How are you my lovelies?
I hope you are all doing well.
Featuring these lit candles for hope and confidence.
Last time, my friends and I went to Cebu for our oath taking. We were given the opportunity to visit another place away from our hometown thanks to all the love and support of our families.
I know for some of my fellow countrymen here it is just Cebu and nothing special but for me and my friends, it was a dream come true. We can talk about places next time but for now, one of the reasons we chose Cebu is so that we can visit Simala Church.
This is Simala Church in Sibonga Cebu. One of the most religious places in the Philippines.
People all over the country and even foreign nationals visit Simala. From Cebu City, it is a 2 hour drive and it is located in the upper hills of the place.
Yes, it feels like you are walking on a stone walled castle!
This shrine is well known for its miracles and it was built by Marian Monks of Eucharist Adoration in 1998. The devotees of the Blessed Virgin Mary offer their prayers, attend the masses, write their intentions and buy religious gifts and accessories.
This is the inside of Simala. It was golden and beautiful.
We are lucky that we still get to attend the mass and it was held by an archbishop. The mass was in Bisaya, Cebu’s main language, and it was amazing since the place was full of people and they were really eager to listen, and participate.
Before we went inside, we first had to pass a lot of kiosks and stores that sell a lot of religious accessories. You name it, bracelets, t-shirts, hats, flowers, keychains, ref magnets and many more.
Here is a photo of tourists at Simala.
Did you notice the hats? Those are what they sell outside the premises. You can also notice that short shorts are not allowed, but if you happen to visit and not know about the rules, they provide a scarf where you can cover your legs.
How about the man on the wheelchair? You might be thinking how he was able to hike up if the church is located on a hill. Well, here’s how.
Here is my friend Eddie hiking up the ramp.
The shrine has a ramp and stairs where old people and those who are on wheelchairs can still go up and attend the mass or light a candle.
I did have to catch my breath here, since you cannot pause for long because many people are behind you, also catching their breath.
Yes, that is how passionate people are, they come from all over the Philippines and even if they cannot walk or see, they believe that they can be healed here at Simala. I am not even surprised when others tell me that they even borrow money from family and friends just to afford a bus ticket going to Cebu and fare money for a Simala trip. They don’t waste time and money for other places, but they do everything just to pray at this Holy place.
Just look at these candles! They go way beyond and also to the other side as well. They cost Php. 40.00 pesos each and the funds go to the maintenance of the place.
They are colorful and they all have meanings. Yellow for hope, green for prosperity, purple for sacrifice, red for passion and many more.
A lot of people also brought home their candles and made sure that the candle would not break in their backpacks. Just like broken mirrors, many believe that broken candles are also a sign of bad luck.
Here are some personal belongings from different people who passed the national exams.
These people once prayed here in Simala and it is a tradition that when you pass the exam, you must come back here and give thanks. These are the exact things they used during exams. You can see the pencils, scientific calculators, religious bracelets, pins, sentimental memorabilia, some even gave their uniforms and medals. It also came with their heartfelt letter of thanks to God. For sure they are now in a good place somewhere and successful in their careers.
Since Simala is a wonderful place, we did not say no in taking pictures.
This is my friend Shaira, this is her after the mass and thanksgiving.
She too passed the board exams we took last August 1 and 2 this year. You can see how radiant she is now that board exams season is done.
We appreciate the structures this place has and it was more enjoyable because we came here as a group. So if there are any opportunities that we can capture a memory, of course we are all delighted with it.
Some places in Simala are still under construction. Hopefully we can visit it soon to explore the changes it went through.
It has many arches and religious relics everywhere.
It is a bucket list for most of the Catholic people in our country.
This is a hedge where they spelled out “we love mama Mary” .You can also see the ramp and stairs we passed through.
These are some stairs at the place and people are not allowed to enter that area, for safety purposes.
I had to take a photo with my flask. My empty flask.
Yes, water is your best friend here. It is because this place is so hot and humid when you come here at noon or you are early in the afternoon. That is why they sell hats at the entrance and lots of water.
This is the view. A little foggy and you can see a lot of coconut trees as well.
This trip was everything to me and my friends. It was our first time in Cebu as well. I couldn’t say we were not anxious because we were in a new place with a language slightly different from ours. We were outside of our comfort zone and we were 9 hours away from home. Despite it all, we enjoyed ourselves and it was a September to remember.
I hope you are all well and safe my lovelies, thank you so much for reading.
The girl with an empty flask,
Jani
Note: All photos are mine unless stated otherwise.
