Our Philippine churches are a gem.

Church of Sta. Teresa de Avila

Yes, it's great to see the Shrine of the Fatima, the Sistine Chapel, the old churches of Spain and Europe, but if you can't, don't lose heart. Our own Philippine churches are a gem themselves.

Santiago de Compostela

Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in France

St. Francis of Assissi Shrine in Sariaya, Quezon

We went on a healing pilgrimage last Saturday, organized by GLAD, God's Love and Delight.  To Sariaya in Quezon to see the Shrine of St. Francis of Assissi, then to Lucban to the Kamay ni Hesus Shrine, and finally to Pila, Laguna for its Shrine of San Antonio de Padua.

Except for the Kamay ni Hesus Shrine, both the St. Francis and St. Anthony Padua Shrines were built during the Spanish rule.

St. Francis of Assissi (right image) was originally built in 1599, then transferred and rebuilt in 1703, and after an earthquake in 1743, rebuilt in 1748 in its present location in Sariaya.

Kamay ni Hesus Shrine in Lucban, Quezon sits atop a hill reachable by 300 stone steps

The Shrine of Saint Anthony was erected by the Franciscans from 1599 - 1617 originally in Pagalangan and in the late 18th century, due to perennial flooding, the old church along with the town center, was transferred stone by stone to its current site in Sta. Clara.

Shrine of St. Antonio de Padua in Pila, Laguna.

Interior of St. Anthony church

There are about 600, 000 churches and 20 million chapels all over the Philippines while there are only 80 provinces, 143 cities and 1,491 municipalities in the country.  This means that there are multiple churches within cities and municipalities, and even within housing projects or subdivisions.

The more popular and widely known churches and cathedrals in the Philippines are the Manila Cathedral, the San Agustin Church, Sanctuario de san Antonio, Malate Church, Barasaoin Church in Malolos, the Baguio Cathedral, Antipolo Chruch's Nuestra Senora de Buenviaje, Quiapo Church of the Black Nazarene, Church of Obando or the San Pascual de Baylon Church,  Our Lady of Manaog Church, the Vigan Church, Church of St. Joseph in Las Pinas,  and the Basilica Minore de San Martin de Tours in Taal, Batangas, among many others.

I've been to some of these great churches myself. but have yet to see more.

Antipolo Church inscription.

Nuestra Senor de la Paz y Buen Viaje of Antipolo (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage)

Basilica de San Martin de Tours in Taal, Batangas is considered the largest church in the Philippines and in Asia