Since it was only Holy Thursday when we left Manila, we had our Visita Iglesia in the province of Camarines Norte. This is our family's vow of church visitation during this season of lent. It was a long and tiring drive to Bicolandia due to the volume of vehicles and tourists going back home to their home town to celebrate the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our first stop was at the Parish of St. Lucy in Capalonga. This is the home of the miraculous Black Nazarene of the south. During His feast day in May, Chinese businessmen pay their annual homage and ask for good health and good fortune.
Next church was at the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in the town of Paracale. We were expecting to find an old stone church but to our surprise, the church was painted white. Built by the Franciscan missionaries 400 years ago, the church is made of adobe blocks with strong shafts of hardwood. Paracale is the jump-off point of tourists going to Calaguas island.
Parroquia de San Pedro Apostol in Vinsons was our next stop. This is the oldest church built by the Franciscan missionaries in Camarines Norte in the early 1600s. But in December 2012, the whole church was destroyed by fire including all of its historical artifacts except for it's concrete walls. We were very fortunate to join the hundreds of pilgrims for the ceremony of the Blessed Sacrament.
Parroquia de San Juan Bautista in the town of Daet was our next stop. With its modern baroque architecture, the church is one of the 3 churches that celebrated its 400 year foundation together with the Parish of St. Peter the Apostle in Vinzons and the Parish of the Our Lady of the Candles in Paracale.
Also in Daet, we also dropped by Our Lady of Peñafrancia Parish. A relatively newly built church in honor of our Lady of Peñafrancia.
To complete our church visitation, we stopped at the Daet Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity. This is the home of the diocese of Daet, Camarines Norte.
We were truly blessed to have been invited to the Good Friday procession and for the safe drive to this province of Camarines Norte.
Next church was at the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in the town of Paracale. We were expecting to find an old stone church but to our surprise, the church was painted white. Built by the Franciscan missionaries 400 years ago, the church is made of adobe blocks with strong shafts of hardwood. Paracale is the jump-off point of tourists going to Calaguas island.
Parroquia de San Pedro Apostol in Vinsons was our next stop. This is the oldest church built by the Franciscan missionaries in Camarines Norte in the early 1600s. But in December 2012, the whole church was destroyed by fire including all of its historical artifacts except for it's concrete walls. We were very fortunate to join the hundreds of pilgrims for the ceremony of the Blessed Sacrament.
Parroquia de San Juan Bautista in the town of Daet was our next stop. With its modern baroque architecture, the church is one of the 3 churches that celebrated its 400 year foundation together with the Parish of St. Peter the Apostle in Vinzons and the Parish of the Our Lady of the Candles in Paracale.
Also in Daet, we also dropped by Our Lady of Peñafrancia Parish. A relatively newly built church in honor of our Lady of Peñafrancia.
To complete our church visitation, we stopped at the Daet Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity. This is the home of the diocese of Daet, Camarines Norte.
We were truly blessed to have been invited to the Good Friday procession and for the safe drive to this province of Camarines Norte.
