An 80-year-old devotee continues to visit seven churches in Pangasinan this Holy Week, showing how faith and tradition remain strong despite age.

Salvacion Gonzales, a resident of Mangaldan, said she never misses the Visita Iglesia, a long-held Catholic practice of visiting churches for prayer and reflection during Lent.

She said her age is not a barrier to fulfilling her devotion, adding that her sacrifice is small compared to that of Jesus Christ.

Gonzales plans to visit seven churches in Mangaldan and Dagupan City, starting with the Parish of St. Thomas Aquinas in Mangaldan.

As Holy Week begins, more devotees are also visiting churches as part of the tradition.

Police assured the public that security measures are in place in churches and other crowded areas.

“’Yung deployment natin sa mga simbahan at maging sa mga places of convergence mahalaga ‘yun,” Police Lieutenant Colonel Perlito Tuayon, chief of the Mangaldan Police Station, said.

Authorities also reminded devotees to stay alert against theft.

They advised the public to avoid wearing expensive jewelry and bringing attention-grabbing gadgets, and to secure their homes and vehicles when leaving.

“Siyempre ‘yung police presence tapos paalala natin dapat ingatan nila mga property nila, ‘yung bahay nila kung aalis sila dapat naka-kandado rin,” Tuayon said.