In the hills of Tanay, Rizal lies this big statue of Mary, a place for silence, peace and serenity, the Regina Rica. Regina means Queen while Rica is a Spanish word for Lady.
After a long ride and before the walk to Regina Rica, we made sure to prepare ourselves by making our stomach full. We first ate the food that I prepared, Carbonara :)
The place was so beautiful and serene, far far far from the pollution and noise of the city.
One must pass the S Trail to before reaching Regina Rica.
NO cheating please :)
Plus the flowers...
and the scenery (since Regina Rica is located on a hill).
El Shaddai = Breast of God. Now I know :)
Reaching the end is truly an achievement.
Under the statue of Regina Rica is where masses are being celebrated since the chapel is still under construction. Also, it is a place where everyone is being oriented before going inside the statue where there is a prayer room.
Chapel under condtruction
Everyone must take his/her shoes before going inside the prayer room. This is to give respect and to maintain the cleanliness of the sacred place.
Taking photos inside is not allowed. According to the nun who gave us the orientation, that place is a place for prayer and contemplation, not a tourist spot. There really is a different feeling every time we talk to God inside that kind of place. I know that we can talk to Him anytime we want to but I always believe that deeper conversation with Him can be done at a right place.
Outside the prayer room is a veranda where the beauty of the place can be truly appreciated.
After talking to God deeply, we went down and saw this prayer house. It has this circular walkway which we don't know what really means.
Though we have no knowledge about that circular walkway, we still followed the way and walked through it.
On the other side of the place is where the Station of the Cross (which was also under construction) can be found.
Visiting Regina Rica was a different experience. If you wish to be far from the busy city and be in a place where you can contemplate, meditate or just communicate with God in a deeper way, I strongly recommend that you go to this place.
Just a reminder, Regina Rica is not a place for picnic or recreation, it is a place for prayer.
Regina Rica
Brgy. Sampaloc, Tanay, Rizal
No comments:
Post a Comment