Arriving at Bancal Port in Carles before noon on Tuesday from our trip to the Gigantes Islands, we continued our Visita Iglesia through the provinces of Capiz and Aklan. Of the seventeen towns and one city in Capiz, we were able to visit nine churches. In Aklan, we also visited eleven of its seventeen towns.
The only
slight disappointment in visiting churches during Holy Week is that the statues
and crucifixes on the altars in most churches are covered with veils. This is a
practice in the Church meant to heighten our senses and awaken within us a
longing for Easter Sunday.
We began
by visiting the parish church of the town of Carles. From there we proceeded to
the church of Balasan, the last town of Iloilo before entering the province of
Capiz.
From Balasan, we passed by the churches along the way to Roxas City, which already belongs to the province of Capiz. The first town was Pilar, followed by President Roxas, which was formerly called Lutod-Lutod.
There we met the town’s mayor, Mayor Escolin, who was overseeing the installation of speakers outside the church for the Holy Week services. Also present was Bobby, the president of the parish council, who introduced us to the parish priest, Msgr. Alden, at the convento. Bobby also graciously brought us to Aranguel, the original site of the town.
Lutod-Lutod was once only a sitio but later became the center of the town. Aranguel still has the ruins of an old church built in 1704. The ruins now serve as the outer walls, or fence, of a newer chapel that was constructed within them.
MOST HOLY TRINITY PARISH
Pilar, Capiz
The walls of the old church of Aranguel which
dates back to 1704 now has become the fence of the chapel.
From President Roxas we passed by Pontevedra and Panay where a tourist guide toured us to the belfry which houses the biggest church bell in Asia. From Panay we visited the Roxas cathedral before checking in at the Urban Manor Hotel.
ST. ISIDORE PARISH
Pontevedra,
Capiz
JESUS THE NAZARENE MISSION STATION
Baybay, Roxas City
We left Roxas right after breakfast the following day passing by all the churches on the way to Kalibo: Ivisan, Mambusao and Sapi-an of the province of Capiz.
ST. NICHOLAS OF TOLENTINO PARISH
Ivisan, Capiz
On a much
recent visit to Capiz, we went to the St. Martin of Tours Parish in Dumalag
which I am including here.
ST. MARTIN OF TOURS PARISH
Dumalag, Capiz
HOLY CHILD JESUS PARISH
Altavas, Aklan 
Had lunch at Mang Inasal at the City Mall as the Saylo Resto which I saw in the internet as offering local Aklanon cuisine was already closed. While we were eating Bp. Talaoc texted inviting us for dessert at his residence as he just arrived from the Cathedral. Bp Talaoc suggested that instead of taking the shortcut in Nabas to Pandan, we go around the northwestern tip of Panay. So from Kalibo we passed by the churches of Numancia, Makato, Tangalan, Ibajay, Nabas, Malay and Buruanga. Since it was already getting dark when we left Buruanga we no longer stopped at the churches of Libertad and Panda, the last towns of Aklan before proceeding to Antique. We went straight to Culasi to the Anna Sophie Hostel where we had our reservation.
ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER PARISH
Numancia, Aklan
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