My Share for #BeautifulSunday initiated by @ace108

Welcome back to another episode of our travel here in the Bicol region of the Philippines. Last time we visited one of the oldest church in the region which is said to be 400 years old. As we were headed to one of the popular tourist sites, a church came up in our navigational app along the way. It is located halfway to a hill called Kawa Kawa and we decided to stop by as I love visiting religious architecture. We often visit old churches but today we will be visiting a monastery that is only five years old. Walk with me today as I share with you the charm of this place.

 

Divine Mercy Monastery

 

Join in the tour and see our previous adventures in the region.

Part 1 The Long and Winding Road to Bicol

Part 2 Balatan Public Market

Part 3 Baresbisan Beach Resort

Part 4 Discovering Life by the Road

Part 5 Embraced by Nature "Hibiscus Camp"

Part 6 A Tranquil Afternoon "Hibiscus Camp"

Part 7 A Charming Mountainside Food Shack

Part 8 The Antlers of Ocampo

Part 9 Nabua Church

 

Driving from our previous stop in Nabua Church it will take you around 38 minutes to reach the monastery. Originally we were headed to a ruins location and this place is just along the way to our destination. Maybe just around 2-3 minutes away from the main road as you would make a turn going up hill.

I have not been here yet nor have I seen photos of the place online. Didn't get a chance to do some research about the place since it was not in our plan. I was expecting to see an old church but I was surprised to see a structure that looks very new.

The complete name of the Monastery is "Divine Mercy Monastery of the Carmelite Nuns of the Holy Trinity" and is located in Tabaco Rd, Ligao, Albay in Bicol. It was constructed in 2014 and is being run by the Nuns of the the Holy Trinity.

The design of the church is very different from the old Spanish churches that we have visited in our past travels. The materials are used are modern but arches are similar to old churches.

A shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel looks over on the right side of the building. Just beneath it is a small pond with Koi fish.

Say a prayer, toss a coin in the pond and make a wish. Normally in other churches there are prayer areas where you could light a candle and pray for your wishes. I was not able to find the prayer area here but I guess the pond is their alternative to it.

The monastery was constructed by the support of pilgrims through donations. There was a very interesting way to recognize the people who supported the construction.

The steps that leads to the monastery is made with tablets with the foot prints or hand prints of those who donated.

 

The names of the people and their home town is written on the tablets. I have noticed that they have come from different parts of the country.

If you would closely have a look, some also come from different parts of the globe. Countries like Germany, United Kingdom, and the United States have all given support to its construction.

I passed thru the side door and was wondering how the place looks like from inside. The structure is not the usual rectangular shape but somehow like a semi-circle.

An angel holding the Holy water basin stands near the entrance and is a common sight in churches.

Instead of a long aisle it has four short aisles with five columns of pews, each has around 7-9 rows of seats.

The ceiling is constructed of metal beams and sheet roofing. I am not sure if construction is already complete as the metal beams are exposed on the ceiling. Maybe they would still be covering it up in the future.

The retablo in the center also looks new unlike the ones in old churches that are made from wood with intricate carvings.

The dome in the center has painted glass windows which looks to be the 12 apostles. A very great way to allow natural light to the center of the building.

What completely drew my attention is the large painted glass windows. As some of you might already know I absolutely love painted glass in religious structures. This is my favorite part in churches and something that I could spend a lot of time just observing.

Saints and religious scenes are often represented in these windows. There are stories told in each window and its form is considered an artwork.

We came here in the morning around 10:00 am and based on my experience the perfect time to truly see its beauty is during afternoons. The light is softer in the afternoon and has a soft calm glow that passes through the glass.

Even though the structure is fairly new its charm comes strongly from the large painted windows. The artist did a good job as it emanates an old church nostalgic feel to it.

Took another shot with a lower ISO to show the colors from the windows.

Saints and Martyrs are remembered as the sun passed through the glass. Each share their stories of faith during times of persecution.

On the further right side are two round painted glass windows perfectly positioned above the side entrance.

The scenes are parts of the life of Christ which is decorated with roses in the center and on the sides.

 

As much as I would like to stay longer it was time for us to leave and continue on with our journey.

I think our stopover here was well worth it is a beautiful monastery built by the support of people from all over the country and across the globe.

I am thankful for your time with me again in exploring this monastery. I hope you enjoyed the tour and please do let me know what you think about the place. What part did you enjoy the most?

Hope to see you again next time as I take you along with me to the Ruins of Cagsawa. Until then I hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend see you soon.

 

See the churches we have visited during our travels.

Nabua Church

San Jose Church

Majayjay Church

Lilio Church

Calamba Church
St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church

Paete Church

Manila Cathedral

San Agustin Church

Immaculate Heart Convent

Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral

St. Mary Magdalene Church

 

 

 

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All photos are original and taken with
Lumix GX85 12-32 mm kit lens

 

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Posted from my blog with SteemPress : http://watersnake101.steemblogs.club/2019/11/17/take-me-to-church-divine-mercy-monastery-beautiful-sunday/

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