October every year is a special occasion for one of the metropolis’ most prominent Catholic churches. In particular, this church celebrates two important occasions: the feast day of its Marian patron and the anniversary of its establishment in its current location. And what is this church is the Urban Roamer referring to? Why, it is none other than the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City, considered to be the one of the largest Catholic churches in Metro Manila. For us to better appreciate the significance of this landmark, it is important for us to learn its history. For that, we have to first visit the Walled City that is Intramuros in…
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Santuario de San Antonio: The Catholic Hub of Upscale Makati
December is upon us once more. A time yet again for yuletide cheers, festive weddings, and everything else in between. To kick off this most anticipated month of the year, the Urban Roamer features today a Catholic church that is not only a favorite venue for masses (especially as simbang gabi is approaching) and weddings but has grown to become a prominent contemporary landmark in the metropolis in its own right, shaping the landscape, at least in the part of the city where it is located. Today, let us explore and learn a bit more about that Catholic realm at the heart of upscale Makati, the Santuario de San Antonio…
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Papal Visit Postscript: Pope Francis, 2015
By all accounts, it can be safely said that the recent Papal visit of Pope Francis with the theme “Mercy and Compassion” was a success, a roaring success at that. A product of two equations coming together: Pope Francis’s innate charm and charisma and the deeply-rooted sense of faith that Filipinos have, in this case the Catholic faith where majority of the population belongs to. Even if you are not a Catholic, you cannot help but be smitten by the personal touch the Pope has especially in interacting with the people he has met throughout his 5-day visit. With the visit now part of history, let us take a look…
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The Vatican’s Manila Outpost
In the current flurry of activity in the papal visit of Pope Francis, one spot that has been getting much of the attention in the media and in the public at this time is the place where he is staying, the Apostolic Nunciature to the Philippines in Manila. In fact, the Nunciature also played home to the previous papal visits of Paul VI and John Paul II, following a standard procedure that visiting pontiffs would usually stay at the apostolic nunciature of the country they visit if there is such. Unfortunately, there is not much documentation, text or photos, of the Apostolic Nunciature here as the structure is obscured by high…
