11 Churches to Visit in Metro Manila to Complete Your Visita Iglesia

Visita Iglesia, or church visit, is a key part of every Filipino Catholic’s Holy Week tradition where we visit at least seven churches to honor the blessed sacrament and repent for our sins. It’s usually done every Maundy Thursday for the whole day, but some stretch their schedule and complete their visits before the week ends. Whatever your plan is, we’ve listed several churches within Metro Manila, so you can either walk, commute, or drive in a short time and complete your Visita Iglesia.

Manila Cathedral

The Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception serves as the episcopal seat of the Archbishop of Manila. It was built in 1581, but was damaged and destroyed several times due to fire, earthquakes, and the Battle of Manila during World War II. The eighth cathedral, which stands until today, was reconstructed from 1954 to 1958 under Archbishop Rufino Cardinal Santos with the supervision of architect Fernando Ocampo.

Check out their Facebook page for this year's Holy Week activities and other updates.

Location: Cabildo, 132 Beaterio St., Intramuros, Manila

San Agustin Church

Also known as the Archdiocesan Pontifical Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation and Cincture or the Immaculate Conception Parish, this historic 16th century church is only a five-minute walk from Manila Cathedral, making it easier for every Filipino’s Visita Iglesia. It’s the oldest stone church in the country and is among the four churches built during the Spanish colonial period designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Visit their Facebook page for updates and daily livestreaming of masses.

Location: General Luna St., Intramuros, Manila

Quiapo Church

The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, or canonically known as Saint John the Baptist Parish, is the home of the Black Nazarene, a life-sized wood carving of a dark image of Jesus Christ while carrying the True Cross. It was founded in 1588 and was reconstructed from 1933 to 1935 under Fr. Magdaleno Castillo, with help from architect and National Artist Juan Nakpil. It elevated as a minor basilica on Dec. 11, 1987, with the issuance of papal bull Qui Loco Petri by Pope John Paul II.

Visit their Facebook page for updates and daily livestreaming of masses.

Location: 391, Quezon Blvd., Quiapo, Manila

San Sebastian Church

The Minor Basilica of San Sebastian is the only steel building church in the country. It was declared a National Cultural Treasure on August 15, 2011. Its original structures were made of wood and brick, but were destroyed by fire in 1651 and by earthquakes in 1859, 1863, and 1880. The structure that stands today, which was completed in 1891, was designed by Spanish architect Genaro Palacios who thought of fusing Seismic Baroque and Neo-Gothic styles together.

Visit their Facebook page for Holy Week mass schedules, updates, and livestreaming of masses.

Location: Plaza del Carmen, Recto Ave., Quiapo, Manila

Santa Cruz Church

The Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Church is a baroque parish church established by the Jesuits in the early 17th century, with its last reconstruction done in the 1950s. It was designated the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament on June 3, 2018, by the 32nd Archbishop of Manila Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. Its façade features the image of Our Lady of the Pillar (Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila), which was canonically crowned by Pope Francis on Dec. 7, 2017.

Check out their Facebook page for this year's Holy Week activities and other updates.

Location: Plaza Sta. Cruz, Santa Cruz, Manila

Binondo Church

The Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz was founded by the Dominican priests in 1596 to serve the Chinese community who converted to Christianity as well as Filipinos. It’s dedicated to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary and Saint Lorenzo Ruiz who trained here before going to Japan as a missionary where he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion. The latter became the Philippines’ first saint after he was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1987.

Check out their Facebook page for this year's Holy Week activities and other updates.

Location: Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz, Binondo, Manila

Malate Church

The Our Lady of Remedies Parish Church is one of the oldest churches in Manila and is among the only two churches (the other being Quiapo Church) in the country with a façade featuring twisted columns. Highlighting Mexican Baroque-style architecture, it’s dedicated to Our Lady of Los Remedios (Nuestra Señora de los Remedios) and is home to the image of the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Remedies, which was brought from Spain in 1624. Visitors can easily see the revered statue by the church’s altar. 

Check out their Facebook page for this year's Holy Week activities and other updates.

Location: M. H. Del Pilar St., Malate, Manila

Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel

Located just beside the River Park of Filinvest City in Alabang, Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel embraces the purity of Mother Mary with its inverted lily design. Nestled on top of a small hill inside the bustling metropolis of Muntinlupa, this chapel serves as a solemn sanctuary within the busy city.

Location: Civic Drive, Alabang, Muntinlupa

Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church (Guadalupe Church)

The Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church, commonly referred to as Guadalupe Church, is a significant Spanish colonial-era church located in Makati City. Originated in the 1600s, it has endured various calamities over the centuries while bearing witness to the unfolding history of the city.

Location: 7440, 1211 Bernardino, Makati

Shrine of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus

Situated within Pasay City along the grounds of Villamor Air Base, the Shrine of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus was established in 1947 with the aspiration of becoming a center of devotion to the saint in Asia. Presently, it operates as the Diocesan Shrine under the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines. Despite the passage of time, the church continues to uphold its sanctity and reverence, particularly after the visitation of the pilgrim relics of St. Thérèse in 2000.

Location: Ground Floor, 20 Newport Boulevard, Newport City Complex, Barangay 183, Villamor Air Base, 20 Newport Blvd., Pasay

St. Pancratius Chapel

With roots dating back to the Spanish colonial era in Manila, Paco Park stands as a testament to the rich history of the Philippines. Nestled within the park lies the quaint St. Pancratius Chapel, also referred to as Paco Park Chapel. This chapel is dedicated to St. Pancratius, a Roman citizen who embraced Christianity and met martyrdom at the age of 14 due to his unwavering faith.

Location: 959 Belen, Paco, Manila

This list has been updated to add more churches that have recently opened their doors for visitation for the upcoming Visita Iglesia.