This year’s Maundy Thursday was a spiritually fulfilling one. We set out on a Visita Iglesia. We visited a total of 14 churches. There were 10 in Ilocos Norte and 4 in Ilocos Sur. More than a tradition, it was a quiet journey through centuries of faith and history in Northern Luzon.

One of the most tragic episodes in the history of St. Polycarp of Cabuyao, Lagjna occurred on May 3, 1935, during the Sakdalista uprising. Fifty-two members of the Sakdal Movement, a revolutionary group that called for immediate independence from the United States, land reform, lower taxes, and transparent governance, were killed inside the church by constabularies.

Nestled in the heart of Baras, Rizal, Baras Church, formally known as the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Saint Joseph, stands as one of the oldest churches in the province.