Holy Week in Metro? Try these ‘staycation’ options

Are you one of those who prefer to spend Holy Week at or near their homes rather than in vacation spots outside Metro Manila?

If you are, then you can opt for “staycation”—spending the holidays in Manila without the hassle of traffic and using little money.

Here is a compilation of staycation options:

Online retreat

Pins of Light will be holding an online Lenten retreat called “Are You the One?” Praying in Disenchantment. This three-day DIY retreat begins on April 13, Holy Thursday, at 8 a.m. and ends on April 16, Easter Sunday, and can be done in the comfort of your own home. For details, go online:   https://pinsoflight.net/2017/03/12/online-holy-week-retreat.

Holy Week Triduum

Loyola School of Theology will hold a Holy Week Triduum, retreat from the morning of Holy Thurday to Black Saturday with the theme “Walking with the Lord of Life” at Cardinal Sin Center.

Easter Triduum, Holy Triduum, Paschal Triduum, or The Three Days, is the period of three days that begins with the liturgy on the evening of Maundy Thursday and ends with evening prayer on Easter Sunday).

Retreat master is Fr. Rogel L. Abais, SJ. Priests will be available for confessions on all three days.

For details, go to https://www.lst.edu/features/313-holy-week-triduum-2017.

Holy Week retreat

If you seek a more deeply personal experience, Light of Jesus Family will also hold the Shine Forth Holy Week Retreat on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at the Mall of Asia Arena.

For details go to https://www.lightfam.com/index.php/about-us/news/item/460-holy-week-retreat-2017.

Penitential walk

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle has called on the Catholics to join the Way of the Cross called Penitential Walk for Life on Good Friday from 4:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

The Way of the Cross will start at Plaza Rajah Sulayman in Malate and end at Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Manila Cathedral) in Intramuros.

The Penitential Walk will pass through Roxas Boulevard.

Tagle advised those who would join the Penitential Walk  to bring transistor radios so they could follow the prayers and meditations aired over Radio Veritas.

‘Visita iglesia’

A traditional practice among Catholics in the Philippines is to go on “visita iglesia” (Spanish for church visit). Usually, the faithful visit seven to 14  churches on Holy Thursday.

During the church visit, faithful either pray at the Altar of Repose or make stops at the Stations of the Cross.

Among the notable and historical churches in Manila are Santissimo Rosario Parish in the University of Santo Tomas; Basilica Minore de San Sebastian, also known as San Sebastian Church; Santa Cruz Church; Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, better known as Quiapo Church; Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz, also known as Binondo Church; Manila Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica, also known as Manila Cathedral, and San Agustin Church, both in Intramuros; Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat in San Beda College, Mendiola; Parish of Our Lady of the Abandoned, also known as Santa Ana Church; Our Lady of Remedies Parish Church, also known as Malate Church; Santo Niño de Tondo Parish in Tondo.

‘Ignacio de Loyola’

The film “Ignacio de Loyola” tells the story of the life of St. Ignatius de Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits. It will air on Good Friday on ABS-CBN Channel 2 at 10:30 p.m.

The film is in English, with a Filipino-dubbed version. The Filipino dub features the voices of Dingdong Dantes and Nonie Buencamino.

The original English version will be screened on Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday at Greenbelt Cinema 1 in Makati City.

Check the movie’s page on Facebook. For inquiries about screenings and distribution, e-mail [email protected]. CBCPNews.

Grand Easter Feast

Light of Jesus Family holds a weekly prayer gathering known as “The Feast,” which includes Mass, powerful worship and inspiring talks.

On Easter Sunday, a Grand Easter Feast will be held at Mall of Asia Arena. There will be two  sessions—8 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Tickets are available at P200 for lower box, upper box and general admission on a first come, first served basis, and P400 VIP and Patron seats on reservation.

Check https://www.lightfam.com/index.php/about-us/news/item/460-holy-week-retreat-2017.

Planetarium

National Museum Planetarium recently unveiled its newly installed hybrid planetarium projector, giving visitors a chance to see the stars as they had never been seen before.

Admission is free until the end of April. Details  at  https://www.facebook.com/nationalmuseumplanetarium.

Walled City tour

A tour of Intramuros, the Walled City, in Manila is a journey back to Spanish times, with the district’s centuries-old churches and cobblestone streets.

Sources: Inquirer Archives; https://pinsoflight.net/; https://www.rcam.org/news/2004-cardinal-tagle-invites-faithful-to-join-penitential-walk-for-life; https://www.lightfam.com/; https://www.lst.edu/