More Holy Week visitors seen at Pasig cathedral

MANILA — With fuel prices on the rise, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Pasig is seeing more visitors during Holy Week this year compared to 2025.

Cathedral parochial vicar Fr. Dominique Gapayao believes some Filipinos may have chosen to stay in Metro Manila instead of traveling elsewhere due to the price hike.

Gapayao noted a significant spike in visitors during Palm Sunday last March 29th.

“Nung hapon, hindi namin in-expect na talagang hanggang labas ‘yung mga nagsisimba... Parang nagkaroon kami ng paniniwala na dahil nga nagmahal ‘yung gasolina, at ‘yung mga pamilyang ngayon, they intend na lang na huwag na lang lumabas ng Maynila, or huwag na lang magbakasyon, o kaya naman huwag nang umuwi ng mga probinsya, and they just intended to stay sa Manila, and to focus on their homes, tapos magsimba na lang dito sa cathedral,” Gapayao said on Thursday.

“Nung Palm Sunday, sobrang dagsa ‘yung tao, especially nung afternoon,” Gapayao added.

Despite challenges in traveling due to the fuel price hike, Shara Espinar said her family makes sure not to miss Visita Iglesia annually for Holy Thursday.

“Actually, nag-start pa po kami, three years ago, nag-start po kami mag-Visita Iglesia. Mas lalo po nag-strengthen ‘yung faith namin simula nung namatay po ‘yung kuya ko. So every year na po, ginagawa na po namin na mag-Visita Iglesia. Pero siyempre nga po, kahit nga po mahal ‘yung gas, ‘yung diesel, gusto pa rin po namin ituloy po ‘yung parang panata po namin,” Espinar said.

“Naniniwala kami pagka— gaya po nung nakaraan, ginawa po namin mag-Visita Iglesia, mag-exam po kasi ako for board exam. And natupad po at pasado na po ako last year, December, bilang professional teacher po,” Espinar added.

Gapayao shared that they expect thousands of visitors for Holy Week in 2026.

STRONG YOUTH PRESENCE 

Gapayao also expressed confidence Holy Week traditions will be kept alive by the younger generation, noting a balance in the ages of cathedral visitors.

“Nakakagulat na lang kasi may mga pagkakataon, na kasa-kasama din nila ‘yung kanilang mga apo, ‘yung kanilang buong pamilya, at ‘yung kanilang mga kabataan sa loob ng pamilya. Ibigsabihin, in terms of generation, ‘yung mga kabataan ngayon ay open na sa pag-attend ng ating mga Easter celebrations,” Gapayao said.

Mark Daniel Naga, a sacristan since 2011, said long hours of practice for Semana Santa means that on some days, they go home just to sleep.

“Halos araw-araw po kami nandito. Tapos minsan, umuuwi na lang po kami sa bahay para matulog,” Naga said.

But there are no regrets for Naga who showed pride in the strong youth presence in their diocese.

“Masasabi ko po ngayon sa dioceses ng Pasig, buhay po ‘yung kabataan dito. So mapapansin niyo po ‘yung mga simbahan, bawat parokya dito sa Pasig, Taguig, Pateros, na dumarami po ‘yung mga naglilingkod po sa simbahan,” Naga added.

There are over 100 sacristans under the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Pasig.

On the morning of Maundy Thursday, there was a renewal of priestly commitment at the cathedral.

Various activities are also lined up for Good Friday, including Seven Last Words, Stations of the Cross, Veneration of the Cross, and the Passion Narrative with a procession, according to Gapayao.

Other churches in Metro Manila saw Filipinos partaking in the Lenten tradition of Visita Iglesia, involving Stations of the Cross.

There were noticeably less visitors on Holy Thursday afternoon at Minor Basilica of St. Anne - Taguig City.

But foot traffic could increase with an Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper scheduled at 6 p.m. 

This will be followed by the Altar of Repose from 7 p.m. to 12:00 midnight, and the Office of Readings start afterwards. 

STATIONS OF THE CROSS OUTSIDE CHURCHES

Some Filipinos are opting to bring the Holy Week tradition of praying through Stations of the Cross to places other than churches.

All 14 stations were set up at a mixed-use estate in Taguig under “Faith Walk 2026.” 

The stations were put up on March 30 and will remain there until April 5th.