Arriving at Bancal Port in Carles before noon on Tuesday, after our trip to the Gigantes Islands, we continued our Visita Iglesia, this time making our way through the provinces of Capiz and Aklan. Of the seventeen municipalities and one city in Capiz, we were able to visit nine churches. In Aklan, we likewise visited eleven of its seventeen municipalities.
One slight disappointment when visiting churches during Holy Week is that, in many of them, the statues and crucifixes are already covered with veils. This traditional practice of the Church is intended to create a sense of absence and longing, helping the faithful focus more deeply on the mystery of Christ’s Passion as we await the joy of Easter Sunday. For someone visiting churches and hoping to see and photograph their interiors, however, it also means that many of their beautiful sacred images remain hidden from view.
We began our journey with a visit to the parish church of Carles. From there, we proceeded to Balasan, the last town in Iloilo before crossing into the province of Capiz.
From Balasan, we continued toward Roxas City, stopping at the parish churches along the way as we entered the province of Capiz. The first town we visited was Pilar, followed by President Roxas, which was formerly known as Lutod-Lutod.
In President Roxas, we met Mayor Escolin, who was overseeing the installation of speakers outside the church in preparation for the Holy Week services. Also there was Bobby, president of the parish pastoral council, who introduced us to the parish priest, Msgr. Alden, at the convento. Bobby then graciously accompanied us to Aranguel, the original site of the town.
Lutod-Lutod was once merely a sitio but eventually developed into the new center of the town. Aranguel, however, still preserves an interesting reminder of its past: the ruins of an old church dating back to 1704. Today, the surviving walls of the old church enclose a newer chapel built within the ruins, serving almost like a protective outer wall or fence around it.
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 
During our visit, Bishop Talaoc suggested that, instead of taking the shortcut from Nabas to Pandan, we take the longer and more scenic route around the northwestern tip of Panay Island. We followed his suggestion and, from Kalibo, visited the churches of Numancia, Makato, Tangalan, Ibajay, Nabas, Malay, and Buruanga along the way.
By the time we left Buruanga, however, it was already getting dark. We therefore decided not to stop at the churches of Libertad and Pandan, the first towns of Antique after leaving Aklan. Instead, we proceeded directly to Culasi, where we had reservations at the Anna Sophie Hostel.
ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER PARISH
Numancia, Aklan
