Life in the metro can be stressful. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the metropolis, there are days when we seek spiritual renewal, and yearn for a place of reflection.
This is what the Sagrada Familia Church in Araneta City offers. Alone atop the highly-anticipated New Gateway Mall 2, this church provides a welcome spiritual retreat for people from all walks of life right at the very heart of Metro Manila.
“The Sagrada Familia Church is a place where we can gather and find quiet solace from our worries while in God’s embrace. We have made sure that it is designed to bring you a sense of peace amid the hectic pace of the metro,” Antonio T. Mardo, SVP for Operations of Araneta City, said.
The Sagrada Familia Church is a hard-to-miss impressive structure. The church takes an apt inspiration from the mitre, a traditional headwear worn by senior officials of the Catholic Church like bishops, archbishops, cardinals, and the Pope. The Church is fully airconditioned and can fit up to 1,000 worshippers at a time.
It highlights an all-white interior, inspired by The Oculus in New York City, to provide a calming backdrop for contemplation and meditation. It has modern glass walls to invite natural light in, illuminating the space and imparting a serene ambiance that will leave you feeling renewed.
It boasts a high ceiling design that features a huge hanging cross created by sculptor Wilfredo Layug. It is suspended above an altar that was blessed by His Eminence Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle in a special Eucharistic celebration on September 16.
Worshippers are to be greeted with lush greenery as they make their way in or out of Sagrada Familia Church. Surrounding the church is a landscaped Sensory Garden, a restorative pocket of nature filled with water elements, herbal plants, and blooming flowers. The garden also provides a quiet and serene respite any time of the day with its scenic vistas of the Metro Manila skyline and Manila Bay beyond.
“Often, we find ourselves looking for a place where we can center ourselves, and focus on all of the good things that God has bestowed upon us. The Sagrada Familia Church promises to be a sanctuary for you and your soul anytime you need it,” Mardo added.
Sagrada Familia Church is open daily starting September 24 with masses on Mondays to Saturdays at 12:00nn and 5:00pm; and on Sundays at 10:15am, 11:30am, 5:00pm, and 6:30pm. It is under the management of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Diocese of Cubao.
Whether you’re seeking a quiet spot for reflection and a peaceful escape from workaday life, the Sagrada Familia Church at the New Gateway Mall 2 is there to help you find your inner peace and connect with your spirituality.
