A Walk in History @ Intramuros

It's July. Half the year's passed. Time flies, doesn't it? Especially when a lot of things happen to one. Until now, it's  feels weird when I think about the fact that the holidays were finished months ago. And when I started blogging, it was during the holidays. It seems like that every year passes by faster than the last (for me at least) and not to mention this coming school year, I'll be graduating since it's my last year in school. Now that I think about it, it's somewhat hard to believe that a lot has happened since I entered my college years... :/ Time sure flies... Lumalapit na naman ang mga "ber months"...

Well, again, as we know, it's July and on my case, still vacation time (though only for a few more days DX) because my school, UST, has adopted a new calendar due to an academic shift fyi. And while I'm still out of school, I may as well have fun pa rin, no? Better to do something than to be bored at home, doing nothing, walang magawa, nakahiga lang at kumain... For 3 times in the span of a week, including yesterday, I've been going to Intramuros and everytime I go, it's like a walk in history since this was the center of our country in the Spanish times and many historic events have happened here. Sure, it's not the same as it was in it's more glorious past, when before World War II, seven churches stood within it's walls or when it was a center of education where students from all over came (though still is, since many schools are in there to this day), or when it was the time where heroes were walking in the streets or a place of fiestas but it still has traces of history and a lot of interesting sites. Still, imagine being there though in the old days. :D

Yesterday though was different from the last two because after doing school stuff (not class because of vaca...), I stayed longer and I visited Fort Santiago. Originally, I was gonna go the day before but I didn't because I wasn't well (though still went to UST). Like the last two times I was there, I went to the Manila Cathedral. I may have been here a few times already but it still amazes me.

Note: the 1st three pictures were not from yesterday but from last June 25th, last week. First of my 3 visits to Intramuros (the other June 28th). I also have more photos of the Cathedral in a post from my Visita Iglesia last Holy Week,

 Stained glass windows designed by noted artist Galo Ocampo

 The rest were taken yesterday

 Statue of St. Peter and some details of the stone carvings

Sanctuary and high altar

 The Cathedral baptistry and one of the side chapels respectively

Official website of Manila Cathedral here.

What was once the residence of the Governor General.

Plaza de Roma

After the Cathedral, I went to Fort Santiago. Good thing I brought my ID so I'd have a discount on the entrance. :) (Normally the entrance is 75 pesos but for students and kids, it's 50 pesos) Last time I paid to enter an Intramuros landmark was a year ago at San Agustin Museum. Maybe I should go there again. ^_^ Anyways, walking there (in Fort Santiago) was a good experience. I was able to see some things related to the national hero, Jose Rizal, such as some of the things he used. I even got to see where his prison cell where he wrote the "Mi Ultimo Adios". While photography is allowed inside Rizal Shrine (as long as there's no flash), I'm not gonna post here some pictures from inside the Shrine. I also saw some of the furniture the Rizal  family used in another building (which I had to pay an extra 10 pesos more).

The gardens inside Fort Santiago complex.

Fuerza de Santiago, Ciudad de Manila

The moat.

Facade. Where Jose Rizal spent his last days.

New meets old. The high rise buildings contrast with the antiquity of Intramuros.

An old gate leading to the entrance of the shrine museum.

Rizal Shrine, Manila. Inside are things you could learn about Rizal and even the site of his prison cell. Maybe I should've went here while I was still studying about the man.

Pasig River, taken from one of the baluartes.

Turret at Fort Santiago, overlooking the Pasig River. The breeze was nice but the smell... >-<

A flower at Fort Santiago. Parang wallpaper ang dating. :)

In the footsteps of Rizal.

Marking Rizal's last footsteps towards his death that day of December 30th, 1896

Fort Santago gardens, with the cathedral towering in the back.

With the statues of friars in the background, this pidgeon wanders around.

After Fort Santiago, I went back to the cathedral and headed to the former site of the Ateneo before it moved to QC (then it was known as Ateneo de Municipal). Right there, one could see the old San Ignacio church being rebuilt, although as a museum. Hope to see it eventually when it's done. :) Didn't go to San Agustin this time though (but the last two times, I went).

Anda street. Where the old Ateneo de Municipal and San Ignacio was.

The old San Ignacio church is being rebuilt.

After that, I thought of going to the place where the old UST and the old Sto. Domingo Church once stood. But later I decided not to go. Oh well... (Santo Domingo in Intramuros is considered one of the grandest churches in the old days. VERY beautiful church. You gotta search for it in the net :)) Now I wonder what would've happened if old UST was standing today, as a Thomasian myself... :| At least I had fun and I was able to pass the time, as well as having a learning experience. :D Maybe I should go again to Intramuros, when I can.

Holy Thursday - Part 1 - Chrism Mass and Visita Iglesia

What I can say about how I had my Holy Week was that it was great and blessed, though tiring since I've been going everywhere from Visita Iglesias to the procession in Marikina and spending Easter in Makati. It's been an exciting and blessed week and after a while of not posting anything, finally time to update my blog once again. :) Hopefully more adventures and posts from here on out. :)

Anyways, this post will focus on Holy Thursday. Last Holy Thursday, it's been a tradition in our family (and I'm sure many others too) to have our Visita Iglesia to other churches. The Visita Iglesia (Church Visit) is one of the most popular practices on Holy Week wherein the faithful visit 7 churches to pray the 14 stations of the cross (two in each church) and/or pray before the Blessed Sacrament if it's done on Holy Thursday night, after the time of the Last Supper. Other people though would visit 14 churches for the Visita Iglesia, I remember we did that before. But in my case though, I didn't do one Visita Iglesia, but two (yes, TWO) Visita Iglesias on Holy Thursday. Why? Because the first, I did with my dad whom I don't live with but still talk to and at times see and the other, with relatives of my mom's side, whom I live with now. This year's Holy Thursday, I went to 15 churches, and I'll tell why.

Chrism Mass: Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Cubao, Quezon City.

Cubao Cathedral, at the end of New York street in Cubao.

First, I woke up early morning to attend the Chrism Mass in our Diocese's cathedral in Cubao, which I've been going to since 2012. It was a bit stressful since I felt annoyed actually and a jeep I took to my first church kept stopping, a lot. Not a good way to start a day >_<. By the time I reached the cathedral around 6:40 AM, the prayer service began, but not the mass yet and it was already full of priests and religious. At about 7, the mass, presided by the bishop of Cubao, Most. Rev. Honesto Ongtioco, began and it was a very beautiful mass. During the mass, the hundreds of priests in attendance renewed their vows at ordination and the Chrism was blessed by Bishop Ongtioco. For those who don't know, what makes this mass special is that all the priests in a diocese attend to renew their vows and the Chrism, which are holy oils used is some of the ceremonies of the church, are blessed. After the mass, many people brought out tarpulins and signs showing support for their priests. This church was NOT part of the Visita Iglesia but it was great to go there to attend mass.

Cubao Cathedral is one of Metro Manila's prettiest churches.

After the mass, I went home and I had to wait for my dad to come. We said that we'd start at 10 AM but he came much later, sometime before 12 and when he came, we had lunch fist at Le Ching in Banawe and from there we headed to the 1st church for the Visita Iglesia.

Visita Iglesia 1st Church: Manila Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Manila Cathedral)

Manila Cathedral, principal church of the Archdiocese of Manila

There was only one church that I wanted to go to for the Visita Iglesia this year, and that was none other than the Manila Cathedral. Last 2012, the cathedral was closed because of problems that were seen in the structure and last April 9, a week before, the cathedral was finally reopened after more than 2 years of renovation. When we came, there were a lot of people in the church and there, we started praying the Stations of the Cross. After that, I took pictures of the church. It took a while for me because the cathedral was so beautiful. Definitely worth seeing after those years it was closed.

Beautiful could be an understatement to describe this amazing structure.

The cathedral's lighting was dramatic. Really highlights the structure's elegance.

 Visita Iglesia 2nd Church: San Agustin Church

San Agustin Church, one of the oldest churches in the Philippines

Of course, since we were in Intramuros, we visited the San Agustin church, a short walk away from the Cathedral. Actually, we drove there because of the parking and to get closer. This is one of the oldest churches in the country and is the only church in Intramuros that survived World War II. For those who don't know, Intramuros alone had 7 churches within its confines and all of them (save San Agustin) didn't survive the war. The current Manila Cathedral was the only church that was rebuilt and on the same spot. If the war didn't happen or if those churches restored and had not been relocated, you could pretty much go to Intramuros to do the Visita Iglesia (unless of course you are visiting 14 churches :) ). Anyways, when we came, me and my dad prayed the 3rd and 4th stations (the stations were placed outside) and took more pictures of this church. I have to admit, probably because of the lighting, it wasn't easy to take pictures of the interior.

Like Manila Cathedral, beautiful is again an understatement here.

A building near San Agustin church. Really nice architecture.