Earlier this week, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines announced measures that allowed devotees to observe Holy Week while honoring restrictions by the enhanced community quarantine.
[READ: Indoor Palm Sunday, online masses, priest-less confessions: Holy Week in the time of COVID-19]
In line with the national government’s strict orders against mass gatherings, one of their recommendations is to observe Holy Week practices and masses at home. People who go on a Visit Iglesia can now continue their traditions online, as Google offers virtual tours of historical churches around the country through the Google Maps app.
Using the Street View feature on the app, which provides a 360-degree view of a location, users can explore churches through their computers or mobile devices.
Some of the churches that can be explored on the app are:
- San Agustin Church, Intramuros
- Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish, Sta. Ana, Manila
- Daraga Church, Albay
- The Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Concepcion, Manila
- St. James The Apostle Parish, Pampanga
- Saint Gregory The Great Parish Church, Majayjay
- Basilica Menor del Santo Niño, Cebu
- San Pedro Cathedral, Davao
To use this function, simply open Google Maps on your computer browser, type in your destination and drag the Pegman to a specific area on the map. Mobile users can input the destination and tap on a place marker.
Header photo courtesy of Christ the King Parish Church
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