Virtual Visita Iglesia for Pinoy Catholics on home quarantine

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino Catholics on home quarantine need not miss out on their traditional Visita Iglesia activity this Holy Week. 

They could simply check the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website at cbcpnews.net/visitaiglesia/visita-iglesia-in-360/ in order to have a virtual “Visita Iglesia in 360” experience. 

Through this online portal, visitors would be taken on a 28-minute, 360-degree tour of 14 different Catholic churches in the country, or one church for every Station of the Cross.

Featured churches are the Sto. Nino Church in Anda, Bohol; Church of St. James the Apostle in Betis, Pampanga; St. Joseph Cathedral in Butuan City, Butuan; St. James the Great Parish in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte; Palo Metropolitan Cathedral in Palo, Leyte; Nuestra Señora dela Asuncion in Maragondon, Cavite; Sto. Tomas de Villanueva in Miag-ao, Iloilo; St. Agustin Church in Panglao, Bohol; St. Augustine Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte; St. Joseph Cathedral in Romblon Island, Romblon; San Sebastian Church in Quiapo, Manila; Church of San Diego de Alcala in Silay, Negros Occidental; San Isidro Labrador Church in Lazi, Siquijor, and Our Lady of the Abandoned in Sta. Ana, Manila.

The online Visita Iglesia has been existing for the past nine years, catering to land-based and sea-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are stationed abroad and in need of a way to take part in Catholic activities during the Holy Week. 

The service became more relevant at this time, with the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon. 

“Today, when everybody is in quarantine and all liturgy in physical churches are closed to people, Visita Iglesia continues to be a portal for online retreats, catechesis and liturgical celebrations,” CBCP Media Office director Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III said yesterday. 

“In online Visita Iglesia, one can pray the ‘Pasyon’, Stations of the Cross, virtually visit churches on Holy Thursday, and attend live online celebrations masses and other liturgical activities,” he added.

The faithful may also visit faithwatch.tv for catechism videos. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe