List of Churches for Visita Iglesia in Cagayan this Holy Week

Filipino Roman Catholic devotees have a custom of going on pilgrimages as Lent draws near and count down the forty days before Holy Week and Easter Sunday. On Holy Week, the ritual of visiting seven different churches and praying is known as the Visita Iglesia which is Spanish for "to visit churches."

Tourism during Holy Week has grown so popular that visitors are now accompanying pilgrims in their journey throughout the nation to take part in the festivities and see historic colonial churches and cathedrals on a Visita Iglesia, this is true especially since most parts of the country are now on the lowest Alert Level System. People can travel around the country these days, granted that they follow the proper health and safety protocol from the government.

One of the most famous destinations for Visita Iglesia is Cagayan. For those interested in seeing some of the province's historic Spanish churches, the Holy Week is an excellent time to take a trip down the Cagayan Valley Road or nearby and complete your own "Cagayan Visita Iglesia." The Red Brick architecture of churches in the north of Luzon, particularly in Cagayan, is well-known and a must-see for tourists. Along the Cagayan River's banks, clay may also be found in abundance. As a matter of fact, Iguig's Barangay Atulu still has a thriving brick-making business.

We collected some of the great churches that you can visit in Cagayan this Holy Week so make sure to include some of them on your Visita Iglesia itineraries:

Tuguegarao Cathedral (Cagayan Valley Region)

Spanning the city highway, tourists can easily find Tuguegarao City's renowned baroque church that is loomed prominently in the background. Its towering bell tower, despite the haze and the maze of electrical cables, was a monument to the church's status as one of the greatest religious institutions in the Cagayan Valley Region.

The Tuguegarao Cathedral, formally known as the Saints Peter and Paul Metropolitan Cathedral, was built in 1604 by Dominican friars. Only 157 years after the first building began was the present iteration of the structure really started. In Cagayan, bricks are used in the construction of the church. When compared to its peers, its decoration has a more stylized look, with Solomonic pillars that twist in the wind and Doric columns that line the façade.

As a side trip on your Visita Iglesia in Tuguegarao Cathedral, we suggest that you also try their famous pancit batil patong, which is a popular local dish in the province.

The Tuguegarao Cathedral is located at 40 Gomez St, Tuguegarao, 3500 Cagayan.

Iguig Church and Calvary Hills (Iguig)

Iguig Church has more to be proud of than only being the only Spanish-era church in the Philippines with a flying buttress. Larger than life sculptures symbolizing Jesus' fourteen Stations of the Cross are located on four of its eleven hectares of mountainous land.

The San Antonio de Galicia Church in Cagayan was also constructed in the 18th century using local brick. It is situated on a hill overlooking the Cagayan River, same like its adjacent colonial churches, and has a brick stairway that was formerly utilized by local tradesmen under Spanish rule.

You can also take pictures of images from Christ's last hours as you stroll around Calvary Hills in front of our church's huge yard, relishing the cool early air and soaking in the beautiful scenery. Especially during Holy Week, the Visita Iglesia pilgrims flock to this once-obscure location, which has become a well-known pilgrimage destination since its establishment in the early 1980s.

The Iguig Church and Calvary Hills is located at 30 Cagayan Valley Rd, Iguig, Cagayan.

St. Philomene Church (Alcala)

Cagayan Province's most magnificent church may be found in the town of Alcala. St. Philomene Church or Alcala Church, with its aged brick walls, metallic grape flourishes on its double doors, gorgeously carved icons, and adorable belfry on the right, may probably exceed even Tuguegarao Cathedral's elaborately ornamented exterior. An elevated brick plaza with well-kept grass, a cherubim-topped pedestal, and an adjacent school built in the same style as the church round out this impressive sight.

However, compared to Tuguegarao Cathedral's slender stature, Alcala Church's wide aisles make up for its lack of grandeur in the height department. It has four rows of seats, rather than the customary two, thanks to a length of 24 meters. It's no surprise that it's tagged as the Philippines' widest church.

St. Philomene Church or Alcala Church is located at Pan-Philippine Hwy, Alcala, Cagayan.

Camalaniugan Church (Camalaniugan)

Unlike its surrounding towns, Camalaniugan does not have a well-known Spanish Colonial Era church to draw visitors. It used to have one, but it was destroyed and now just the skeleton remains of the building can be seen near the river. A three-level quadrilateral brick bell tower is close to a modern-style church. The oldest catholic bell in the Philippines and the whole region of South East Asia, called Santa Maria Bell, is located on the top level of the tower. The Sta. Maria Bell was created in 1595, although its origins are uncertain.

Camalaniugan Church is located at St. Hyacinth Church, Centro, Camalaniugan, Cagayan.

Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Piat (Piat)

The Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Piat, which sits on a hill overlooking the Chico River, is home to the Black Virgin Mary, one of the Philippines' most revered Marian symbols. The brick church is the fourth minor basilica out of the twelve minor basilicas in the nation and a major pilgrimage site in the northern region.

Piat Church's rear gate is the only way to enter the building. Faced with the river and the surrounding pastoral grounds, the church serves as a focal point for the community. A four-story belfry and a pair of what seem to be circular buttresses on the front of the building serve as the sole notable features of its façade. It's the statue of Our Lady of Piat, though, that's what draws the crowds.

The miracle image with its mystifyingly darker appearance was brought to the country from Macau in 1604 by Dominicans. It was originally located at Intramuros at the Santo Domingo Church before being moved to Cagayan to assist in the evangelization of the Ibanags. They now call her Apo Baket or the Venerable Matriarch, as well as the Yena Tam Ngamin or Mother of All.

The Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Piat is located at Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat Rd, Piat, Cagayan.

Lal-lo Church (Lal-lo)

Lal-lo is a little town with a lot of history. At one point in the Philippines' history, this peaceful village was hailed as one of the country's first four towns under Spanish authority. Prior to being called Vigan City, it was known as Lal-lo until the name was changed to Nueva Segovia and then reapplied. Finally, two of the three colonial churches that formerly stood in the area were abandoned and demolished. There was nothing left save the Santo Domingo de Guzman Church, which was the only building to survive.

In keeping with tradition, the church's exterior is made of red bricks and is situated on the banks of the Cagayan River. Only a brick wall surrounded by three enormous columns can be seen from the main roadway. Take a closer look at its retablo and you'll see a giant mussel shell at the base of Christ's feet.

The Lal-lo Church is located at Cagayan Valley Road, Lal-lo, Cagayan.

St. Lorenzo Ruiz Church (Aparri)

The Lyceum of Aparri, one of the top religious schools in the nation, has a contemporary church, not a red-brick construction from Spain. This church was just newly built in 2006.

The Ecclesiastical Museum may be found on the grounds of the school. On display are artifacts from the province's Catholic past.

Religious artifacts include anything from sculptures and paintings to robes and other clothing, as well as religious texts and other publications. You can also find an antique bell that had fallen apart, though it's a bit difficult to decipher the lettering on the rim.

The St. Lorenzo Ruiz Church is located at Lyceum of Aparri, Macanaya District, 3515 Aparri, Cagayan.

Apart from the Pancit Batil Patung, you can also try other local delicacies available in the Province of Cagayan such as chicharabao, carabao milk candy, pawa, putoflan, and lumot.

Visiting the province is also made more convenient and faster through the Build Build Build Projects from the national government. Some of the infrastructure developments in the area are the Pigalo Bridge in Isabela, Racuh-a-idi Batanes Access Road, Bayombong-Solano Bypass in Nueva Vizcaya, Abusag Bridge in Cagayan, Cabagan Bypass Road in Isabela, Disiluad Bridge in Quirino, Alicia-Angadanan-San Guillermo-Cauayan City-Naguilian Bypass, Roxas Bypass Road, Bambang Bypass Road in Nueva Vizcaya, and the Claveria Diversion Road.

This will not just ease the travel time of tourists and devotees going to Cagayan Province this Holy Week but also increase the potential of the province for real estate investments.

If you happen to live along the area and would like to have your a space that you can call your own, Bahay Goals can now be much easily achieved through Lumina Tuguegarao's flexible payment schemes like bank financing.

You can choose from home model units like the Adriana Townhouse, and the Armina Single Firewall.

Hurry, make your reservations now and enjoy the lifetime perks of accessible, convenient, and practical living with Lumina Homes.