We had gone to the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage or Antipolo Church on Good Fridays the last 4 or 5 years. That mini-tradition was cut short last year when the Clairvoyant went to her mother's hometown in Zambales to spend a few days there while she was in the Philippines (she was still posted in Singapore at the time last year). This year we decided to go in part as thanksgiving for our future home near the shrine. Following are a few photos taken at the shrine this morning.
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| The Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage |
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| Main altar with the image of Our Lady enclosed in glass at the center |
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| Another view of the main entrance to the shrine |
There were many people as usual at the shrine this morning. Most were pilgrims doing the visita iglesia or church visits, often with the objective of visiting 7 churches and praying a novena for the stations of the cross or the rosary in each church. Some have themes of trying to visit only old churches like the ones found in the Rizal-Laguna area or in Pampanga, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija (similar visitas are in churches in Cebu, Iloilo and Negros, and so on). Some try to go to only major churches or shrines (e.g., Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Baclaran, Sto. Nino in Tondo, Manila Cathedral and San Agustin in Intramuros, San Sebastian in Manila, Sto. Domingo and Our Lady of Lourdes in Quezon City, etc.). The visita iglesia is usually a good time for bonding among family members or friends though its becoming more like that than for prayers or reflections on a holy day. Hopefully, prayer is not lost among those taking the road trip this Holy Week.
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