Development Updates
The Marian Orchard has spent the last three years doing a major upgrade and improvements to its existing features.
ANGELS GATE (New!)
This is the main vehicular entrance to The Marian Orchard, which will lead to the parking lot that is planned inside The Marian Orchard.
ENTRANCE PLAZA (Planned renovation, for completion in 2018)
This is the pedestrian entrance to The Marian Orchard. As you walk up towards the entrance gate, you will spot the image of Immaculate Heart of Mary.
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TWO HEARTS PROMENADE (Recently renovated.)
This is the main pathway of The Marian Orchard. It connects the Sacred Heart Chapel and the Sacred Heart Tower on one end, to the Dome of Mary Mediatrix on the other end. In between, you will find the Arch of the Two Hearts, the Apostles Row, the Ruins, Plaza Fontana, and the pedestrian ramp that leads to the Marian Plaza.
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MARY MEDIATRIX PLAZA (Recently renovated.)
This is the garden where you will find the Dome of Mary Mediatrix. On your way there, you will pass the Hall of Petitions, and fronting it, the Hall of Thanksgiving. There is also a wishing well that has become quite popular among the pilgrims.
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CHAPEL (Planned renovation, for completion in 2018)
This will be the new chapel, and will be accessible at the promenade level. This will complement the Sacred Heart Chapel. At the Marian Plaza level, below the chapel, will be the planned Museo Maria.
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RUINS (Recently renovated.)
This place is where you will find the Visitors Center. Recuerdos, the souvenir shop of the park, is also located here.
SACRED HEART TOWER PLAZA
The Sacred Heart Tower rises from this unique garden. The garden is elevated, but is easily reachable through the all-encircling short stairways that surround it. Underneath the tower is a beautiful bas-relief of St. Magaret Mary Alacoque. Beside the tower is the Sacred Heart Chapel. On the other side of the chapel is a mini-plaza where you will find the Court of Christ the King.
SACRED HEART CHAPEL
The first and original chapel of The Marian Orchard, which has a ceiling that you will find interesting. As you exit the chapel, you will find the image of the Sto. Nino on the right side, and a beautifully garbed image of the Lady of the Holy Rosary on the left.
ADMIN BUILDING
Except for some seminar rooms that are made accessible to pilgrims by prior arrangement, this area is off-limits to the general public.
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MIRAFLORES (Recently renovated.)
Located across the Sacred Heart Chapel, the Miraflores is where you can access the snack station as well as the restrooms. First Aid assistance is also stationed here. There are also staircases here that will lead you to the Marian Plaza. In front of the Miraflores is the Plaza Entrada, where you will find a beautiful fountain. This serves as the gateway and staging area to the Garden Steps and the Sky Terrace.
MARIAN PLAZA (Under construction, partially open.)
The Marian Plaza is the main open public area of the park. Here you will find the Chimes of Mary. Imported from Netherlands in 2015, this symphony of bells rings every quarter of an hour, from dawn to dusk, leaving park pilgrims with a memorable auditory experience.
GARDEN STEPS (Under renovation.)
The Garden Steps is a unique linear garden that will lead you to the gardens at the lower elevations of The Marian Orchard. You descend to the garden from the top, at Plaza Entrada. Midway through the steps, you will find the entrance to the Rosarium. At the bottom of the steps, is Plaza Corazon, where you will find the statue of Mary of The Orchard.
At Plaza Corazon, you will have a choice of how you may want to continue your Marian Orchard journey: 1) visit the Meditation Garden (which will bring you back to Plaza Corazon), 2) visit the Via Crucis Garden (which will bring you to the Marian Plaza), or 3) go to Plaza Salida, where you can see the site of the future Museo Santa Familia (planned for 2019). From Plaza Salida, your choice will be to either proceed to the Via Crucis Garden, or return to Plaza Corazon for the walk up the Garden Steps, back to Plaza Entrada.
ROSARIUM (NEW!)
The Rosarium is the latest addition to the gardens of The Marian Orchard. Although still undergoing finishing touches, it has already been opened to the public. The Rosarium has a giant rosary in the middle of the garden. It also has a bas-relief display, in tableau form, of all the 20 mysteries of the Holy Rosary (Joy, Light, Sorrow, Glory). These tableau collection is a limited edition work by the artist Nemiranda. There is also a prayer wall which contains a selected set of icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and Our Lady of Fatima.
VIA CRUCIS (NEW!)
The Via Crucis Garden is a linear garden that is approximately 500 meters in length. The garden now consists of all-new, life-sized statues depicting the 14 Stations of the Cross. Although the garden has already undergone a recent major makeover, there are now planned landscaping improvements that will complement the cementing of the the garden's pathways.
MEDITATION GARDEN (IMPROVED)
The Meditation Garden consists of the Calvary Hill and the Lourdes Grotto. The Calvary Hill was originally part of the old stations of the cross, (being the 10th station of the old garden). This 10th station has been preserved, and with the nearby grotto (also pre-existing), the two have been combined to form this new garden.
SKY TERRACE (NEW!)
To be opened soon, this garden is a good vantage point to view the Rosarium from above, and also to take in the view of the surrounding countryside, all the way to the mountain view of Mt. Maculot. There is also a photo spot where you can do a "selfie," with the giant rosary of the Rosarium as your backdrop. The Sky Terrace recently served as the "stage" for the choir that sang the Marian songs that accompanied the Candlelight Rosary event. This beautiful event, which celebrated the Rosary month last October, and which lasted for about two hours, recited all the 20 mysteries of the rosary, with Marian songs that were sang in between.
COMING SOON (2018)
In 2018, The Marian Orchard’s facilities will be further developed. Improvements to look forward to include the construction of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel and Museo Maria; renovation of the Pedestrian Entrance Plaza; and the completion of the Marian Plaza.
Also slated to be completed are the Rosarium Garden enhancement; landscaping improvements of the Via Crucis; and the full makeover of the Garden Steps arches.
Set to take shape in 2019 are new structures including the Museo Santa Familia (with the Nazareth Family Home, the Carpenter's Workshop of St Joseph, and the Nativity Collection); the El Camino delos Santos; the Faith Nature Garden; and its very own parking lot.
To note, these plans may still be subject to change.