03/04/2026
Visita Iglesia is a traditional Catholic practice during Holy Week where people visit seven churches, usually on Holy Thursday, to pray and reflect on the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. The phrase comes from Spanish and means “church visit.” In the Philippines, it is one of the most meaningful Holy Week traditions.
Most people visit seven churches because the number symbolizes the Seven Last Words of Jesus or the Seven Holy Wounds.
In the Philippines, many families do Visita Iglesia together. Some travel by car, some walk barefoot, and others even bike from church to church. Aside from being a religious activity, it is also a way for families to bond and appreciate old churches and local history.
Here are the the following churches we visited.
1. Immaculate Conception Parish Church in Oton.
2. San Juan de Sahagun Parish Church, Tigbauan, Iloilo
3.Parish of St. Thomas of Villanova, Alimodian, Iloilo
4. Parish of Saint James the Greater, located in Maasin, Iloilo
5.Santa Barbara Parish Church
6.Sta. Monica Parish Church, Pavia, Iloilo
7.San Jose Placer Parish Church