Simala Church: A Journey of Faith and Awe with My Friend William Pombo

Nestled in the serene hills of Sibonga, Cebu, the Simala Shrine, also known as the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist, stands as a symbol of faith and divine intervention. This grand church, often referred to as the "Castle Church," is renowned for its architectural magnificence, sacred atmosphere, and miraculous stories. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit this revered site with my dear friend, William Pombo, and the experience was nothing short of spiritually uplifting.

The Journey to Simala

The drive to Simala was as delightful as the destination itself. William and I set out early in the morning to make the most of our day. As we approached Sibonga, the scenic views of rolling hills and lush greenery provided a tranquil prelude to the sacred sanctuary awaiting us. Upon arriving, the sight of the towering church instantly captivated us, its castle-like facade gleaming under the Cebuano sun.

Awe-Inspiring Architecture and Sacred Atmosphere

Walking into the shrine felt like stepping into a divine realm. The intricate designs, majestic spires, and the vibrant colors of the structure left us in awe. Inside, the solemn atmosphere was palpable, with devotees offering prayers and lighting candles. One of the highlights was the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is believed to have performed miracles, drawing pilgrims from all over the country.

Moments of Reflection and Gratitude

William and I spent time exploring the church’s various sections, from the prayer rooms to the candle-lighting area, each spot exuding a sense of peace and reverence. We also took a moment to write our personal petitions, joining the countless others displayed in the shrine. It was humbling to witness the sheer devotion of people, a reminder of the power of faith in uniting individuals from all walks of life.

A Memorable Experience

Our visit to Simala was not just a journey to a religious site; it was an opportunity for reflection, connection, and gratitude. Sharing this experience with William made it even more special, as we discussed our thoughts and feelings about the significance of faith in our lives.

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If you ever find yourself in Cebu, a visit to Simala Church is a must. It’s more than a tourist destination; it’s a place where faith and beauty converge, leaving a lasting impression on the heart and soul.

⛪ Baclayon Church: How It Looks Today After the 7.2 Magnitude Earthquake

In 2013, the province of Bohol and its surrounding areas were struck by a devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake, leaving many buildings, including the historic Baclayon Church, severely damaged. The oldest church in Bohol, known for its rich history and cultural significance, was hit hard by continuous aftershocks.

It had been nearly five years since the earthquake when I had the chance to revisit Baclayon Church. The last time I had visited was in 2010, right after I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree. Three years later, in 2013, the destructive earthquake struck, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Baclayon Church, a key tourist spot in Bohol and an important symbol of the Boholano people’s faith and history, was no exception.

However, in 2018, on May 26, I made my way back to my home province of Bohol. Accompanied by my friend William Pombo, we set out for Baclayon after enjoying the white sands of Panglao Island. Arriving at 8:30 AM, we found the church bustling with tourists both inside and out.

Standing outside, I was amazed to see that the church had been beautifully restored. The marks of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake were nearly gone, with the bell tower looking as impressive as ever. The green algae and plants that once adorned the walls of the church were no longer there, but that didn’t take away from the charm and character of this historical landmark.

Inside, I was reminded of why Baclayon Church is so special. Its unique design still stands out, a clear testament to its significance in Bohol’s history. This church helped elevate Bohol into the tourism spotlight and continues to be a source of pride for Boholanos.

My visit to Baclayon Church in 2018 was a powerful reminder of how Boholanos have rebuilt and recovered from the destruction caused by the earthquake. This visit truly highlighted the resilience of the people and the enduring beauty of their cultural heritage.

Lenten Special : Visita Iglesia at Simala Church

In commemoration of Lenten Season, I’ll be featuring this miraculous Simala Parish Church. This Church is situated in Barangay Simala, Natalio B. Bacalso S National Hwy, Sibonga, Cebu.

I had a chance to visit this amazing church two years ago – it was summer. When I first saw Simala, I was fascinated because of the design. It looks like a castle or I might say “a theme park”. Indeed, some are visiting just to see the architectural design and most of them are tourist and foreigners. 

Inside, the detailed design is very mesmerizing.

The people purposely visit this church to ask for miracles. In fact, you will see inside those evidences of granted prayers – wigs from cancer survivors, pens from board passers, wheel chairs from those who were able to walk and etc.

How to Get There? (ChoosePhillipines)

From Manila, you can fly to Cebu (estimated cost of Php3, 000++, round trip, 45 minutes).

From the Mactan International Airport, hire a cab and ask to be dropped at the South Bus Terminal where you can ride a bus going to Sibonga; you can also hire a van from City Link terminal where it will take you all the way to the shrine. The bus ride from Cebu City to Sibonga takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes. By the time you reach the stop point, take a motorcycle ride to bring you to the Simala Shrine.

This Lenten Season, plan your vacation and don’t forget to include this church – a place where you can connect our Mighty God. Make your travel and vacation fun and holy.

⛪ Churches That I've Visited For Visita Iglesia.

The Seven Churches Visitation also known as Visita Iglesia is a pious Roman Catholic Lenten tradition by attempting to visit seven churches or religious sites. Traditionally observed on Maundy Thursday, it is commonly practiced during any day of the Holy Week. Indeed, trek to churches is part of Filipino's Culture. And as a Filipino Traveler, I can't separate the fact that in every place I've been, church visit is always part of my itinerary.

Since the day I traveled and started to blog, I noticed one thing- Church Picture. Not just seven churches but innumerable.

Indeed, Lenten Season is about to come. Lemme, post a video of my favorite Christian Song Entitled "Jesus Takes the Wheel". This Video is a compilation of my Church visits as the day I started to wander. I also chose the song because it is my favorite song that is appropriate for all my travels. "I let God to maneuver my life to avoid misadventures".Hope you like it....

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⛪ A Quick Visit at Baler Catholic Church

 It is situated in Poblacion , Baler and  the bus station at the Baler market, take a tricycle and ask to be taken to the church for 3-5 minutes.

For me, a tour in every place is incomplete without Visita Iglesias, so after visiting the Historical site of Doña Aurora’s House; I went ahead and I was able to see the stunning Church of Baler. The San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Catholic Church, it is located in Poblacion, Baler. It was just a speedy glance of the architectural design from outside (I was not even check the indoor design).

Since the church is just across of Aurora’s House, I took one picture for my documentation purposes.

At your first glance, the church is unnoticeable since the design is very modern so what’s new and interesting about it. (I have been visited numbers of Old Churches in Rizal like BARAS, TANAY, and in BACLAYON, BOHOL. So for me nothing special about it ).

However, when I started to do a research about it after the tour, I discovered that the said Church is very historic. The reason of its modern design it’s because the present church was rebuilt through the initiative of the late President Quezon’s wife Dona Aurora, their family and friends with the cooperative effort of the townspeople after it was almost eroding and falling into pieces. The church was proclaimed as one of the historical landmarks of the Philippines by the National Historical Institute in 2000.

The church is built largely of stones and a brick, the structure is an old church with a simple façade but the materials now is modern. This was the old historically famous garrison of four officers and 50 men during the Spanish regime and the last pocket of resistance of the Spanish armed forces to surrender to the American Troops from June 27, 1898 to July 2, 1899. It existed until the end of 1939

Moreover, Baler’s patron saint is San Luis Obispo de Tolosa.. This is also where the La Campana de Baler, an ancient bell, was used and later stored as an artifact in Museo de Baler.

⛪ BARAS CHURCH, THE SAINT JOSEPH HUSBAND OF MARY PARISH IS TRULY VINTAGE.

Second day of Rizal Travel-  Baras Rizal.

Baras is considered as a first class municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is a Town which is situated after Morong and prior to Tanay.  Baras is just a small Town and politically subdivided into 10 Barangays.

List of Barangays:

o Evangelista
o Rizal (Pob)
o San Jose
o San Salvador
o Santiago
o Concepcion
o San Juan
o San Miguel
o Mabini
o Pinugay

And Baras Rizal is very popular for its Church, Saint Joseph Parish which has been the setting of different TV Programs, TV Commercials, Documentaries, Movies and Photography especially travel bloggers like me. It has been an all-time favorite location for location hunt managers for shooting due to its architectural design which is very vintage and well-preserved.

 The Church is situated at A. Bonifacio Street, Concepcion , Baras, Rizal.

I am not expecting that Baras Church is very vintage architecture. Not at all, I thought that it was an abandon heritage thingy when you’re viewing it from the outside. But when you go ahead inside you will appreciate the entire arrangement.  I was exquisite baroque architecture.  Unlike in Tanay church which is old outside and maintained inside, Baras Church is totally old architecture even in the interior part of it. The wooden ceiling is really amazing given the fact that nowadays we are no longer using wood for celling instead we are now using steel.




The green and blue algae are noticeable when you stare towards the walls of the church that adds up the oldness of the design. Eleven steps of grand stairs will welcome you for you to reach the main door. The decorations of the simple facade are drawn from the balustrade that trims the sharply triangular pediment, but a unique beauty can be drawn from the checkerboard pattern of stone, brick, and mortar that the paintless finish provides, a clear reminder of the era in which the church was made.

  A wooden door is made up of mahogany which is mean that the durability of it is secured. The remarkable feature of the altar is the color gold, the floor is rough and it defines the real and original materials that were used. The walls are made up of dark adobe which is rough and bare and the ceiling is made up of wood to be specific decors and adornments are almost non-existent.  The church appears quite massive even if it looks compact and totally imposing in its solidity. A simple capiz window screen for the choir loft protected by a balustrade and a saint's niche at the pediment is also another feature that is perfect of the image capturing.

As per the National Historical Institute, the first church was built by the Franciscan Order in 1915 but was transferred to Ibayo (now Concepcion) after the town was moved there and was administered by the Jesuits for 63 years.

What I find most interesting is the sculptural value of their Via Crucis. And the plaza is really big, and you can a park your car there.
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⛪ Wandering in Cainta’s Our Lady of Light Parish.

First day of Rizal Travel, Cainta Rizal was our first town we visit. We went directly to the Church named “Our Lady of Light Parish”.

The Cainta Church is located along A. Bonifacio Avene, San Andres, Cainta. From Manila, you need to ride a bus at Robinson Galleria bound to Taytay. Tell the driver to drop you off at Juction or Ever Gotesco Mall. From Juction or Ever Gotesco Mall, ride a jeep with Taytay Bayan, ask the driver if the jeepney will pass through at the Cainta’s Church (PHP 8.00 is the fare.)

The Stone Church is under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antipolo. On December 1, 2007, the newly renovated altar and new historical marker of the church were blessed.

When it comes to architecture, Cainta church is a baroque style where-in even at first visit, you will notice the exaggerated motion and the clearness. You can quickly and easily interpret the details of the interior design which is full of drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, and architecture.
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Cainta Church was finished in 1715 by the Jesuits. It has a simple early-Renaissance facade with paired columns, niches and square windows at the choir loft. A connected bell tower has semicircular arched windows. However, the church today is not the original architecture because during the Philippine-American War, the church was burned together with the original icon of Our Lady. It remained a ruin until the 1960s.  Cainta rebuilt the church, the restoration and reconstruction of the parish was completed on February 25, 1968.

Therefore, you can no longer witness the early-Renaissance façade style but you can still appreciate the modernized church. It is now made up of Adobe, Sand, Gravel, Portland cement and Steel. A wide parking area is available outside to those who are car owners.

A wedding ceremony during my ocular visit

At the time of our arrival at the church, a wedding ceremony was still going on. I was impressed the largeness of the church which is very perfect for a wedding ceremony.  The aisle is very long enough therefore the bride can really feel her walk towards the altar.

Tablet of 10 commandments

As I walked around within the proximity, there are other structures that you can enjoy seeing with. Tree house is in the left side, mini garden; the tablet of 10 commandments is in the right side and lot more.

Our Lady of Light Parish Cainta Rizal Schedule of Masses 

Our Lady of Light Parish Formation Center or Information Center?

A dramatic outdoor Grotto 

Garden of Peace

Coming up next, our next stop is the Cainta’s Kakanin.

⛪ San Idefonso Church in Tanay Rizal is a living witness of the Past.

After we took a brief look of the Municipal hall where-in I considered it as a new White House in the Philippines (since White house in the Philippines is also located in Baguio), we went ahead to the Tanay Church the “San Ildefonso Church”. It is just a meter away from the Municipal Hall.

The Church is situated at the Town Proper of Tanay, Rizal. You can easily locate the church due to its stunning architectural design that you can identify right away. From Metro Manila, the terminal for Jeepneys and Vans are located in front of Star mall in Shaw Blvd. near MRT Station. From there, it will take two hours of travel amounting to PHP70. Just tell the driver to drop you at Plaza Aldea.
San Ildefonso Church was built from 1773 to 1783. And the remarkable architectural construction is a living proof of the past. It was erected in the second half of the 18th century by the Franciscans.
The Ecclesiastical Administration of Tanay belonged to Pililia up to 1606 when the first church was built. The town moved to San Antonio in 1620 but was transferred to this site in 1640. The Present Church was completed in 1783.

The Interior Design

The church's interior is rich, with five great examples of rococo-influenced retablos.

On the walls are the panels of the Via Crucis, The 14 Stations of the Cross inside of the said Church has an anomaly that can rarely be forgotten. The first twelve bear marks and features revealing the Malayan or native characteristics incorporated such as the somewhat squat appearance of the figures, including Jesus, the use of "Tambuli" made from carabao horn and of the "tabak" or native bolo instead of the usual Roman sword, while the last two bears features that are unmistakably Caucasian.

Because of the way in which they were indigenized through perspective, proportion, and other details-- one of the characters even wears glasses. Unfortunately, the constructions of the Via Crusis were not documented in the book or even in the History of the said church, yet it was extensively believed that the first 12 stations were done by the endemic artist of Tanay.

Moreover, aside from the issue mentioned above, another anomaly is usually noticed in the 7th station by visitors where Caiaphas, the High Priest wears a sunglass. All said, it is considered to be one of the most amazing Stations of the Cross in all of Asia.

July 31, 2001 it was declared a National Cultural Heritage by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts along with 25 other churches all over the Philippines therefore another great honor was endowed by the locals of Tanay. It is not just a church but it is a living witness of our colorful history.

The Attached Structure

Another, distinctive detail inside the church is the small altar attached in the wall. At first you, I was under the impression that it was just a designed but after asking one of the Altar boys I found out that the hanged small altar is functional altar during the mass of the Franciscan priests. Due to its huge size of the said church and during that time “sound system ( today we use microphone)” was not available yet, the Priests use the hanged altar during their sermons and homily so that they can be heard.

The Head Stone on the Floor 

As I continue to rove around the church I noticed headstones on the floor. Each of the said head stones there was inscribed names on it. “Bakit may mga Lapida sa loob ng Simbahan? (Why are those headstones exist inside the church?)”. I asked the Altar boy. “The Altar and the Floor were the burial ground of the Priests and with those High Positions of the Governance who died long ago” the Altar boy answered knowledgeably.  It was disturbing for me to walk on the floor knowing that someone’s remains were buried under the floor. The feeling of being scared mixed with a hesitation that “stepping above one’s burial is a sign of disrespect.”
Outside of the church is very old yet inside it is new. I believed the interior of the church was already renovated and maintained well.



After the picture taking, taking glance of the church and a short interview of the interview, we went to an eatery to buy foods for our lunch…. Next stop for lunch is DARANAK FALLS.

⛪ A Glimpse if St. Jhon the Baptist Church in Taytay, Rizal

The Life Sise Statue of St, John the Baptist

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If you came from Metro Manila, your point A of your destination is at Robinson’s Galleria in Ortigas. At the side of that mall, you will see a lot of busses on queue with a sign board Taytay. The Bus fare is PHP21 for ordinary and PHP25 for air-conditioned. Then you can drop off at Junction or Ever Gotesco Mall, from there just ride a jeepney going to Taytay Palengke for PHP8 and there you go, the jeep will pass through and tell the driver about your landing place.


If you came from the south, like Angono, Binangonan, Cardona or Morong. Just ride a jeepney Taytay and make sure you are going to drop off at Taytay New Market, ride another jeep for PHP8 with “Taytay Parola” signboard.

Just to manage your expectation, you will experience heavy traffic either you came from Juction or from Taytay New Market. The road is narrow.

San Roque

St. Jhon the Baptist Parish is built at the top of the hill. It is located in Barangay San Isidro Taytay Rizal. It is easy for you to locate it because the Church is just behind the Taytay Old Municipal Hall.

Before you can take a glance of the entire old architectural design of the church, you need to use the stair at the entrance of the gate.  It was like a stairway to heaven while looking up the life sized Statue of St Jhon doing a baptism. Once you reach at the hill, a wide plaza will welcome you; adjacent of the Church is an extremely large Acasia tree. At the left wing of the church are the Stations of the Cruz (via cruses).


As you proceed inside, a white and Asian interior design will gladly receive you. It is very relaxing visually since the color is very oriental, there is some gold furniture that will add up the details of the design but overall most of the entire design is oriental.  The marble flooring is clean and the ceiling as well. The interior arrangement is very modern which is in contrary of what you will see outside. It is a proof that the church underwent a renovation maybe.

St. Pedro Calungsod

Meanwhile, as I promised in the beginning here is quick fact about the Church.


Pedro Calungsod stayed at the St. John the Baptist Parish in Taytay, Rizal

Research shows that from circa 1666 to 1668, a young Calungsod stayed at the St. John the Baptist parish in Taytay, Rizal where he nurtured his strong interest towards the arts as he learned scholarly how to draw and paint.

Holy Mass Schedule

Sunday	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat
05:00 AM - 06:00 AM Tagalog	06:00 AM - 07:00 AM English	06:00 AM - 07:00 AM English	06:00 AM - 07:00 AM English	06:00 AM - 07:00 AM English	06:00 AM - 07:00 AM English	06:00 AM - 07:00 AM English
06:15 AM - 07:15 AM Tagalog	07:00 AM - 08:00 AM	07:00 AM - 08:00 AM	07:00 AM - 08:00 AM	07:00 AM - 08:00 AM	07:00 AM - 08:00 AM	07:00 AM - 08:00 AM
07:30 AM - 08:30 AM Tagalog	06:00 PM - 07:00 PM Tagalog	06:00 PM - 07:00 PM Tagalog	06:00 PM - 07:00 PM Tagalog	06:00 PM - 07:00 PM Tagalog	06:00 PM - 07:00 PM Tagalog	06:00 PM - 07:00 PM Anticipated Mass
08:45 AM - 09:45 AM Tagalog
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM English
03:30 PM - 04:30 PM Tagalog Children's Mass
04:45 PM - 05:45 PM Tagalog
06:00 PM - 07:00 PM Tagalog
07:15 PM - 08:15 PM Tagalog