This is the time of year when Catholics generally remember heaven and presumably, hell.  We fast, abstain, pray before the fourteen Stations of the Cross, and on Jueves Santo go Visita Iglesia at seven churches, saying our prayers at two Stations each.

Combining aesthetics and devotion, we visit the most striking churches.  There are many along the northern and eastern shores of Laguna de Bay, near enough for a leisurely day trip yet far enough from Manila to see green and breathe pure.

Priests and/or congregations love to renovate old structures and I hope no heavy porte-cochères have been added since I last visited; or retablos smothered with gold paint, stuck with gold chocolate bar palarâ, or worse.  Anyway, here are some of the churches that I had rated high.

The church at Taytay has a panorama of lake and mountains and hopefully still has its retablos with charming carvings of long-ago daily life.  Nearby Antipolo has been a pilgrimage destination for centuries.  The old church was bombed in 1945, but its replacement is nice enough.  Still in place is the image of Nstra. Sra. de la Paz y Buenviaje that saw to the safe Pacific Ocean crossing of many a Galleon.

Morong Church has a great photo-op façade and carved crocodile heads atop posts supporting the choir loft.  At the far end of Rizal, Tanay church is a National Cultural Treasure with rococo retablos and must-see relieves of the Stations of the Cross.

Further on, most Eastern Laguna churches retain their ancient facades though some have been “improved,” e.g., Mabitac church has a fantastic location atop a hill (climb some 90 steps) but is nondescript modern inside and Pangil church once had a magnificent retablo but is now generic modern.

Many churches are marvelous, if under-maintained.  That of Paete has a façade with Santiago Matamoros, an atmospheric interior and remarkable relieves, retablos and paintings.  Pakil is home of Nstra. Sra. de la Soledad, still in its old retablo; the Virgin’s Spring flows healing water.  The churches at Nagcarlan and Liliw have preserved their old retablos.  Majayjay has a fabulous church and convent (another National Cultural Treasure) though the last time I was there, workmen were busily hacking away the 18th century azulejos tiles.  The rebuilt Pagsanjan Church is dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Be warned that the Vatican has revamped the Stations of the Cross, so your prayer book may not tally with what is up on the wall.

In between prayers, watch out for details like the sculpture of a balangót hat marking the spot at the foot of Magdalena’s convent stairs where a bleeding Emilio Jacinto (“Brains of the Katipunan”) breathed his last.  Liliw municipio is special with Jaime de Guzman’s mural.

Shopping possibilities include chinelas (Liliw), espasól (Nagcarlan), buco pie (Los Baños), quesong puti (Sta. Cruz, etc.), embroidery (Lumbang), and wood carvings (Paete).  And be sure to time your prayers so you’re in Pagsanjan (various possibilities) or San Pablo (Kusinà Salud, Villa Escudero) for lunch.

Comments are cordially invited, addressed to walalang@mb.com.ph.