The Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and Columbarium, is so close to NAIA Terminal 3 that…read moreyou could almost walk there. The area has an ecclesiastical museum with beautiful artwork of St. Therese. The shrine also has its own Adoration Chapel and a flower shop. Mass there is something to see. The entire area is softly lighted and you can hear mass no matter where you are sitting. It is very close to the Marriott, and I understand it is used a lot for weddings with the reception at the Marriott. We simply went to mass and looked at the lovely art work. It was wonderful.

The Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and Columbarium, or simply St. Therese Shrine, stands…read moreright across NAIA Terminal 3 and within the vicinity of Newport City that houses the busy Resorts World Casino complex. The shrine is among the most popular wedding venues in the southern areas of Metro Manila. Apart from the bright altar that makes use of natural light (making it perfect for post-wedding photo ops), the church has tastefully designed interior. Plus, it's near Manila Marriott Hotel - itself a favorite reception venue with its huge ball and function rooms. In short, if you get wed at St. Therese, you won't need a bridal car if your reception is held at Marriott Hotel. The minimum fee for a wedding at the shrine is PHP 40,000.00 and that gives you one and a half hours of air-conditioned use of the church, a basic flower package, a soloist and pianist, a royal blue carpet for the aisle, and a priest. Weddings can be pencil-booked for three days, after which an official reservation must be made with 50% downpayment. Another attraction of the shrine is the columbarium. It houses 38,000 vaults or niches which can each fit four urns. The area also has an Ecclesiastical Museum displaying artwork about the life of St. Therese. The shrine also has its own Adoration Chapel and a flower shop.

I only actually started frequenting going to mass here for about a year which is weird because my…read morefamily has lived in Magallanes for six years and for some reason they refused to go to this Church and we still went to our previous Church. Haha. Anyway, this is actually a newly renovated church because it was burnt down a couple of years ago. It took awhile for them to rebuild it but voila! This newly renovated church is finished. I love that on Sundays, they celebrate mass until 9 pm the latest. I think that that's perfect for those who aren't really morning persons and have family obligations all day. After an early Sunday dinner, you can head over to this Church and hear mass. I also love the priests here. They're nice and friendly and easy to talk to. Parking though can be difficult so I opt to walk. You can come early to find a good parking slot somewhere, or just park somewhere in Magallanes and walk. :)

My family has been going to this parish since before I was born! I grew up hearing mass in this…read morechurch, and I've attended mass every Sunday here even after the church had burned down, and masses were being held in a large bahay kubo while the church was being renovated. First of all, the church structure is absolutely beautiful. If you attend mass in the mornings, the light passing through the windows is so beautiful and calming, it really sets up the atmosphere for hearing mass. It's also air-conditioned inside, so you don't have to worry about passing out from the heat. The priests that give the homily are all very talented too - never have I strayed from listening to a homily in St. Alphonsus. My favorite priest was a Hispanic one whose name escapes me now, but he was very funny and always made the audience laugh during his homilies. I remember he blessed my mom's boyfriend's motorcycle (it's a long story), and afterwards, he showed me his prayer book and jokingly said, "Do you have an airplane I can bless too? Because this book has instructions for blessing airplanes and I've always wanted to try." What a great guy! The masses are also pretty short, they last around 45 minutes, and bells outside begin chiming once the mass is ended. It's pretty neat, and plus the singers for mass are also very talented. Mass schedule goes from 7:30am all the way to 9pm, so all you nightowls have no excuse to miss mass now, haha! Overall, I love this church, and I'm probably going to attend mass here until I die.

I'm not really amused by chapels inside shopping malls. In Christianity, there's this story about…read moreJesus Christ cleansing the Temple of people who turned it into a marketplace. But I digress. What I really wanted to say is that, finally, there's a mall chapel that I'm willing to favor. The San Pedro Calungsod Chapel at SM Aura Premier is unlike other places of worship inside malls. For one, there are no retailers or restaurants near the chapel. True, the Samsung Hall (a performance theater) is located on the same floor but it's on the far opposite side of a garden strip. The chapel is an ideal place for devout senior citizens, especially during summer, because it's air-conditioned and easily accessible. There is a small elevator on the 5th floor exclusively servicing churchgoers. But during my visit, I opted to use the stairs instead to allow more space to the senior citizens who were lining up for the elevator. It was a steep climb but it was worth all my effort. The dome-shaped chapel is a feast for the eyes. Its modern architecture and the bright ambient lighting give it that holy ground glow which is nothing short of spectacular. Everything in it -- from the simple altar to the amphitheater layout and the great acoustics -- can surely move a person to be silent and say a prayer or two. Masses are held twice a day at 12:00 noon and 6:00pm from Mondays to Saturdays. During Sundays, five masses are held and scheduled at 10:00am, 12:00 noon, 3:00pm, 5:00pm and 7:00pm. Confessions are held daily after each mass. Baptisms, confirmations, and weddings are not allowed in the chapel.

Whenever my nieces and nephews stay over for the weekend, they ask me to take them to this church…read more See, the first time I took them Our Lady of Beautiful Love or OLBL, the nuns were conducting Sunday School for the children. They really loved it because they did arts and crafts and they weren't bored. The second time I took the kids to OLBL, there was no Sunday School. I found out that they only have it once a month. Sometimes on the first Sunday of the month. Sometimes on the last. So the kids and I had to sit through mass. The thing is, OLBL is a parish for families. So no one will glare at you if your kid suddenly runs or cries to talks loudly. It's like they're used to having kids in this parish. Another thing that I like about this parish is their choir. They sing so well! I'm not that into God, but their songs uplift me.

The Mother of Perpetual Help National Shrine otherwise known as Baclaran or Redemptorist Church is…read moreprobably one of the churches I have visited the most. Wednesday has always been Baclaran day for my Dad for as long as I can remember, and as soon as I was old enough, I started going, too. At the main altar, the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is situated and to get near and touch, one must fall in line on the right side of the church (facing the altar). There is, however, another image at the area where candles are lit; a mosaic gifted to the church by a foreign artist. The smaller crucifix is also in the same area where the candles are, but the bigger, free-standing crucifix is at the main church (by the main entrance), near the encased image of the Sto. Niño. Masses on Wednesdays are held every hour starting from 5:30 in the morning until 7 in the evening, with a break between 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. as the priests and lay ministers take a break for lunch. Baclaran is pretty convenient to go to for commuters as the area is a turn-around point for buses and jeepneys from all over Manila and neighboring cities. For those who intend to bring their cars, I personally suggest that you find parking across the row of restaurants and buildings facing Roxas Boulevard and just walk towards the church. Nowadays, Baclaran isn't just known for the church, but also for bargain shopping. Hundreds of vendors display along the street their items ranging from phone cables, ladies' accessories, shoes, clothes, snacks, and so much more. This of course is aside from the shopping malls that populate the area.

This is definitely one of the most popular churches in the country. The church where thousands…read moreconverge on wednesdays for their devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Devotees walk to the altar on their knees, join the novena and light candles as part of their devotion. This church played a huge role in my childhood. I grew up just a block away from the church so my parents and aunties are all devotees. I remember braving the crowds during wednesdays and wondering why people are walking on their knees while clutching their rosaries. I try to coerce my nanay into giving me some coins so I can buy candles. It's a challenge for me to look for a spot where I can place my lighted candle because almost everyone lights a candle in prayer. There is a Santo Nino encased in glass near the front door of the church and I love squeezing my way through devotees so I can touch the case. I distinctly remember the smell of the garlands of sampaguita and ilang-ilang. There is also a life sized crucified Christ and my tatay used to lift me up so I can hold the toes of the image. A lot has changed in its surroundings. There are more vendors and stalls near the church. The traffic is heavier because of the commercial centers in the area. But the intensity of the devotion of the people that go there on wednesdays remain the same.

I've only been to Sanctuario De San Antonio Parish exactly two times - both was to attend a…read morewedding. My first experience was when I was a wedding guest and my brother was part of the wedding entourage. I was immediately impressed upon entering the sacred venue, high walls, cosy structure and long aisle. It seemed like Sanctuario De San Antonio was made for weddings. It also helped that the place was fully aircondtioned. I can imagine how hard it must be for brides to walk down the aisle in scorching heat. Aircon is definitely a must when I get married. My second time at this church was when I was part of the entourage of my friend's wedding. I was quite excited to walk down the aisle and have the feeling of being enveloped by the church. Yet again, I was impressed by everything the church had to offer. Good sound system, good ventilation and a feeling of exclusivity and sanctuary. Sanctuary De San Antonio is definitely one of my favourite churches in Manila.

If there's one thing I love about San Antonio Parish, it's their area for crypts. Yes, it sounds so…read moremorbid... but to be completely honest, I love how they have one of the most conveniently located and well-maintaned crypts that I have been to. I have many relatives buried here, so I frequent this place a lot. Besides their location, I like how their crypts are neatly lined up in rows, with no frills around them. The floors are always clutter-free and the crypts are also cleaned regularly. They make sure to remove any wilted flowers/plants, in case you are not able to visit right away to remove the trash yourself. They also have fans in each hallway to make it breathable for visitors. I used to dread visiting relatives in other cemeteries, but now that most are in San Antonio, I don't mind it at all and even find myself visiting more often than I normally would.

National Shrine and Parish of the Sacred Heart of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila was…read moreestablished on January 11, 1976. It is located at Brgy. San Antonio, Makati City. The Parish Fiesta is celebrated every 24th day of June https://www.parishph.com/2022/01/national-shrine-of-sacred-heart-makati.html

The National Shrine of the Sacred Heart was where I got baptized in 1989. In 2012, this is where I…read morehad my daughter baptized as well. They used the same holy bowl of water for both us, though the baptistery had been renovated. I think that was pretty meaningful. I remember Sacred Heart as an old church, pretty run down and dark. But when it became a shrine in the early 2000s, the parish got a makeover. It got airconditioning, landscaping, and all new interiors and lighting. What a breath of fresh air! Since then, there have been a number of weddings at Sacred Heart. Apparently it also has a crematorium on the property, which I only discovered after the renovation. It gets full on Sundays, naturally, when residents of Makati and Pasay come to celebrate mass with their families. (The Binays are often here too.) There's a children's mass at 430, a Filipino mass at 530, then 630 up to 830 the masses are in English. Come early if you want to take a seat. They open the baptistery for seating, too, but the aircon isn't too strong there. Sit at the very back of the main church if you want cool aircon. If it's not raining, they have outdoor seating as well.

I have been so blessed going to The Feast every Sunday from 9 'til 11:30 AM. It was like on another…read moredimension of the world when I first attended here. It was so flabbergasted when I saw the people worshiping God with all their hearts and spirit. Since then, I attended Sunday masses filled with love, peace and joy. It would be of great pleasure to invite people to attend here in The Feast Mall of Asia. May God bless each of the servants and attendees of FMOA!

From the owner: Every Sunday, we celebrate the Sacrament of the Eucharist with joy and reverence. We commune…read moretogether in worship and fellowship. There's a practical and relevant talk, rooted in the Word of God. Every day has become a practice of what we learn at church, and we bring the experience of The Feast Mall of Asia to where we are: our homes, workplaces, friends, and organizations. We grow deeper in relationship with God through the sacraments, daily meditation on the Word, and personal prayer time. We grow deeper in relationship with one another through friendship and fellowship, worshiping together in word and in deed. Together, we are home with God and with one another.

Its still look the same, since I was a kid. So nice and nice setting. You can actually see the…read morepriest. I'm glad they have more mass time now. Thank you for keeping the place nice and clean

Greenbelt Chapel is beautiful open-air church. Love it being in the center of the malls. Many…read moretimes, we are just walking by and say hey let's stop in for mass or just to say a prayer. Happy Easter!

I have been to Saint Andrew's Cathedral twice, both of which have been for a wedding. The Church…read morewas definitely one of the most beautiful I have seen here in Metro Manila, and despite being founded in 1917, it still had the picturesque feel. The interior of the Cathedral is beautiful although I believe it has been renovated in the later years. I especially loved their chandeliers and the huge wooden doors. Can you just imagine how dramatic a bride's entrance is whenever those doors open up?! Magical, I would think! The Cathedral is also air conditioned although Pau has told me that it was only renovated several years back. I think this is great since ventilation could become a huge problem is they didn't adjust to the bipolar we've been experiencing lately. The walkway is also pretty long, which I would think suits well for any bride. I, for one, would like to walk down a pretty long aisle just to make it more romantic and dramatic.