monasterio de tarlac

Yesterday, i tagged along with my cousins in via crucis at tarlac and pampanga for bisita iglesia. last year, we visited churches at batangas which i've posted here before. i'll be posting our bisita iglesia in pampanga tomorrow or whenever but for now let me share with you the beautiful and holy place called monasterio de tarlac.
Monasterio de Tarlac in Barangay Lubigan in San Jose, Tarlac is the most revered pilgrimage site in Central Luzon on account of its spiritual prominence. 
The Church of the Risen Christ, which houses silver reliquary where the authentic fragment of the Wooden Cross or what they call the True Cross is located.  They hold mass to the public every saturday and sunday at 10AM.  while on mass or on ordianry days the altar is closed and after the mass, the public are allowed to kiss or touch the relic.
The reliquary is known to be the only one in the entire Asia. On Jan. 29, 2007, Msgr. Volker Bauer, brought the sacred relic to the Philippines, the sacred relic originally was from Europe but the churches there went radical changes and the relic found its way home to the Philippines were Catholic is the predominant religion.
this is the 30 foot statue of Jesus Christ (being called BRO) which can be seen while driving up to the mountain.

and the big status of Mama mary (being called Big Mama)
the monastery is located on top of the mountain and the road going up seems endless but and the place seems so far but i am telling you it is worth it. the place look so serene and so silent. i love the voice of the priest who held the mass when we visited.  monasterio de tarlac is one of the places you'd want to visit this coming holy week.
the place is beautifl and you get to see a nice mountain view, reminds me of of my visit to caleruega (which reminds me that i still have to post pictures of that place too)
the place have this kind of castle at the very top
fantastic view, i always feel relaxed when seeing beautiful nature, and the place have this calming effect too.

How to go to Monasterio De Tarlac? From Manila, take Luzon Expressway, exit at Sta. Ines Toll Plaza in Mabalacat. Proceed northward to Tarlac City (Side of Tarlac Cathedral), turn left and proceed at the back of McDonalds Tarlac (Aquino Highway), turn right and cross the Aquino bridge northward towards Camiling. Upon reaching Brgy. Tibag, (Tarlac City) turn left and follow the 36-kilometer backcountry but well-paved road to Brgy. Lubigan in San Jose, Tarlac. Drive up the zigzag concrete highway to the breath taking Monasterio De Tarlac Site.
meow with bro
meow little self being dwarfed by bro
meow castle

err the monastery's castle pala hehehe

PS. sorry if the pictures load a bit slower than usual, i wasnt able to resize the images

Monasterio De Tarlac
Tarlac Eco-Tourism Park
Brgy. Lubigan, San Jose, Tarlac
http://tarlacmonastery.com/

bisita iglesia at batangas

ok i know this post is sooo late err so early for next year but whatever, i just feel like posting my 1st bisita iglesia experience last holy friday. Yeah sa tinanda kong to nun lang ako nakapabisita iglesia... and now, i know the purpose of those tiny station of the cross posted in every church!!! hehehehe kala ko dati display lang yun mga un at required lang lahat ng simbahan maglagay ng ganun! toinks!!! pasensya na tao lang err pusa pala =)

i dont consider myself a religious person but i love churches even though they all look the same(especially old churches), actually my hard disk space is already full of church photos. anyways i'll just share with you the churches we visited at Batangas, yep we traveled the whole of batangas for the bisita iglesia (from lemery to lipa to nasugbu)

Station 1: Sta Teresita Church - Sta. Teresita, Batangas

of course our first station of the cross is the nearest to my cousins place, no photos of the church, i wasnt planning to take pictures but my cousins asked me to take some pictures

Station 2: Parokya ng Immaculada Concepcion, Mahal na Poong Krus - Bauan, Batangas

Church of Bauan - The Parish of Bauan was administered by the Augustinians from 1596 to the end of 19th century. The church built in the 18th century, remodeled and improved in the 19th century was destroyed by fire on July 13, 1928. The eminent botanist, Father Blanco, was pastor of this church from 1816 to 1828. The museum of natural history and the library of rare books collected by Father Bravo were destroyed during the insurrection of 1898.

according to inyag maring this church is like the twin church of that in Alitagtag (which we also visited), both church have the miraculous "mahal na poon" as its patron saint.

Station 3: San Pascual


Station 4: Basilika Menor ng Immaculada Concepcion

First erected under the supervision of Father Diego Mojica of Calapan, Mindoro on 1581 and was dedicated to the Immaculate Concepcion De Nuestra Señora. The first stone foundation was built on 1601, the parish priests built the 2nd the church between 1682-1721. In 1963, an artillery was added to help protect the church from corsairs. After 179 years, the church was rebuilt by Father Pedro Cuesta on 1851, the church celebrated its 100 years on 1957.

i love the facade of this church, but as ive said churches look the same

Station 5: Archdiocesan Glorious Cross - Batangas

this a pretty new church, just beside the SM Batangas

Station 6: San Jose Church - Batangas

this church was built around 1788, the foundation of this town formerly known as malaquing tubig dates back to 1765. the church was built by the famous botanist father blanco

when we got here we thought the church was closed coz the crowd were just outside the church, but then we found out that they're doing a senakulo. the church is quite big and impressive, reminds me of the taal church.

Station 7: San Vicente Ferrer - Banay Banay, Batangas

dont know much about this church, but we saw again those bikers doing their own bisita iglesia in this church

Station 8: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church - Lipa, Batangas

Built in 1948, famous for pilgrims and is known for the miraculous shower of petals to a visionary nun after world war ii

you can even write a wish or something and i think the nuns reply to your letter, they also have this beautiful image of the lady of mediatrix of all grace

Station 9: Lipa Cathedral, San Sebastian - Lipa, Batangas

the parish of lipa was administered by the augustinians from 1605 to the end of 19th century. lipa which was located near bombon lake was destroyed by the eruption of the taal volcano in 1754 but was reconstructed at the present site. this church was built under the supervision of Rev. Benito Varas, parish priest from 1865 to 1894. the diocese of lipa was created by pope pius x on april 10, 1910.

been passing this cathedral everytime we visit batangas but this is the first time i get inside the church and i'm impressed!

Station 10: San Isidro Labrador - Cuenca, Batangas

the church at the foot of the mountain were pilgrims usually hike up to visit the groto at the mountain during holy week, i think they call it banal na bundok, not sure though

Station 11: Mahal na Poon krus - Alitagtag, Batangas

i think we have tons of relatives who lives nearby this church, proof the lola with us saw a kamaganak when we visited the place, besides i distinctly remember this church as the source of those crucifix that most of my clan have, or most batangenos i think have this crucifix... i lost mine decades ago.

Station 12: Taal Church, basilica of saint martin de tours

Reputed to be the largest in Asia, Taal Church stands 96 meters long and 45 meters wide on a plateau in the heart of Taal. it was first erected on 1575 by father diego espina. The Augustinian Missionaries started construction in 1756, and it took a century for the church to achieve its present form. It was destroyed in the Taal volcano eruption in 1754, rebuilt in 1755 but the again destroyed by the earthquake in 1849. the present church was designed by architect luciano oliver in 1856

my favorite church! never fail to visit this whenever im at batangas

Station 13: San Roque - Lemery, Batangas


Station 14: Caleruega - Nasugbu, Batangas

this is a very beautiful place and if you want peace and solitude, a time to reflect... i highly recommend this place, though its much better to visit the place on an ordinary day, coz when we went there the place is sooo crowded. will do a separate post for this church (hmmm kelan naman kaya ako sipagin to post it hehehehe) i fyou want you can see more photos in my album, just click here)