴⁵

³⁷“Novena,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novena  

³⁸“Jasminum sambac,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasminum_sambac

³⁹“Peter of Alcantara,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_of_Alc%C3%A1ntara

⁴⁰“National shrine,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_shrine

⁴¹“Municipalities of the Philippines,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipalities_of_the_Philippines

⁴²“Barangay,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barangay

⁴³The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, Ways of Sorrow, or Via Crucis, refers to the series of fourteen images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of His crucifixion and accompanying prayers, considered to be patterned after the Via Dolorosa³⁵ in Jerusalem which is believed to be the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary for His crucifixion. The devotion of Roman Catholics to do the Way of the Cross during Holy Week is like a spiritual pilgrimage through the contemplation of the Passion of Christ (the final period of the life of Jesus from His entrance in Jerusalem till His crucifixion). The 14 stations are: (1) Pilate condemns Jesus to die; (2) Jesus accepts His cross; (3) Jesus falls for the first time; (4) Jesus meets His mother, Mary; (5) Simon helps carry the cross; (6) Veronica wipes the face of Jesus; (7) Jesus falls for the second time; (8) Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem; (9) Jesus falls for the third time; (10) Jesus is stripped of His clothes; (11) Jesus is nailed to the cross; (12) Jesus dies on the cross; (13) Jesus is taken down from the cross; and, (14) Jesus is placed in the tomb. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Stations of the Cross”.⁴⁶ See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT IS VISITA IGLESIA?

⁴⁴“Via Dolorosa,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Dolorosa

⁴⁵“Joseph of Arimathea,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_of_Arimathea

^46”Stations of the Cross,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stations_of_the_Cross

LAGUNA VISITA IGLESIA 2020: PART 1 (OF 2)

My college buddies wanted to welcome, and bond with, two foreign-based buddies, through a Laguna Day tour. I suggested to have a combination of an early Laguna Visita Iglesia and a cultural-food trip, and we were able to do so on March 8, 2020, amidst the start of the spread of COVID-19, and a day before President Duterte declared a State of Public Health Emergency.

For foreign readers, know more about Visita Iglesia in a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT IS VISITA IGLESIA?

I searched for a simple Visita Iglesia Prayer Guide and sent it beforehand, via Viber, to the group so we could easily access the prayers via our cellphones. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/notes/100-katolikong-pinoy/prayer-guide-for-visita-iglesia-for-personal-use/10150162372814645/

I am based in Lumban, Laguna, so I met them in a branch of McDonalds, in Sta Cruz, Laguna slightly before 9AM. They were able to stretch a bit after a long trip of almost 3 hours from Metro Manila, braving the traffic and on-going road constructions. I told them not to have a heavy breakfast before leaving Metro Manila and just buy coffee in the said fast food establishment.

Let Tita S tell you about this early Visita Iglesia cum historical-cultural-food trip:

Since we were in Sta. Cruz, I first brought them to the tallest Rizal statue in the world, located in the Laguna Sports Complex, Barangay Bubukal. See my post about this statue in Laguna, Philippines: TWO TALLEST RIZAL MONUMENTS IN THE WORLD

We then proceeded towards the town of Pangil, about half an hour away. Why? I wanted to start with the farthest town in the fourth district of Laguna that I wanted them to visit.

Passing through the town of Lumban, we stopped by a bakery specializing in hot malunggay pandesal, bought newly home-made kesong puti, and ate in the van, enroute to our first church-stop.   

Here are the seven Laguna churches we visited for our early 2020 Visita Iglesia (name of church – town):

1. Nuestra Señora de la Natividad Parish Church – Pangil
2. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church – Pakil
3. James the Apostle Parish Church – Paete
4. Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church – Pagsanjan
5. Mary Magdalene Parish Church – Magdalena
6. John the Baptist Parish Church – Liliw
7. San Antonio de Padua Parish Church – Pila

All these seven churches are unique and special, and Tita S will tell you why, as she chronologically recalls the day.

On our way to our first church, we picked up a local kakanin of Pangil, Suman Binamban. I will write about it after this pandemic. Basically, it is a square, steamed, native rice cake made of sticky rice, sugar, with strips of, or chopped, buko, cooked in coconut milk, and individually wrapped in coconut leaves. We enjoyed it even before we arrived in Pangil. See, I told you this was a food trip too! Hot pandesal with kesong puti and suman, even before our first church-stop. Burp!  

Anyway, we finally arrived at Nuestra Señora de la Natividad Parish Church of the town of Pangil, recited our Visita Iglesia prayer for the first church, reflected, prayed for personal concerns and included protection and a cure for COVID-19.

Interior, facing the altar, Nuestra Señora de la Natividad Parish Church, Pangil, Laguna Source: Judgefloro, own work, created 12 May 2019, http://www.commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:148.Nuestra_Señora_de_la_Natividad_Parish_Church_20.jpg

Interior, looking at the entrance, Nuestra Señora de la Natividad Parish Church, Pangil, Laguna – Source: Judgefloro, own work, created 12 May 2019, http://www.commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=nuestra+señora+de+la+natividad+parish+church&title=Special:Search&go=Go&nsO=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1#/media/File:148.Nuestra_Señora_de_la_Natividad-Parish-Church_15.jpg

The statues of Nuestra Señora de la O (Our Lady of the O) and Santo Niño de la O (Holy Child of the O) were gifts of King Carlos III of Spain to Nuestra Señora de la Natividad Parish Church, Pangil, Laguna – Source: Facebook account: Nuestra Señora de la Natividad Parish – Pangil, Laguna

The statue of Nuestra Señora de la O (Our Lady of the O) to the right of the altar, Nuestra Señora de la Natividad Parish Church, Pangil, Laguna

If you want to virtually visit this church, a la Visita Iglesia, through this post by looking at the pictures above, here is the prayer for the first church:

VISITA IGLESIA PRAYER – FIRST CHURCH

(Kneel)    In the Name…     L: Let us praise the Lord,       A: and give him thanks!

LET US PRAY:

L: Holy Spirit, you who reveal Jesus to us, help us to discover him in his Eucharistic presence;

Beneath the veil of the Host, show us the powerful and generous Christ of the Gospels;

Let us see the Good Shepherd who knows each one of us, watches over us and calls us by name;

Allow us to listen to the incomparable Master who presents His doctrine and wishes to enlighten us in all things.

A: Let us touch the Savior whose contact heals, and transforms bodies and souls;

Let us recognize this friend, happy to live with us and share our human existence;

Allow us to recognize the victim of Calvary who spares nothing of the gift of Himself to obtain for us pardon and holiness.

Give us a profound attachment to Jesus in the Eucharist; that his ardent desire to remain among us be met by our readiness to welcome Him.

L: Holy Virgin, you who knew how to look at Jesus and penetrate the most profound depth of his person:

Teach us to look at Him, to look at him at length and quietly, in the tabernacle where he is present.

Teach us to listen in silence to the words which he speaks to us and establish an intimate dialogue with him.

A: Let us see the marvels which he desires to work in the depths of our souls.

Teach us to appreciate his closeness to us and the immeasurable friendship he shows us.

Help us to respond to his love with all the fire of our being, and like you, to immerse ourselves in a loving gaze on him.

L: Lord Jesus, as we contemplate on the miracle of your precious Body and Blood, help us to revere this sacred mystery more in our daily life. May we reflect and ponder on your great love for us that made you offer yourself as a Holy and Living Sacrifice for all. Teach us to love you in every Altar at every Mass. May we recognize your sacred presence in Holy Communion. Most of all, help us to live in the spirit of the wondrous sacrament of love and sacrifice for all.

You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

A: AMEN.

(sit)

Reader: From the Gospel of John. (14, 1-7)

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Reflection…

(kneel)   Prayer:

Lord Jesus, you truly are the Way, which leads us to the Father. You are the Truth, where we find all knowledge and wisdom we need to face every day’s struggles. You are the Life, for without you we are nothing. We praise you this night and thank you for the gift of your Eucharistic Presence.

You never leave us alone. You shared with us this sacred meal for us to partake, and share with others, for our salvation. Transform us to your image, and help us to live continually according to your law. May we continuously show our love for the holy Eucharist, which is our way, truth and life in our daily struggles until we come to see you in eternal glory. Amen.

(We shall spend this time for our personal prayer.)

All: Soul of Christ, sanctify me; Body of Christ, save me; Blood of Christ, inebriate me;

Water from the side of Christ, wash me; Passion of Christ, strengthen me;

O good Jesus, hear me; within Thy wounds, hide me;

Permit me not to be separated from Thee; from the malignant enemy, defend me

In the hour of my death, call me, and bid me come unto Thee

That with thy Saints I may praise Thee, forever and ever, Amen.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… In the name of the Father …

Here are the highlights about the first church we visited:

• Nuestra Señora de la Natividad Parish Church, or Our Lady’s Nativity Parish Church, is the only church in the Philippines dedicated to a pregnant Virgin Mary, located in Pangil, Laguna.
• The statue of Nuestra Señora de la O (Our Lady of the O) and the statue of Santo Niño de la O (Holy Child of the O) were gifts of King Carlos III of Spain.

Read more about this church in my post: NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LA NATIVIDAD PARISH CHURCH, PANGIL, LAGUNA

Our second church was St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church in the nearby town of Pakil, about 20 minutes away from Pangil. We recited the Visita Iglesia prayer for the second church, reflected, prayed for personal concerns and again included protection and a cure for COVID-19.

Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church, Pakil, Laguna, Home of Our Lady of Turumba    By Richard Eusebio, own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, created 30 November 2011, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter_of_Alcantara_Parish_Church#/media/File:The_Pakil_Church_or_the_San_Pablo_de_Alcantara_Church_in_Pakil,_Laguna.jpg

Photo of St. Peter of Alcantara is the profile picture of the Facebook account: Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish; photo of the original image of the oil painting of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba was taken by Randy Caponpon, DM, https://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Turumba#/media/File:TurumbaIcon.jpg

Photos in the collage were obtained from http://www.facebook.com/pg/SaBirhen/photos/?tab=album&album_id=504921503470929

If you want to virtually visit this church, ala Visita Iglesia, through this post by looking at the pictures, here is the prayer for the second church:

VISITA IGLESIA PRAYER – SECOND CHURCH

(Kneel)   In the Name…       L: Let us praise the Lord,       A: and give him thanks!

LET US PRAY:

L: Holy Spirit, you who reveal Jesus to us, help us to discover him in his Eucharistic presence;

Beneath the veil of the Host, show us the powerful and generous Christ of the Gospels;

Let us see the Good Shepherd who knows each one of us, watches over us and calls us by name;

Allow us to listen to the incomparable Master who presents His doctrine and wishes to enlighten us in all things.

A: Let us touch the Savior whose contact heals, and transforms bodies and souls;

Let us recognize this friend, happy to live with us and share our human existence;

Allow us to recognize the victim of Calvary who spares nothing of the gift of Himself to obtain for us pardon and holiness.

Give us a profound attachment to Jesus in the Eucharist; that his ardent desire to remain among us be met by our readiness to welcome Him.

L: Holy Virgin, you who knew how to look at Jesus and penetrate the most profound depth of his person:

Teach us to look at Him, to look at him at length and quietly, in the tabernacle where he is present.

Teach us to listen in silence to the words which he speaks to us and establish an intimate dialogue with him.

A: Let us see the marvels which he desires to work in the depths of our souls.

Teach us to appreciate his closeness to us and the immeasurable friendship he shows us.

Help us to respond to his love with all the fire of our being, and like you, to immerse ourselves in a loving gaze on him.

L: Lord Jesus, as we contemplate on the miracle of your precious Body and Blood, help us to revere this sacred mystery more in our daily life. May we reflect and ponder on your great love for us that made you offer yourself as a Holy and Living Sacrifice for all. Teach us to love you in every Altar at every Mass. May we recognize your sacred presence in Holy Communion. Most of all, help us to live in the spirit of the wondrous sacrament of love and sacrifice for all.

You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

A: AMEN.

(sit)   Reader: From the Gospel of John. (15, 1-8)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Reflection…

(kneel)   Prayer:

We are truly connected to you, Lord Jesus. Like the vine and its branches, we continually receive the grace and life from you alone. We especially remember this in the Holy Eucharist. Your body is the food which nourishes our spirit and makes us live more according to your will.

We pray, Jesus! Continue to nourish us in body and spirit through the Bread of Life which you provide us in every Mass we attend. Enliven in us the sacredness of this Sacrament that we may continuously live as what you will. Amen.

We shall spend this time for our personal prayer.

All: Soul of Christ, sanctify me; Body of Christ, save me; Blood of Christ, inebriate me

Water from the side of Christ, wash me; Passion of Christ, strengthen me

O good Jesus, hear me; within Thy wounds, hide me

Permit me not to be separated from Thee; from the malignant enemy, defend me

In the hour of my death, call me, and bid me come unto Thee

That with thy Saints I may praise Thee, forever and ever. Amen.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… In the name of the Father …

Here are the highlights about our second church and related information:

• Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church, in the Pakil, Laguna, under the patronage of Peter of Alcantara, was designated the Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba. It enshrines the Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba painting. Know more about the latter in my post: NOW YOU KNOW: NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LOS DOLORES DE TURUMBA
• Adjoining the church, at the second floor, passing through the right side of the church, is an adoration room/chapel in honor of Our Lady of Turumba. The original oil painting, found by fishermen, can also be found inside the chapel. When you have the time after this pandemic, why not visit this chapel for its miraculous oil? Read more in my post:  ST. PETER OF ALCANTARA PARISH CHURCH, PAKIL, LAGUNA
• The Chancery of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo confirmed that the diocese received a letter from Santos Cardinal Abril, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. The letter conferred a Spiritual Bond of Affinity between the basilica and the church of Pakil.
• The Turumba Festival, in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba, is the longest religious celebration in the Philippines. It consists of seven Turumba novenas, or lupi, for seven months, commemorating the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary, starting on the Friday preceding Palm Sunday. I featured this festival in another post: NOW YOU KNOW: TURUMBA FESTIVAL, PAKIL, LAGUNA.

Read more about this church in my post: ST. PETER OF ALCANTARA PARISH CHURCH, PAKIL, LAGUNA

The third church was St. James the Apostle Parish Church, in the next town called Paete, about 2 km away from Pakil. We recited the Visita Iglesia prayer for the third church, reflected, prayed for personal concerns and again included protection and a cure for COVID-19.

Facade, Saint James the Apostle Parish Church, Paete, Laguna – Photo by Carlo Joseph M. Moskito, own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, created 15 October 2014, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_James_the_Apostle_Parish_Church_(Paete)#/media/File:Facade_of_Paete_Church,_Laguna.jpg

Interior, St. James the Apostle Parish Church, Paete, Laguna

Murals, Interior, St. James the Apostle Parish Church, Paete, Laguna

Intricate metalwork and stained glass window, St. James the Apostle Parish Church, Paete, Laguna

If you want to virtually visit this church, ala Visita Iglesia, through this post by looking at the pictures, here is the prayer for the third church:

VISITA IGLESIA PRAYER – THIRD CHURCH

(Kneel)       In the Name…       L: Let us praise the Lord,       A: and give him thanks!

LET US PRAY:

L: Holy Spirit, you who reveal Jesus to us, help us to discover him in his Eucharistic presence;

Beneath the veil of the Host, show us the powerful and generous Christ of the Gospels;

Let us see the Good Shepherd who knows each one of us, watches over us and calls us by name;

Allow us to listen to the incomparable Master who presents His doctrine and wishes to enlighten us in all things.

A: Let us touch the Savior whose contact heals, and transforms bodies and souls;

Let us recognize this friend, happy to live with us and share our human existence;

Allow us to recognize the victim of Calvary who spares nothing of the gift of Himself to obtain for us pardon and holiness.

Give us a profound attachment to Jesus in the Eucharist; that his ardent desire to remain among us be met by our readiness to welcome Him.

L: Holy Virgin, you who knew how to look at Jesus and penetrate the most profound depth of his person:

Teach us to look at Him, to look at him at length and quietly, in the tabernacle where he is present.

Teach us to listen in silence to the words which he speaks to us and establish an intimate dialogue with him.

A: Let us see the marvels which he desires to work in the depths of our souls.

Teach us to appreciate his closeness to us and the immeasurable friendship he shows us.

Help us to respond to his love with all the fire of our being, and like you, to immerse ourselves in a loving gaze on him.

L: Lord Jesus, as we contemplate on the miracle of your precious Body and Blood, help us to revere this sacred mystery more in our daily life. May we reflect and ponder on your great love for us that made you offer yourself as a Holy and Living Sacrifice for all. Teach us to love you in every Altar at every Mass. May we recognize your sacred presence in Holy Communion. Most of all, help us to live in the spirit of the wondrous sacrament of love and sacrifice for all.

You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

A: AMEN.

(sit)  Reader: From the Gospel of John. (15, 9-17)

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. “

The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Reflection…

(kneel)   Prayer:

You loved us, Lord Jesus. You loved us until your death. You loved us as friends. You loved us with an ultimate love. This is far greater than anything we can feel or imagine! You commanded us to extend the same love to others, without anything in reserve. Your love remains with us in the Eucharist, this love we receive in every Communion when we eat your precious Body and drink your sacred Blood. This is the great manifesto of your love for us.

Teach us to show greater love for you in the Holy Sacrifice. Make us receive you in a greater disposition, prepared and in the state of grace. Every time we sin against you, help us to be sorry first for our iniquities before we accept you in Communion. Make every moment a loving one with your divine presence in us. And when the priest tells us, Ite, Missa Est, guide us as we become a living Eucharist of love to our brothers and sisters, even to the point of offering our lives for you and for them. Amen.

We shall spend this time for our personal prayer.

All: Soul of Christ, sanctify me; Body of Christ, save me; Blood of Christ, inebriate me

Water from the side of Christ, wash me; Passion of Christ, strengthen me

O good Jesus, hear me within Thy wounds, hide me;

Permit me not to be separated from Thee; from the malignant enemy, defend me

In the hour of my death, call me, and bid me come unto Thee

That with thy Saints I may praise Thee, forever and ever. Amen.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… In the name of the Father …

Here are the highlights about our third church:

• James the Apostle Parish Church is a Roman Catholic church, under the patronage of St. James the Apostle, located in Paete, Laguna.
• The intricate retablo pieces were made by Paetenian natives, known for their wood carving skills.
• This church is known for its century-old murals, huge collection of images depicting the Passion of Christ, and wooden images of saints.
• The large wall paintings on wood panels inside the church were executed by a notable son of Paete, Luciano Dans. These depict Heaven, Earth and Hell (Langit, Lupa, Impiyerno), and large murals of St. Christopher (San Cristobal). Dans used natural color pigments mixed with volcanic ash and brushes made from cats’ hair to create the murals. Awesome murals but are currently being restored due to termite infestation.
• At the start of the Lenten season, owners of privately owned religious images that were handed down from generations put up an exhibit of their religious icons on the church’s hall. My group was privileged to see this collection of vintage religious images.

Read more about this church in my post: ST. JAMES THE APOSTLE PARISH CHURCH, PAETE, LAGUNA

We stopped by a big souvenir store and some of the members of the group bought wooden carvings and decorations. Sorry, no pictures this visit.

These pictures were taken during my Visita Iglesia 2011.

Before we knew it, it was already 1PM, and most of us were hungry. We opted to dine at my favorite Japanese restaurant in Pagsanjan, Hana Japanese Restaurant. If you want to know more about this restaurant, read my post: HANA: HAPPY TUMMY ALL THE TIME!

Photos in collage obtained from the official Facebook account of Hana: https://www.facebook.com/Shin-Hana-Japanese-Restaurant-1474939912794500/

We did not order dessert in Hana because my buddies wanted to try the halo-halo of Aling Taleng’s Halo-Halo. What is unique about the halo-halo served in this restaurant is the topping, sweetened tubo (ng niyog)! I need to feature this ingredient and restaurant in the future.

Please join us to the next four churches in the next post (LAGUNA VISITA IGLESIA 2020: PART 2 (OF 2)), not only to known more about Laguna, but hopefully finish your virtual Visita Iglesia: LAGUNA VISITA IGLESIA 2020: PART 2 (OF 2)

• Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church, in the town of Pagsanjan
• Mary Magdalene Parish Church, in the town of Magdalena
• John the Baptist Parish Church, in the town of Liliw
• San Antonio de Padua Parish Church, in the town of Pila

I purposely did not use any footnotes in this two-part Visita Iglesia post. If you want to know more about the seven churches we visited, please visit the links I provided.

This is not a sponsored post. I just want my readers to know more about the Philippines.

Did you find this post informative? I would like to hear from you about any Visita Iglesia you made in Laguna or elsewhere.

See other interesting places through other posts in this category and other categories of SCapades, Pinoy Delights, and Smart Traveler – Now You Know, Short and Simple, and Say, Say, Say. Happy reading, and I hope that you will appreciate what I shared and some of the featured destinations will be part of your future travel plans!

Remember to share this post with your friends, follow me by clicking on the bottom right corner of your device, and do not forget to like this post. Thank you.

ST. PETER OF ALCANTARA PARISH CHURCH (Pakil, Laguna, Philippines)

Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Tavera Street, in the town of Pakil¹, in the province² of Laguna³, in the Calabarzon⁴ Region⁵ of the Philippines. It is so easy to locate this church since it was built facing the town’s plaza, and to its right is the municipal hall. Allow Tita S to tell you more about this interesting church.

It was  founded in 1676, consecrated in 1581, with the groundbreaking of the current building in 1732, and completed in 1767. This church is 162 feet (49 meters) in length and 36 feet (11 meters) in width.

Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church, Pakil, Laguna, Home of Our Lady of Turumba    By Richard Eusebio, own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, created 30 November 2011, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter_of_Alcantara_Parish_Church#media/File:The_Pakil_Church_or_the_San_Pablo_de_Alcantara_Chuirch_in_Pakil,_Laguna.jpg

Here are 13 facts about Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church:

1.This church was designated the Diocesan Shrine⁶of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba⁷. It enshrines the Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba⁸.

The original image of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba, an oil painting, 1788                    By Randy Caponpon, DM, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Turumba#/media/File:TurumbaIcon.jpg

Know more about Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba in my post: NOW YOU KNOW: NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LOS DOLORES DE TURUMBA

2. The first Catholic community in Pakil¹ was organized by Fray Pedro Bautista⁹, later canonized as San Pedro de Bautista. It was initially a hermitage¹⁰, or visita, of Paete, in 1588, but eventually separated from the latter in 1676. Father Francisco de Barajas, a priest from Santa Ana de Sapa Church in Manila, was named as the first parish priest on May 12, 1676.

3. The first church was constructed of bamboo, nipa, and other light materials, by volunteers, under the patronage of Peter of Alcantara¹¹.

St. Peter of Alcantara statue – Facebook account profile picture, Source: Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish

4. In 1684, the government, through Governor General Gabriel Curuscalegui, approved the collection of a tribute for five years for the sole purpose of constructing a stone church. The foundation was laid in 1732, during the term of Father Fernando Haro, but it burned down in 1739. Reconstruction of the church finished in 1767, with the addition of a tower in 1777. The image of Our Lady of Turumba⁷ was unveiled in 1788. In 1840, Father Joaquin de Coria repaired the church.

Alas, the church was damaged several times thereafter. A fire ravaged most of the town in 1851 so Father Juan de Llanera repaired it the following year. Father Juan de Dios de Villayos rebuilt the church roof and bell tower, after an earthquake, in 1881, and rebuilt again in 1883 by Father Paulino Camba. The 1937 earthquake damaged the church anew, and it was repaired by Father Federico Diaz Pines, with the help of the Confederation of United Catholics (Kapisanang Unidad Catolica). During World War II, the church was damaged and later renovated. A major repair was done from 1980 to 1984, when a level of the bell tower was rebuilt and the ceiling was renovated under the Parish Council of the Laity.

The current building is made of sand, gravel, cement and bricks.

Pakil Church historical marker as Cultural Property of the Philippines number PH-40-0074, by Ramon FVelasquez, self-photographed, created 31 August 2013, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pakil_Church_in_Laguna_historical_marker.jpg

5. The church, constructed in the Corinthian¹² and Ionic¹³ architectural orders, in a cruciform, has a measurement of 162 by 36 feet (49 by 11 m). Its facade has classical Corinthian columns and cornices¹⁴ across a floral stone relief¹⁵. The church’s side entrance is elaborately designed which is typical of churches in Laguna³. To one side of the facade is a belfry housing four small bells and one huge bell.

Interior, St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church, Pakil, Laguna – https://www.facebook.com/SaBirhen/photos/a.500733560556390/500734030556343/?type=3&theater

The altar up close, St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church, Pakil, Laguna – https://www.facebook.com/SaBirhen/photos/a.500733560556390/500734303889649/?type=3&theater

6. The main retablo¹⁶ is painted in white and has a pantheon¹⁷ of 14 saints housed in an elaborately carved niche with the Archangel Michael towering above. There are two smaller retablos on either side. Father Ronald Reagan constructed an altar marble, consecrated by Archbishop Alejandro Olalia in 1959, where the image of the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores¹⁸ was enshrined.

The main retablo, St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church, Pakil, Laguna

         The main retablo, up close, St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church, Pakil, Laguna

The two smaller, side retablos, St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church, Pakil, Laguna – https://www.facebook.com/SaBirhen/photos/a.500733560556390/500734323889647/?type=3&theater

The altar, Lent 2020, St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church, Pakil, Laguna – https://www.facebook.com/SaBirhen/photos/a.500733560556390/500733807223032/?type=3&theater

7. A pulpit and a large painting depicting the concept of Heaven, Earth, Hell, and Final Judgement (Judicium Finale), created by Jose Dans, a 19^th century artist from Paete, can also be found.

8. A life-sized figure of a crucified Christ is found in a smaller retablo¹⁶, near the church entrance.

Sto. Cristo de Pakil, collage photos from htpps://www.facebook.com/pg/SaBirhen/photos/?tab=album&album_id=504921503470929

Know more about Sto, Cristo de Pakil from the aforementioned Facebook page.

The church’s Stations of the Cross¹⁹ were made by local artists. See a related post for more about the Stations of the Cross: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT IS VISITA IGLESIA?

9. Inside the church, there are original century-old images and church ornaments.

10. Adjoining the church are a convent, sacristy²⁰, adoration room/chapel, and an ecclesiastical museum in honor of Our Lady of Turumba⁷. The original oil painting, found by fishermen, can also be found inside the chapel. The museum contains clothes, perfumes, jewelry, and other historic memorabilia.

My group went up to the second floor to get to the adoration chapel where the original oil painting of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba⁷. We passed through the passageway to the right of the church interior, almost near the altar. The walls on the ground and second floor are filled with framed information and pictures about Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba in English and Filipino. We turned right from the stairs at the second level.

The adoration chapel is very peaceful, for prayer and meditation. The iconic oil painting is located at the center of an intricately designed wall. A small glass container below the said painting is filled with blessed, sampaguita²¹–scented oil for visitors to apply on any part of their body which needs to be healed.

A tall box-counter to the left of the entrance, complete with paper, ball pen and small white letter envelopes, enables visitors to write their petitions. Voluntary donations are most welcome. You can just drop them all at the slot provided.

A small table-altar is located at the center of the room. A statue of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba⁷ is enclosed in a glass cabinet at the left side of the room. (insert pic)

Cushioned wall seats with cushioned kneelers are comfortable for seniors and other devotees to sit or kneel on, if desired.

Do not forget to register in the logbook upon exit.

It would be advisable to simply buy the healing oil from the Turumba⁸ Store at the ground floor, on the right side, outside the church, for personal use or as a gift to a sick loved one. A small and large plastic bottle of the oil are available for sale, your choice of sampaguita²⁰ or menthol scent. Do not forget to ask for a free piece of the cloth of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba⁷ that you can place in your wallet or bag to protect you against danger. The kind woman-clerk is generous enough to give you extra pieces for your relatives and friends who might need it too. Other religious items are also offered for sale.

11. The Chancery of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo²² confirmed that the diocese received a letter from Santos Cardinal Abril, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major²³ in Rome. The letter conferred a Spiritual Bond of Affinity between the basilica and the church of Pakil¹. Know more about basilicas in a related post: Short and Simple: THE FOUR MAJOR BASILICAS OF THE WORLD

12. The Turumba⁸ Festival, in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba⁷, is the longest religious celebration in the Philippines. It consists of seven Turumba novenas²⁴, or lupi, for seven months, commemorating the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary¹⁸. I featured this festival in another post: NOW YOU KNOW: TURUMBA FESTIVAL, PAKIL, LAGUNA. The April 18-22 celebration of this festival was cancelled but you can visit the official Facebook (Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish) for the live stream of the first lupi on April 3, 2020.

13. This church served as filming location for the ABS-CBN television series Juan dela Cruz, starring Coco Martin, and the show’s follow-up seriesMy Little Juan. The celebration of Turumba⁸ was immortalized in the 1983 film Turumba, by Kidlat Tahimik.

You can also check out their Facebook account – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-Peter-of-Alcantara-Parish-Church/650472435028437

The information was obtained from the Facebook account, Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish, and Wikipedia pages “Our Lady of Turumba”²⁵ and “Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church”²⁶. Sorry, I cannot access my personal pictures for now. I will just add them when I can do so.

You can visit the official Facebook account of this parish church: Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish for a novena and other related matters.

So, have I convinced you visit this church? Why not include it in your next Laguna³ Visita Iglesia²⁷?

You know what, dearest readers? Tita S was blessed to have done an early 2020 Visita Iglesia²⁷ with her college buddies on March 8, before the Presidential proclamation of a of a public health emergency for the entire country due to COVID-19. See her posts so you can, somehow, virtually join her, and imagine that you also did the Visita Iglesia because it might be impossible to visit seven churches during this pandemic for Holy Week 2020: LAGUNA VISITA IGLESIA 2020: PART 1 (OF 2)  and LAGUNA VISITA IGLESIA 2020: PART 2 (OF 2)

Did you find this post informative? I would like to hear from you about your visit to Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church.

See other interesting places through other posts in this category and other categories of SCapades, Pinoy Delights, and Smart Traveler – Now You Know, Short and Simple, and Say, Say, Say. Happy reading, and I hope that you will appreciate what I shared and some of the featured destinations will be part of your future travel plans!

Remember to share this post with your friends, follow me by clicking on the bottom right corner of your device, and do not forget to like this post. Thank you.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The following terms are defined for interested readers, especially those with “Senior-Moments”, not familiar with Filipino, Catholic and architectural terms, and those too busy or lazy to Google such terms:

¹Pakil is a fifth class municipality²⁸, in the province² of Laguna³, in the Calabarzon⁴ Region⁵ of the Philippines. The town was named after Gat Paquil who ruled over this place when the Spaniards arrived in 1571. It became an independent town on May 12, 1676. Its name was officially changed from Paquil to Pakil by Executive Order No. 77 in 1927. It now has 13 barangays²⁹. Its territorial boundaries extend: to Pangil, Laguna along Mabato River then across the lake to Sambal River in the north; across the lake at Inuod Point in Jalajala and Pililia, Rizal, and to Mabitac, Laguna along Hinukay River in the west; to Paete, Laguna in the south; and Real, Quezon in the east. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Pakil, Laguna”³⁰ and http://calabarzon.dilg.gov.ph/132-old-lgus/old-laguna-lgus/579-pakil

²A province is the primary administrative and political division in the Philippines. It is the second-level administrative sub-division of a region⁵. There are 81 provinces (called “lalawigan”) in the Philippines. Each province is governed by an elected legislature called the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and by an elected governor. Remember, a province in the Philippines is divided into cities and municipalities²⁸ (or towns), which in turn, are divided into barangays²⁹, formerly called barrios. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Provinces of the Philippines.”³¹ See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT ARE PROVINCES IN THE PHILIPPINES?

³Laguna is a province² in the Calabarzon⁴ Region⁵ of the Philippines, located southeast of Metro Manila, north of Batangas, west of Quezon, south of the province of Rizal, and east of Cavite. This is the 7^th richest province in the country, and the third largest province in the region⁵. It hugs the southern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. It is composed of 24 municipalities²⁸ and 6 cities. The provincial capital is the town of Santa Cruz since 1858, after Bay (1581-1688) and Pagsanjan (1688-1858). It is historically one of the first provinces in the Philippines to have been visited by Christian missionaries. Its main natural resources are its agriculture and fisheries, owing to its position near Laguna de Bay and the surrounding lowlands. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Laguna (province)”³²

⁴Calabarzon, or Region IV-A, or Southern Tagalog Mainland, is a Philippine region⁵ located in the island group of Luzon, with Calamba as its regional center. CALABARZON is an acronym for this region’s five provinces²: CAvite, LAguna³, BAtangas, Rizal, QueZON. It is the most populated region in the country and the country’s second most densely populated region, after Metro Manila. This region is located south of the National Capital Region (NCR), bordered by the provinces of Aurora, Bulacan and Metro Manila in the north, Manila Bay in the west, Tayabas Bay, and Sibuyan Sea in the south, and Lamon Bay, and the Bicol Region in the east. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Calabarzon”³³ and https://lga.gov.ph/region/region-iv-a.

⁵A region is an administrative division based on geographical, cultural and ethnological characteristics. Each region is further subdivided in provinces², composed of cities and municipalities²⁸ (or towns), which in turn, are divided into barangays²⁹, formerly called barrios, according to Wikipedia page “Regions of the Philippines”.³⁴ See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT ARE THE REGIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES?

⁶A diocesan shrine is a designation given to a church “to which numerous members of the faithful make a pilgrimage for a special reason of piety.” It must exceed other churches in terms of worship, Christian formation, and social services. The honor is conferred by the local bishop or archbishop, who canonically elevates the church to a diocesan shrine. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “National Shrine.”³⁵

⁷The Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba, or Our Lady of Sorrows of Turumba, is a 9 by 11 inches (23 by 28 cm) oil on canvas painting of the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Sorrows¹⁸. The image belonged to some missionaries who crossed Laguna de Bay in a launch on September 1788. Unfortunately, the launch was shipwrecked due to a storm, and some fishermen found this icon in their nets in Laguna de Bay. They brought it to the shore near Pakil¹ Church where a group of women found the icon the following Sunday morning. The parish priest called the sacristans, choristers, and churchgoers at Mass to fetch and welcome the image. The townspeople sang and danced their way back to the church, giving birth to the turumba⁸ and the devotion of Our Lady of Sorrows in the town of Pakil. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Our Lady of Turumba”²⁵ Read more about this icon in a related post: NOW YOU KNOW: NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LOS DOLORES DE TURUMBA

⁸The word turumba is from the Tagalog³⁶ phrase “Natumba sa laki ng tuwa” (“had trembled in great joy”), based on stories that the townspeople of Pakil¹, Laguna³, in the Philippines, sang and danced to welcome this painting upon its discovery on September 15, 1788.³⁷ Read about the Turumba Festival in a related post: NOW YOU KNOW: TURUMBA FESTIVAL, PAKIL, LAGUNA

⁹Father Pedro Bautista (Peter Baptist) was a Spanish Franciscan missionary from Avila, Spain, and one of the 26 Christians martyred³⁸ in Japan in 1597, and eventually canonized as San Pedro de Bautista. As stated above, he organized the first Catholic community in Pakil¹, Laguna. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “26 Martyrs of Japan”.³⁹

¹⁰An hermitage, or a visita is a place of worship in a newly established town, without a designated priest-in-charge, attached to a parish church (with a parish priest) of an adjacent town. It may become a parish church, with enough parishioners and a designated parish priest.

¹¹Peter of Alcantara (1499 – 1562) was a Spanish Franciscan friar, beatified in Rome by Pope Gregory XV on 1622, and canonized by Pope Clement IX on 1669. It is said that Peter slept very little, awake most of the time when his brother friars were sleeping, and that he always slept sitting up, so he is considered the patron saint of night watchmen and nocturnal adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. His feast day is October 18. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Peter of Alcantara.”⁴⁰

¹²The Corinthian order of architecture is characterized by an ornate column style developed in ancient Greece. The capital, or top part, of a Corinthian style column has lavish ornamentation carved to resemble acanthus leaves and flowers, and sometimes, small scrolls. Capital ornaments flare outward like bells, suggesting a sense of height. Its column is characterized by fluted/grooved shafts.^{41 and 42}

¹³The Ionic order of architecture was developed in the mid-16th century BCE by Ionic Greeks on the islands near present-day Turkey.⁴³ It is defined by the Ionic column, which is slender, and often fluted. The capital, at the top part of the column, or the decorative stone that bears the weight of the roof, features a volute, i.e., a spiral or scroll-like design. The cornice¹⁴ has saw-like squared edges. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Ionic order”.⁴⁴

 ¹⁴A cornice of a building refers to any horizontal decorative molding that crowns a building, according to the Wikipedia page “Cornice”.⁴⁵ It is the decorative trim located at the meeting point between walls and a roof or ceiling, used on building exteriors and interiors. On the outside of structures, it is the horizontal area that sticks out at the top of the wall, right below the roofline.⁴⁶

¹⁵Relief, in architecture, refers to a time-consuming, sculptural technique where the sculpted elements remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term comes from the Latin word relevo, meaning “to raise”. It gives an impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Relief.”⁴⁷

 ¹⁶A retablo is a large altarpiece painting or an elaborate wooden structure with sculpture, or a combination of the two, above an altar, and an elaborate framework enclosing it, according to the Wikipedia page “Retablo”.⁴⁸

¹⁷A pantheon refers to a particular set of saints or gods of a polytheistic religion, mythology, or tradition. It is the Greek term which means “of or common to all gods”. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Pantheon (religion)”.⁴⁹

¹⁸Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother, Mother of Sorrows, Our Lady of Piety, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours, all refer to the Virgin Mary in relation to sorrows in her life, and portrays her in a sorrowful and tearful effect, with one or seven knives or daggers piercing her heart, often bleeding. her feast is liturgically celebrated every September 15. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Our Lady of Sorrows.”⁵⁰

If you are wondering what he Seven Sorrows (or Dolors) are, think and look no more. These are the events in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary that are a popular devotion and are frequently depicted in art: the prophecy of Simeon⁵¹ (Luke 2:34-35), the flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-23), the loss of the Child Jesus in the temple of Jerusalem (Luke 2:43-45), Mary’s meeting Jesus on the Via Dolorosa⁵² (not in the New Testament), the Crucifixion of Jesus on Mount Calvary (Matthew 27:34-50, Mark 15:23-37, Luke 23:33-46, John 19:18-30), the piercing of the side of Jesus with a spear, and His descent from the Cross (John 18:34), and the burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea⁵³ (Matthew 27:57-61, Mark 15:43-47, Luke 23:50-53. John 19:40-42). These Seven Sorrows should not be confused with the five Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Our Lady of Sorrows”.⁵⁰

¹⁹The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, Ways of Sorrow, or Via Crucis, refers to the series of fourteen images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of His crucifixion and accompanying prayers, considered to be patterned after the Via Dolorosa⁵² in Jerusalem which is believed to be the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary for His crucifixion. The devotion of Roman Catholics to do the Way of the Cross during Holy Week is like a spiritual pilgrimage through the contemplation of the Passion of Christ (the final period of the life of Jesus from His entrance in Jerusalem till His crucifixion). The 14 stations are: (1) Pilate condemns Jesus to die; (2) Jesus accepts His cross; (3) Jesus falls for the first time; (4) Jesus meets His mother, Mary; (5) Simon helps carry the cross; (6) Veronica wipes the face of Jesus; (7) Jesus falls for the second time; (8) Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem; (9) Jesus falls for the third time; (10) Jesus is stripped of His clothes; (11) Jesus is nailed to the cross; (12) Jesus dies on the cross; (13) Jesus is taken down from the cross; and, (14) Jesus is placed in the tomb. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Stations of the Cross”.⁵⁴ See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT IS VISITA IGLESIA?

²⁰A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments (liturgical garments and articles), and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. In some countries, it is called the vestry. It is usually located inside the church, usually behind or on/near a side of the main altar, but may also be in an annex or separate building. Newer churches locate it near the entrances to the church. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Sacristy”.⁵⁵ 

²¹Sampaguita, Jasminum sambac, Arabian jasmine or Sambac jasmine, is a species of attractive and sweetly fragrant jasmine native to tropical Asia, from the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia, used as a fragrant ingredient in perfumes and jasmine tea. It is a small evergreen shrub or vine, with smooth ovate leaves, clustered and strongly scented flowers which bloom all throughout the year, with purple or black berry-fruits. Sampaguita is the national flower of the Philippines, adopted on February 1, 1934, via Proclamation No. 652, issued by American Governor-General Frank Murphy. Filipinos string the flowers into leis, corsages, and sometimes crowns, commonly sold by vendors outside churches. The garlands are used as a form of bestowing honor, veneration, or accolade. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Jasminum sambac”.⁵⁶ 

²²The Diocese of San Pablo is a Roman Catholic diocese which is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Manila. This diocese covers the entire province of Laguna³. Its patron saint, or titular head, is Saint Paul the Hermit. It is located along Marcos Paulino Avenue in San Pablo City⁵⁷, Laguna, with contact number (049) 562-1039. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo”.⁵⁸ 

²³The Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, or Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, hence its name of St. Mary Major, i.e., the Greater. It is also called the Liberian Basilica because the original building was attributed to Pope Liberius⁵⁹. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Santa Maria Maggiore”.⁶⁰ Know more about this basilica in a related post: Short and Simple: THE FOUR MAJOR BASILICAS OF THE WORLD

²⁴A novena (Latin for “nine”) is an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers repeated for nine successive days or weeks. During a novena, the devotees make petitions, implore favors, or obtain graces by worshipping Jesus Christ, and asking for intercessions of the Virgin Mary, or the saints of the faith. Novena prayers are customarily printed in small booklets, and the novena is often dedicated to a specific saint, angel, a specific Marian title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or one of the personages of the Holy Trinity. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Novena”.⁶¹

²⁵“Our Lady of Turumba,” accessed February 3, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Turumba

²⁶“Saint Peter of Alcantara Parish Church,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter_of_Alcantara_Parish_Church

²⁷Visita Iglesia, or Seven Churches Visitation, is the Roman Catholic Lenten practice to visit seven (and even 14) churches during Holy Week, traditionally on the evening of Maundy Thursday, to pray before the Blessed Sacrament in each church. There are no set prayers given by the Catholic Church for this activity, except to pray for the intentions of the Pope and recite the Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary and Glory Be. Some may opt to pray the Stations of the Cross¹⁹. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Seven Churches Visitation”.⁶² See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT IS VISITA IGLESIA?

²⁸A municipality is a small, single urban administrative division, or local government unit (LGU), in the Philippines which has corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by law. It is a unit under a province², subdivided into barangays²⁹, and is locally called “bayan”. In the Philippines, a municipality is headed by a mayor, a vice mayor, and members of the Sangguniang Bayan (legislative branch). It can enact local policies and laws, enforce them, and govern its jurisdictions. It can enter into contracts and other transactions through its elected and appointed officials and can tax as well. It enforces all local and national laws. There are almost 1,500 municipalities in the Philippines. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Municipalities of the Philippines.”⁶³ See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: HOW MANY CITIES ARE THERE IN THE PHILIPPINES?

²⁹A barangay in the Philippines is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines, headed by a barangay captain, aided by a Sangguniang Barangay (Barangay Council). It is the native Filipino term for a village. It was formerly called a barrio. In a metropolitan area, a barangay is an inner city neighborhood, a suburb, or a suburban neighborhood. The word barangay originated from the term “balangay”, a kind of boat used by a group of Austronesian people who migrated to the Philippines. A number of barangays grouped together is called a district. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Barangay.”⁶⁴

³⁰“Pakil, Laguna,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakil,_Laguna

³¹“Provinces of the Philippines,” accessed July 17, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_the_Philippines

³²“Laguna (province),” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laguna_(province)

³³“Calabarzon,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calabarzon

³⁴“Regions of the Philippines,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_the_Philippines

³⁵“National shrine,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_shrine

³⁶Tagalog refers to the second largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, after the Visayan people, numbering around 30 million, with most of them inhabiting Metro Manila, the Calabarzon region in southern Luzon, the islands of Marinduque and Mindoro in the Mimoropa Region, as well as a plurality in the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Zambales in Central Luzon. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Tagalog (people).”⁶⁵ 

³⁷https://www.facebook.com/PhilippinesMyPhilippines/photos/a.309425989196935/397745393698327/?type=1&theater

³⁸The 26 Martyrs of Japan were a group of Catholics who were executed by crucifixion on February 5, 1597, at Nagasaki, because of their religion. They were beatified by Pope Urban VIII in Vatican City on September 14, 1627, and canonized by Pope Pius IX on June 8, 1862. Their feast day is February 6. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “26 Martyrs of Japan.”³⁹

 ³⁹“26 Martyrs of Japan,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/26 Martyrs of Japan

 ⁴⁰“Peter of Alcantara,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_of_Alc%C3%A1ntara

⁴¹https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-a-corinthian-column-177504

⁴²https://www.britannica.com/technology/Corinthian-order

⁴³https://study.com/academy/lesson/ionic-order-of-greek-architecture-definition-example-buildings-quiz.html

 ⁴⁴“Ionic order,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionic_order

⁴⁵“Cornice,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornice

⁴⁶https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-a-cornice-in-architecture-definition-styles.html

⁴⁷“Relief,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relief

⁴⁸“Retablo,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retablo

⁴⁹“Pantheon (religion),” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon_(religion)

⁵⁰“Our Lady of Sorrows,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Sorrows

⁵¹Simeon, according to Luke 2:25-35, was a just and devout man of Jerusalem who met Mary, Joseph, and Jesus as they entered the temple to fulfill the requirements of the Law of Moses on the 40^th day from Jesus’ birth, at the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. The Holy Spirit visited Simeon and told him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Christ. When he took Jesus into his arms, he uttered a prayer and gave a prophecy alluding to the crucifixion. This event is commemorated every February 2 as Candlemas, or more formally, the Presentation of the Lord, the Meeting of the Lord, or the Purification of the Virgin. His prophecy is used in the context of Our Lady of Sorrows¹⁸, and venerated as a saint with feast day on February 3. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Simeon (Gospel of Luke).”⁶⁶

⁵²Via Dolorosa, Sorrowful Way or Way of Suffering, is believed to be the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary on His way to the crucifixion in the Old City of Jerusalem. The winding route from the former Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a distance of about 600 meters (2,000 feet), is a celebrated place of Christian pilgrimage. This current route was established in the 18^th century and is marked by nine Stations of the Cross¹⁹, with the remaining five stations, located inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Via Dolorosa.”⁶⁷

⁵³Joseph of Arimathea, according to all four canonical gospels, was the man who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after His crucifixion. According to John 19:38, upon hearing of Jesus’ death, this secret disciple of Jesus “asked Pilate (Roman governor who presided at the trial of Jesus and gave the order for His crucifixion) that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission.” He immediately purchased a line shroud (Mark 15:46) and proceeded to Golgotha to take the body of Jesus down from the cross. Joseph and Nicodemus took the body and bound it in linen cloths with the spices that the latter bought, according to John 19:39-40. He is the Patron of Funeral Directors and Undertakers and his feast day is March 17. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Joseph of Arimathea.”⁶⁸

^54”Stations of the Cross,” accessed March 21, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stations_of_the_Cross

⁵⁵“Sacristy,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacristy

⁵⁶“Jasminum sambac,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasminum_sambac

⁵⁷San Pablo is a first class city in the southern portion of the province² of Laguna³, in the Calabarzon⁴ Region⁵ of the Philippines, with 80 barangays²⁹. It is one of the oldest cities in the country, founded in 1586, chartered in 1647, and became a city on May 7, 1940. It is the largest city in the province of Laguna by land area, and is nestled in the foothills of three mountains: Mount Banahaw, Mount Makiling, and the Sierra Madre Mountains. It is called the City of Seven Lakes because of the seven crater lakes scattered around the city: Lake Bunot, Lake Calibato, Lake Muhikap, Lake Palakpakin, Lake Pandin, Lake Sampaloc, and Lake Yambo. It is also a bustling city of trade and commerce as well as a center of education and learning with schools, colleges and training institutions. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “San Pablo, Laguna”.⁶⁹

⁵⁸“Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_San_Pablo

⁵⁹Pope Liberius (310 – September 24, 366) was Pope of the Church in Rome from May 17, 352 until his death on September 24, 366. He was consecrated on May 22, 352 as the successor to Pope Julius I. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Pope Liberius.”⁷⁰

⁶⁰“Santa Maria Maggiore,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_Maggiore

⁶¹“Novena,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novena

^62“Seven Churches Visitation,” accessed March 21, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Churches_Visitation

⁶³“Municipalities of the Philippines,” accessed July 17, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipalities_of_the_Philippines

⁶⁴“Barangay,” accessed January 29, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barangay

⁶⁵“Tagalog people,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagalog_people

⁶⁶“Simeon (Gospel of Luke),” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simeon_(Gospel_of_Luke)

⁶⁷“Via Dolorosa,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Dolorosa

⁶⁸“Joseph of Arimathea,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_of_Arimathea

⁶⁹San Pablo, Laguna,” accessed March 11, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Pablo,_Laguna

⁷⁰“Pope Liberius,” accessed February 20, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Liberius