St. Gregory Church (Majayjay Catholic Church)

Reputedly one of the oldest churches in the Philippines built in 1575 using forced labor. Antique relief statues of saints, which were brought by the Spaniards, are preserved in this church. Its belfry houses four small bells and one big bell – which are probably the oldest in the country. The rooftop of the church offers an obstructed but nonetheless, breathtaking view of Mt. Banahaw and Laguna de Bay.

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Mount Banahaw

Another popular destination, specially during the Lent period, is Mount Banahaw, an extinct volcano which rises 2,100 meters above sea level.

Banahaw towers over the southeastern towns of Laguna and Quezon. Revered as a mystical mountain, Banahaw has become a sanctuary for different religious cults. Up on Banahaw’s leafy slopes live members of various religious sects who adhere to what seems to be a mixture of Catholicism, Buddhism, the cabala, animism and other forms of pagan worship. Down below, in the foothill towns, dwell amulet-makers, soothsayers, faith healers, diviners and dedicated UFO watchers.

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