Philippine Cycling Adventures : Churches in Metro Manila

Hi there! Time flies so fast it is the last day of April already. Last Saturday (April 22, 2017), I decided to visit churches around Manila. There are many churches around Manila area but in order to visit many of them I decided to visit the ones that are near my home. So hop in with me in my bike and let's explore churches around Metro Manila one pedal at a time. :)

First stop is University of Santo Tomas parish also called Santisimo Rosario Parish. This parish was built during the turbulent months at the dawn of the second world war and is currently run by Dominican priests. I really like this church because it is close to my home and I usually go here every Sunday.

The facade after the main entrance really looks nice.

The church is well designed inside. It went through various renovations through the years. The old vibe was replaced with a modern one. The parish also has air conditioners so going to mass here can really be comfortable even if there are many people already inside.

Santisimo Rosario Parish Entrance interior

For my second stop I went to Loreto Church also known as Sampaloc Church. This church is really old as it was built during 1613 by the Franciscans.

I also like the interior of this church. I personally like the white pillars with gold color.

I moved next to Saint Anthony Shrine which as also founded by the Franciscans during 1974. I only traveled just a few meters. Or maybe I should call it walking. Because Saint Anthony Shrine is just adjacent of Loreto Church. I was not able to take a picture inside because the church was closed when I visited.

Here is what the churches look like from the outside. I find this really cool. When I first came here, I asked myself why there are two churches that are adjacent to each other. I wonder how the church goers near this area choose where to go during Sundays as they have two options :). Due to their close proximity to each other these two churches were known as the "twin churches of Sampaloc or Twin churches of Bustillos"

Afterwards I went to San Sebastian Church also known as "Basilica Menor de San Sebastian" which is maybe around 300 to 500 meters away from the twin churches. The church is currently run by Augustinians. This is my favorite church because I have lots of memories here. I usually wait in front of the church for my friends during Saturdays when I have no classes during my High School days.

The church was completed in 1891 and is well noted for its architectural features. Its frames is made of steel. The church is also declared as a World Heritage Site and a National Cultural Treasure of the Philippines. I really like the Gothic design of the church which reminds me of structures in Europe.

I went next to Our Lady of Montserrat Abbey. This monastery was founded by monks from Spain in 1885 and is currently run by Benedictines. The place was closed so I was only able to take pictures of the facade.

The sun was already high and the heat is getting uncomfortable as I was travelling to my next destination, Quiapo Church. This church is also known as Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. Every 9th of January thousands of people gather here to take part in procession of the Black Nazarene around Quiapo area.

Even during Saturdays there are many devotees inside

I decided to go back to Intramuros after to visit Manila Cathedral. This church is really beautiful and big. It was originally owned and governed by the archdiocese of Mexico in 1571. It was destroyed and rebuilt many times and was finally completed in 1958.

The outside view of the cathedral

The interior looks really nice too

I went next to San Agustin Church which is an auspices of The Order of St. Augustine which can also be found inside the walled city of Intramuros. It was closed at the time so I was not able to get inside.

Since it was already noon and the heat was unbearable I decided to go to my last Church. Which is a bit far from San Agustin. After pedalling for around 30 minutes I finally arrived to my next destination, Santo Domingo Church. It is also known as National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of La Naval de Manila which is being run by Dominicans. It was built during 1587 by Spanish Augustinians.