checklist: My New Love (3rd of Many Parts)

So far, I have blogged on some Negros churches and Cebu churches. This post will be about some churches near Ermita. I'd like to say Manila Churches, but my trip last November was limited to this vicinity due to time constraints. I was there only for a night. As what I have learned when I asked a friend priest, there are more than 20 Catholic churches near this area.

It was a holiday when my mother and I arrived in Manila. Streets were manageable and after dropping off our stuff in the hotel, we headed for the Manila Cathedral.

My mama is my model
...outside the Manila Cathedral.
I doubt that the clock is working
coz when we were there, it was NOT 3:15 PM!

When we went inside the Cathedral, it dawned on me that this wasn't my first time there. I remembered that I had visited here once, years ago, when I saw this altar.

Our Lady of Immaculate ConcepcionBeautiful, isn't it?

My second time in this Cathedral was much more interesting. We spent more than a couple of hours exploring its many chapels, and these deserve another and separate post, so stay tuned!

We made a quick walkover and stopover at San Agustin Church. Unfortunately, it was closed. I was disappointed but took some photos of the unassuming facade of the church and the nearby museum.

San Agustin Church
Behind Mama, a tourist group of Koreans also milled outside the church
taking pictures of the church doors

To find out why Koreans were having their photos taken with a door, read this . I almost wept that I missed going INTO this church when I saw the (better) photos posted online.

The church and museum, side by side

Sadly, the museum guard wouldn't allow us to take pics of its lobby, and we didn't go inside it because we were starting to feel hungry, tired and uncomfortable in the warm weather.

After eating lunch in a McDonald's and a bit of rest in our room, we recovered our spirits and headed for Quiapo church. I am proud to say, we did the commute to this famous Basilica of the Black Nazarene. We snaked through the underpass and throngs of other commuters and caught the 7PM mass. It was concelebrated by the rector and my friend (Yey! So proud of him and his very nice homily about one's relationship with God).

this is Mama's first trip to Quiapo Church,
and all the other churches featured here :)

The Black Nazarene
gathered as much as 8 Million devotees during its last fiesta celebration, Jan. 9, 2012

massgoers lined up after the mass to have their rosaries, images and other sacramentals blessed

Mama went "shopping" outside Quiapo.
This area was once littered by fortune tellers. I was once a client. Not anymore ;)
(Can you see the Black Nazarene through the main doors of the church?)

We were hungry after Mass so we strolled and explored a bit the small alleys or "eskinitas" near the church. Mama had great finds! From little heaps or "tumpok" of vegetables to shoes and belts and stuff for the kitchen and the home. She was happy...and yet still hungry. So we decided to hit up a Jollibee nearby before going back to our hotel.

The next morning, we rode a taxi and the driver tried to trick us! I told him to go to Ermita Church, a few blocks away, but he drove us to Malate Church that was more than a kilometer away! He did drive us back but a discussion ensued. As a result, we were late for mass and harassed during the celebration.

As another result, I don't have any photo of Ermita Church! Wow, I just realized it now!

Ermita Church enshrines Philippines' oldest image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that of Our Lady of Guidance, also known as Nuestra Sra. de Guia. This church has a bright interior and a whitewashed exterior and feels a bit modern belying the ageless and priceless treasure enshrined within it.

Later, we did go to Malate Church. It felt old and crumbling to me. Some doors were closed so it was a bit dim inside.