We started our visit at the Transfiguration of Christ Parish Church. This is the parish where our village belongs. The church started as a chapel in Aba Homes subdivision. As years passed, it transferred to its current location and is now one of the most visited churches in the upper Antipolo.
Our next stop was at San Antonio de Padua Parish Church which is also within our barangay, barangay Dalig. Since it was a few meters away from the main highway, the place is very quiet and very conducive to prayer and meditation. This church was even included as one of the wedding chruches in Antipolo.
Then we went to the Parish of The Immaculate Heart of Mary along Taktak road. This church is known as the glass church of Antipolo. Also started as a small chapel, in the middle of what seemed to be a forest, the church community grew and through countless donations from its parishioners and visitors a bigger church was constructed. John won't leave the church without buying the statue of the Our Lady of Good Voyage of Antipolo. We asked him to take go care of her and true enough, John hold on to her throughout the duration of our Visita Iglesia.
Next stop was at the Alagad ni Maria Seminary. The seminary is located along Bayugo Road and is home to several seminarians who are in study for priesthood. The place was too quiet that not a single pilgrim except for us was their visitor. After our prayers, we ate our lunch and enjoyed the fresh air under the mango tree.
St. Anthony of Padua Parish Church was next. Located in barangay Inarawan, Antipolo City along Marcos Highway. In this church, a famous couple news anchors tied the knot and said their "I Do".
Driving east, our next stop was at the Boso-Boso ruins church. Also known as Nuestra Senora de la Annunciata Parish Church, it was the first Catholic church built in Antipolo. The church was burned down during last world war. Everything inside the church was burned down to ashes and what was left was its walls and facade. In the 80's and 90's, the church was known as the church within the church as they built a church within the walls of the ruins. In 1995, with the help of the parishioners, the church was slowly rebuilt using the same walls of the original church.
We also dropped by to visit a small chapel of the Black Nazarene along the Marilaque highway. We gave our respect due to Nuesto Padre Jesus Nazareno.
On our way down to Tanay Proper, we stopped by at the Padre Pio Chapel in barangay Balimbing, Tanay Rizal. The chapel was along the Tanay-Sampaloc road and is overlooking the town of Tanay and Laguna bay.
For several years now, I had been wanting to visit the Chapel of the Black Madonna, also in Tanay, but the chapel gates were always closed. They probably open their gates only during scheduled masses. When we entered the compound, there was only one family of pilgrim inside. It was a very solemn place with a mix of old and new images of saints.
We dropped by the Divine Mercy Chapel in barangay Sambal, Tanay which is along the Daranak road. Within the compound, they a have a close to life size replicas of the Stations of the Cross.
To have a closer overlooking view of the Tanay town proper we drove up to the Our Lady of Peace Grotto also in Sampaloc road.
Last on our list of churches was the Holy Cross Church in Sitio Bukal Tanay. When I was in grade school we used to visit this chapel to get healing water from the foot of the cross. Water is flowing under the foot of the Cross thus the name of the sitio. "Bukal" in english is spring. The Cross was believed to be miraculous. In June of 2016, the chapel was officially declared a parish under the Diocese of Antipolo.
We thank our Lord for all the blessings He had showered the family for the last year. We also prayed for more blessings this year and years to come.
