Visita Iglesia Online

an old, old Catholic custom was to visit seven churches on Holy Thursday.

This practice, introduced by the Spanish colonizers, goes back to the time of the early church where Christians would visit the seven great basilicas in Rome for the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament during Maundy Thursday. These churches are: The Saint John Lateran, St. Peter, Saint Mary Major, Saint Paul Outside the Walls, St. Lawrence Outside the Walls, Holy Cross in Jerusalem and St. Sebastian Outside the Walls.

Usually, the Holy Sacrament is taken out of the tabernacle and placed on a side altar, since Jesus was in the Garden of Gesthemane...you are supposed to spend time with him praying, since the Apostles fell asleep when he was being tempted to give the whole thing up and run away. Traditionally, if you are being tempted, or are facing sickness or death, this is the part of Jesus' life that you think about in your prayers.

Well, a lot of Pinoys can't visit churches, because they are sick, or live in areas without churches (e.g. Saudi, on board ships) or have to work.

so the Bishops have put the "Seven churches" on line, with audio prayers (The stations of the cross) to inspire your prayers.

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Another Philippine custom is chanting the Passion...the neighbors set up a small chapel to chant the traditional prayers.

I wrote about Holy week in the Philippines a while back, and you can find the essay HERE.