Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Black Saturday (April 19, 2014 and Easter Sunday (April 20, 2014)

Maundy Thursday and Good Friday really brings out the real deal with boredom. I was able to knit some stuff and read some pages. Somehow I hated doing those things or just plain being bored.

So I was out early on a black Saturday and headed to Rizal Park earlier than what was expected. So I took a little walk and took pictures of the surrounding areas. The park has improved on some levels.




























It's going to be another hot day. Like most Holy Weeks this one feels it gonna be quite hot. I awaited by the Chess Plaza as was agreed upon. Only two other people showed up but one has to go to another place for a meet-up.

We also checked the Chinese Garden for a supposed meet-up of PATAS but none of them showed up. They invited us for their event but they were not there at all. So it's just me and my old friend.







We took a jeepney going to Ermita Church. It was also praparing for the Easter vigil and Salubong. There was a children's choit at practice and damn they sing so bad and I thought, "This choir was way more bad than what we have at our Church."


I was actually more interested with the image inside. An image of an idol being worshiped by natives upon a pandan plant.(Pandanus amaryllifolius). Records show that this was indeed an image of the Virgin Mary but I really doubt that story.












Then we took another ride going to Quiapo Church, our second Church. For thsi day the goal is to visit seven Churches.









We walked to Raon because that is the only palce where we can cross the street. Currently the Lacson underpass is no longer in use and will be a private entity. Which I regret the most. Some people I know were excited by the news.

Next stop was the San Sebastian Church, the only steel and rusting Church in Asia. It was too dark inside but that doesn't matter.






We then walked to the Our Lady of Montserrat but it was closed. But that is the third Church.. Too bad I was not able to see this gem of a Church despite being one of the new Churches in Manila.




The fourth Church is the Sam Miguel Church with its huge statue of the angel with a dragon at its feet. The Church was also closed and its way darker by this time. I am also sweating with the heat but there area of San Miguel is cool thanks to the trees around the area.

I wanted to see the tomb of Imelda Marcos' step mother as well. But again that will come another day.





Fifth Church was the Church of St. Jude. It's interesting to see that this palce is stillopen. It's about 8 pm by that time. And what do I see a bottle of Mogu-mougu. Someone had an urge for nata de coco. lolz



We had a short dinner at SM Nagtahan and then went to Legarda for the well know twin Churches. The Chapel of the Venerable Order Tercera and Loreto Church.

The Easter Vigil mass has started with the Chapel so we went to the Our Lady of Loreto. I was actually thinking of a place where to best celebrate the easter Vigil somehow we ended up in here.



If you want to have an idea about the mass you can read up on the missal for that day in here. In this Church they literally had most of the mass in the dark. For me that is quite unpractical.



























The mass was OK and their choir did fairly well but I being such a critic think the choir could have done better. Also the priest of the mass seem to be confused on what he is doing. Honestly they can't even decide if they are going to have the mass in English or Tagalog.

After that there was no Salubong. we had to wait until 4 am so we headed back to Rizal Park. By that time the mass at Quiapo was already ending. We decided to stay for the Salubong. It was nice to see the Salubong in a different way at Quiapo Church thanks now to the Bulabog Children's Choir.














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