You can walk going to Regina Rica church from the gate
You will feel the divine embrace as you tread on the holy ground trail on your way up to a hill composed of 308 steps of paved stairs leading to where you can find a towering statue of the blessed virgin Mary with the young Jesus in one of her arms. It is known as our Lady,
Regina Rosarii - a 71foothhigh image of our Lady, Queen of the Holy Rosary designed by artist-sculptor Jose Barcena Jr. The construction of the statue started in October 7, 2009 and the blessing took place on March 19, 2010. It was inspired by the Dominican tradition of Our Lady's protective mantle that shelters her devoted children. Below the statue is a canopy of clouds where the faces of 17 angels or cherubims can be seen. The 13.5 hectares of Regina RICA (Regina Rosarii Institute for Contemplation in Asia) is located along Marilaque or Marcos Highway at Sitio Aguho, Sampaloc Tanay, Rizal. It is roughly a two hours drive from Pasig city where we originated from. We only commuted so it may take just an hour. and a half if you have your own vehicle.
\Sa mga post lang ng Facebook ng aking mga kaibigan nakikita ang malaking imahen ni Mama Mary. Simula't makita ko yun, dinasal o pinangarap ko ng makita ang mahal na ina. Imagine, sobrang ganda ng lugar at holy,makakapag nilay-nilay ka at makakatagpo ng katahimikan ng isip at puso.
Upon entering the gates of the Dominican community of Regina RICA, you'll see two iconic figures namely, the image of St. Dominic and St. Catherine of Siena at the gate. A few more steps and you'll see some letterings on the wall where motorbikes are parked that says "Dominican Sisters of Regina Rosarii", then you'll have to walk a few more steps towards the building structures. But from there you'll be able to see already the huge statue located on top of the hills they call El Shaddai Hills.
The words "El Shaddai" means the breasts of God, and the hills are among the symbols included in the logo of Regina RICA. The three trees symbolize Regina Rica as a place of Prayer, Ecological Sanctuary, and a Wellness Environment. The 13.5 rays of the sun stand for the 13.5 hectare land, and the black and white Dominican seal signifies the Dominican presence at the place.
A brief orientation was given at the Pilgrim's Place before climbing up to the El Shaddai Hills where they will give some background about the place and the house rules that guests needs to follow. House rules include: no smoking, eat only at designated places and bring home your trash. The Handumanan or souvenir shop can also be found nearby where you can buy souvenirs like rosaries and miniature statues of the Sto. Nino and Mama Mary.
#adventurerBLOG
DiaryRides Ni Paps Joel,The Adventurer Journey Around The Philippines
