During the Spanish era, settlers were required to live within hearing distance of church bells for close watch. As a result, towns were constructed within earshot of a church's bells. This historical detail inspired the name of the tour group I recently joined, "Bajo Las Campanas," which translates to "Under the Bells." 

They organized a pilgrimage tour titled "Lumang Simbahan Day Tour: Nueva Ecija," which took us to seven heritage churches in the province, following the paths of the Rio Grande and Rio Chico. The Rio Grande, originating from the Sierra Madre, flows through Central Luzon and eventually empties into Manila Bay, with the Rio Chico as one of its tributaries.

The drive to our pilgrimage sites was incredibly scenic, passing through lush rice fields. Nueva Ecija, known as the "Rice Bowl of the Philippines," is the largest province and the biggest rice producer in Central Luzon. The majestic Mt. Arayat adds to the picturesque journey with its grand presence.

We began in Cabiao, at the St. John of Nepomuceno Church, located along the southern banks of the Rio Grande. Cabiao is the first town of Nueva Ecija from the Province of Pampanga. Our visit started with reciting the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, followed by a briefing from Lorenzo of Bajo Las Campanas. 

True to what was written in the Facebook art card that convinced me to join, Lorenzo, the organizer, is very knowledgeable about the churches and the towns we visited, being a history buff and a devout Catholic.

The name of the town, Cabiao, was derived from the Tagalog word "Kabyaw," a type of stone grinding tool used for milling sugar or rice. Originally, Cabiao began as a visita of the nearby town of Candaba, indicating it was initially part of the Province of Pampanga. 

In 1834, Cabiao was elevated to the status of a parish and placed under the advocation of San Juan Nepomuceno, the patron saint against flooding. The church now stands at its second location; the original site is believed to have been closer to the river, as historical records mention flooding that reached the main altar.

From Cabiao, we crossed the river to San Antonio, where we visited the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Anthony, Abbot. This visit was a memorable part of our pilgrimage for me. The briefing conducted by the church, enriched with Filipino terms like pamimintuho (reverence) and pintakasi (patron saint), deepened our appreciation of local spiritual traditions and introduced me to St. Anthony Abbot. 

St. Anthony, also known as Anthony the Great, is the founder and father of organized Christian monasticism. He embarked on a life of solitude after losing his parents at a young age. He sold all his possessions, donated the proceeds to the poor, and retreated to the desert.

Saint Anthony is the patron saint of monks and exorcists. During his time in the desert, the devil also tempted him. Like Saint Francis, the patron saint of our local parish, Saint Anthony is revered as a patron saint of pets. He is also invoked for protection against infectious diseases, particularly those affecting the skin and in cases of epilepsy.

After visiting San Antonio, we continued our pilgrimage to St. Isidore, the Farmer Church in San Isidro. 

In the Philippines, where agriculture remains the backbone of local communities, it's common to encounter churches dedicated to St. Isidore. He is revered as the patron saint of farmers, peasants, and agricultural workers.

Aside from St. Isidore, the church has another venerated image: the image of Our Lady of Porta Vaga, which occupies the right side of the altar. 

This image was lost for 20 years, mysteriously vanished in 1982, and found its way to an antique dealer in Manila. With the help of a few good souls, it found its way back to the people of San Isidro.

From San Isidro, we drove to Gapan City, the oldest existing town in all of Nueva Ecija, situated at the confluence of the Rio Grande and Rio Chico rivers. 

Before the next church on our itinerary, we took a brief break to have lunch at Luz Kitchenette in Gapan.

After lunch, we visited La Divina Pastora Minor Basilica in Gapan City, the oldest church in the Diocese of Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija. 

The minor basilica is canonically known as the Three Kings Parish and is visited by pilgrims who want to venerate the Three Kings and the Divina Pastora (Divine Shepherdess), the two patron saints honored here. The miraculous image of the Divina Pastora, or La Virgen Divina Pastora, is not only the patroness of Gapan City but also of the Diocese of Cabanatuan and Nueva Ecija province.

 The image, which came from Spain, was initially owned by the Valmonte family. According to the story, in the 1700s, Doña Juana Valmonte had a dream in which the Virgin Mary requested to be brought from Spain. Following her father's advice, she consulted a friar in Manila who spoke of the growing devotion to the Divina Pastora in Spain. She ordered an image of the Virgin from Spain. The image was passed down through the family, with stories of miracles spreading throughout the province. The original was eventually donated to the Parish of the Three Kings.

From Gapan, we proceeded to Cabanatuan. 

The Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish Cathedral is the ecclesiastical seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cabanatuan in the Philippines. But the cathedral and the Plaza Lucero in front of it are more known as the death place of Filipino general Antonio Luna. 

The cathedral was founded as a visita of Gapan in 1700. From then, it saw various transformations, including its transfer to secular priests in 1866, the construction and subsequent destruction of its stone buildings, and its role during the Philippine-American War, where Antonio Luna was killed. It endured fires in 1934 and 1972, with a reconstruction completed in 1975.

A new cathedral is being constructed, which we passed by on our way to and from Cabanatuan.

The next church we visited was Saint Bartholomew the Apostle Church in San Leonardo, located on the northern banks of Rio Chico. 

This is unusual because the church is dedicated to San Bartholomew, but the town is named San Leonardo. Typically, towns adopt the name of their patron saint.

According to history, San Leonardo was a barrio of nearby Gapan, and its original name was Manicling. It became an independent pueblo in 1896 and was named after a municipality in Spain. 

After our prayers and Lorenzo's briefing, the kind church staff allowed us to visit a side chapel where they kept the tabernacle and the original image of Saint Bartholomew. 

The locals believe that the church was protected during the war by this miraculous image, which they placed at the entrance. According to accounts, the church became shrouded in clouds, rendering it invisible and preventing it from being used as a garrison during the conflict.

The last church on our itinerary was Saint Francis of Assisi Church in Peñaranda. 

This is another interesting church. The Roman Catholic parish of Peñaranda was founded by Augustinians, not Capuchins. The Augustinian friars were never under the direction of the Capuchins. 

We arrived late, and the scheduled mass had already started, so we had our prayers and briefings outside the church.

Before we left Nueva Ecija, we strolled a bit at Lumang Gapan, a heritage street that is like a mini version of Vigan's Calle Crisologo. We ended the tour with dinner at Casa Batik, a garden, nursery, and cafe located in Gapan that houses rare varieties of bougainvillea.

The tour was a wonderful experience. Without this pilgrimage, I might have missed out on exploring these quaint Nueva Ecija towns. It was both spiritually and historically rewarding. 

I want to add that the old churches may not all be grand, but the people's heartfelt faith is incredibly inspiring.