VISIT TO THE MONASTERY OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST
My day started pretty early last Sunday as we set forth on an adventure towards the southern portion of the province of Cebu, Philippines. Prior to that day, my father informed me that we need to leave the house by 6 in the morning. And since I'm that type of person who needs quite some time to prepare for a trip, even just a quick one, I needed to wakeup early to do self-care activities. From where I live, traveling to the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist or also known as Simala Shrine, would take probably around 1-2 hours depending on the traffic situation. And since it was a Sunday morning, the roads were quite clear so we got there around 8 in the morning.
It was quite a gloomy day and it started drizzling the moment we arrived at the monastery. Despite the weather, I considered it a blessing since I have always wanted to go to the shrine as a manifestation of my faith and devotion. As Catholics here in Cebu, we have this practice of visiting the Simala Shrine, since this shrine is famous for the miraculous Blessed Virgin Mary. The devotees of the Blessed Virgin Mary believe that her image located in the monastery would shed tears during her birthdays which is on September 8. I haven't witnessed such miraculous occasion but faith transcends beyond what is seen.
The Visit
Upon arriving, the queue towards the pilgrim center was quite long given that it was a Sunday and apparently it was a long weekend. Despite the long queue, we still decided to be patient while waiting in line since we came a long way and it took us hours to get there. Aside from that, waiting may also be a manifestation of our faith to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
As soon as we got inside the pilgrim center, we immediately purchased candles from the monks. As you can see in the images below, the candles have various colors and each color has a symbolism attached to it. I personally chose the color red for love specifically for my relationships, color green for success in my studies, career, and especially financial success, and lastly I chose the color gold. If I am not mistaken, the color gold symbolizes healing and I believe that love, success, and healing is what I pray for on a daily basis.
Due to the restrictions brought about by the pandemic, we are currently prohibited from going inside the premises of the church. They somehow reorganized the pilgrim center in a way that is safe for the devotees. Prior to the pandemic, we often got to visit and say our prayers inside the church halls and there were even areas where we were required to remove our footwear. Now, the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been relocated near the exit area of the pilgrim center so that it won't get crowded inside the church premises.
My mother and I managed to line up so that we could see the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary up close and so that we could say our prayers and petitions. It was drizzling but fortunately we came prepared and brought an umbrella and a cap. We did not wait so long while lining up. Apparently, being in the line was a blessing in disguise since I got to witness and take photos of the beautiful architecture of the monastery. Aside from being a pilgrim center for devotees, the Simala Shrine is also a popular tourist attraction and I could really attest to the beauty of the monastery. There is even a manmade waterfalls alongside a beautiful landscape.
We finally reached the end of the line after a few minutes of waiting and it was definitely worth it because I got to witness the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary up close. We all have different ways of showing faith and believe in different divine beings and this is my way of showing faith by visiting the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist.
Since the shrine is now open to the public, you can always visit whether you're a Catholic or not. The place is amazingly beautiful and is definitely worth the trip.
How about you? Have you been to the Simala Shrine? How was your experience being there?
lifewithera is a 22-year old, college senior, an aspiring yogi, a furmom, and a wanderer, who writes stories about her personal life, mental health, fitness, travel, and just anything and everything her heart wants to speak. If you want to get to know her more, then you can connect with her through various social media platforms.
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Are they still renovating the place?
I guess so, Sasha. Dili paman gihapon kasulod sa church premises
Oh I see, sayang no? Hope ma okay na soon
The pictures of the monastery and the flowers look great. You left quite early, it would have taken me longer to get ready. Thank you for sharing your journey there with us:)
Yes the monastery has such a beautiful architecture💕 it was an early journey but it was worth it!
Beautiful place💜😍💜😍💜😍
An unforgettable adventure, thank you for sharing your experience.
😉☺️🤗😊😌👍🏼
Awww thank you so much for dropping by! It means a lot🤗🤗🤗💖
Wow, I've never seen a monastery like this, it looks great with all the green plants and waterfalls. It was definitely worth getting up early:)
It truly is beautiful! I was mesmerized by it 🥰🥰🥰
Great post! I hope you don't wake up so early every Sunday 😉 Thanks for sharing !
Hahaha I hope so too, I am quite lazy during the weekends 🤣 thanks for dropping by dear. It means a lot🥺
It is an impressive, majestic place. I see that they keep the security measures in place.
Yes indeed I was impressed by its architecture and I felt safe given that health protocols were followed🤗
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Awww thank you so much to your team. This means a lot🥺🥺
I'm planning to visit too soon 😍♥️
Hope you can Mary! It's open na to public🤗🤗
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