The Philippine Online Chronicles

Churchgoers flocked to Metro Manila’s popular churches, including the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church), San Lorenzo Ruiz Church (Binondo Church), and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Shrine (Baclaran Church).

The same churches were a hit online, through the Visita Iglesia site of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. As of 5:10 a.m. today, the site had 88,431 recorded visits, more than double of last year’s 47,473 visitors.

President Aquino reportedly joined his sisters on their Visita Iglesia and will be spending more time with his family until Easter Sunday.

Meanwhile, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia led Cebuano churchgoers in visiting at least 22 churches in the southern and midwestern part of the province.

While CBCP’s site catered to overseas Filipino workers, even Filipinos working in Muslim countries such as the United Arab Emirates took time to organize Visita Iglesia or novena tours.

“Unlike in the Philippines, the churches here are more or less 100 kilometers apart," said Orlan Santos, a clerk in a UAE hospital. “It is really a sacrifice even though we are traveling by bus. Still, we take this opportunity to pray the rosary while on the journey," he added.

Photo: Churchgoers attend Maundy Thursday mass at the Mary Immaculate Church (also known as Nature's Church) in Las Pinas City where seats are made from tree stumps and the church itself from wooden materials.

While the Maundy Thursday practice of Visita Iglesia has been accepted by the Catholic Church, Fr. Rudy Magbanta of the Saint Paul parish in Quezon City said it is more of a Filipino tradition than a Church law. In fact, he suggests that Maundy Thursday be left for silence and contemplation since this is the time that the Blessed Sacrament is brought out for laymen to view and ponder on. Instead, churchgoers could go church-hopping on Good Friday.