Devotees in Pangasinan have started visiting churches for the traditional Visita Iglesia during the Holy Week, including at the Senior Divino Tesoro Shrine in Calasiao and the Maasin West Chapel in Mangaldan.

Among those making early visits is a group of devotees from Baguio City. They visited churches in San Fabian, Mangaldan, Dagupan, and the Senior Divino Tesoro Shrine in Calasiao as part of their Lenten devotion.

For them, this act is a simple sacrifice compared to the sacrifice made by Jesus to redeem the world.

"This is in preparation for the Lenten season. We visit churches; we also need to do this to cleanse our sins," Josephine Mayaco, a devotee, said.

In Mangaldan, some devotees visited churches early in the morning, like devotee Christine Roca, who said that it is important to commemorate the sacrifice of Jesus Christ during Lent.

"Para hindi narin maabala sa daan para marami ring mabisita na simbahan," Christine Roca, a devotee, said.

Meanwhile, the installation of a new bell at the Maasin West Chapel in Mangaldan brought joy to devotees after the old bell was stolen by unidentified thieves.

"Bigla kaming sumaya, narinig namin [yung kampana], lumakas kasi bago na, malakas na, kailangan din ng mga tao na kapag nagbatangtang. Pupunta dito yung mga tao na nagdarasal pati yung mga nagsisimba tuwing linggo kaya masaya din mga tao dito," Chelo Lambino, another devotee, said.

Devotees share the same message for the Holy Week: to allocate time for prayer and to spend time with God.