Visit the castle-like Simala Church in Sibonga, Cebu not just his Holy Week but all throughout the year.
Holy Mass Schedule at Birhen sa Simala:
- Sunday – 12:00nn & 3:30pm
- Monday to Friday – 12:00nn
- Saturday – 10:30am
- 13th of the month – 10:30am & 3:30pm
Aside from the ordinary candles, Colored candles are available for sale (Php35++ each) if you would like to pray for a specific purpose:
- Gold – Healing (good health, recovery, spiritual, family tree)
- Green – Prosperity/Success (exam, study, financial, business)
- Blue – Perseverance (employment, career, assignment, promotions)
- Violet – Achievement (plans in life, struggles, endeavors, journey, voyage)
- Red – Love (unity, friendship, engagement, family)
- Yellow – Peace (courage, strength, hope)
- White – Purity (enlightenment, guidance, right path)
- Orange – Reconciliation (sweetheart, wife, husband, enemy, family)
- Pink – Thanksgiving/Happiness/Joy (spiritual, physical)
- Black – Souls (forgiveness, pardon)
- Brown – Vocation (marriage bond, God’s servant, single life)
- Gray – Deliverance (bad ways, things, spirits)
- Cream – Conversion/Faith (children, household, couples)
Take note of the following which are NOT allowed when visiting the Church grounds:
- Sleeveless/Tube/Short Blouses
- Shorts/Mini Skirts
- Fitting and Transparent Pants
- Smoking and Alcoholic Drinks
- Loud Noise or Shouting
- Flash of Cameras
- Footwear Before Entering the Prayer Room
- Standby of habalhabal driver
Some Tips
- Hiring a taxi (around Php1000 to Php2000, roundtrip) going to Simala from Cebu is a bit expensive.
- No eating inside the shrine but you can bring your own water and food where you can eat at the cottages near the compound.
- If you would like to relax and keep away from the crowd/devotees on your visit, avoid Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
How to Get There
From Manila, you can fly to Cebu (estimated cost of Php3,000++, round trip, 45 minutes).
From the Mactan International Airport, hire a cab and ask to be dropped at the South Bus Terminal where you can ride a bus going to Sibonga; you can also hire a van from City Link terminal where it will take you all the way to the shrine. The bus ride from Cebu City to Sibonga takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes. By the time you reach the stop point, take a motorcycle ride to bring you to the Simala Shrine.