Every now and then, it does good to the spirit to explore outside the borders. Wanting to take a breath of fresh air and seeking divine inspiration amidst the inspiring things happening around, last Friday we decided to drive off to Agtalin Shrine on the frontier town of Pilar, some 45 minutes away from Roxas City. I took some pictures for posterity's sake, to form part of my COVID-19 stories.
The town of Pilar lies 51 kilometers away from the provincial capital. It is also located in the northwestern-most part of Capiz. Pilar was once named Sibala, after the river that flows through the coastal village. The Spaniards later named this town Pilar after La Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Our Lady of the Pillar). In the 18th century, a wooden image of the Holy Trinity was found ashore. The folks believed that the image belonged to a Spanish galleon that was sunk by the British en route to Mexico. The town eventually adopted La Santisima Trinidad as its patron saint and the wooden image now hangs on the left side of the church’s altar. Pilar's flora and fauna is enchanting. While climbing the hill that leads to the shrine, I took this picture of a green expanse. The Pilar Cave is within sight. It has a 200ft-tall grayish black rock cliff that hosts caves and seem inviting for cavers.
Extensive sugarcane plantations provide a relaxing sight to behold. The silver lining is a sliver of the Panay River.
Hectares upon hectares of sugarcane estates are within view as one reaches the top of the Agtalin Hill.
Cows graze along the way.
This is the path walk that leads to the Marian shrine on Agtalin Hill. Candles are offered along the way, reason why the burnt side walk.
1 comment:
Great piece. We've been to the shrine many times and always take our house guests from afar. The views make the walk up the steps we'll worth the effort. Take drinks and snacks.
Post a Comment