Philippine Catholic Church – Page 39

Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian – The Queen of Quiapo

Aside from the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, there is another miraculous image that has been, and still, venerated for centuries – Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian. The devotion to the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the devotion to this image was fostered and became popular through the efforts of the Augustinian Recollect Order prior to the arrival of the Carmelites during the American period,

The image of Nuestra Señora del Carmen enshrined at the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian is the first-ever image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the Philippines. The beautiful Lady of San Sebastian and its scapular inspired some noteworthy episodes in Philippine church history: the siblings of Calumpit, Bulacan to establish a community of women dedicated to God and educating women to be like their Queen and the construction of the magnificent all-steel Basilica, an ambitious project to begin with, dedicated in her honor- the only one in Asia to be exact. With these feats, she is rightfully called the Queen of Quiapo.

Features of the image

The image of Nuestra Señora del Carmen enshrined at the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian in Plaza del Carmen, Quiapo, Manila depicts the classical theme of the Mother and Child with the signature Carmel scapular in their hands. The title of “Our Lady of Mount Carmel” was given to the Blessed Virgin in honor of the brown scapular given to St. Simon Stock, who organized the Carmelite Order in England. The members were required to wear the brown habit as well as the scapular which became a symbol of Mary’s love and protection.

The head and hands of the Virgin and the entire image of the child is made of precious ivory. The face has this pristine beauty that inspires much awe and devotion while the Child, with its unusual stance of his arms, is also a beauty to behold that inspired devotees through the centuries.

History of the image

The revered image of the Virgen del Carmen was brought to the Philippines in 1618, by Spanish Recoletos, on their 3rd mission to the country, led by Fray Rodrigo de San Miguel. The sacred statue was a gift presented by the Discalced Carmelite Sisters of Mexico while their ship was anchored there, en route to Manila. The crew elected the Virgen del Carmen the ‘capitana’ of their ship in their voyage to the Pacific.

It is interesting to note that the Augustinian Recollects and the Discalced Carmelites were the offspring of the Reformed orders from their parent religious orders, hence this image is a sign of the special bond between these reformed orders who adopted more strict discipline to follow the rules of their perspective parent orders.

When the Augustinian Recoletos safely arrived, the image was enthroned in a makeshift church that was built in an area called Calumpang, the same place where San Sebastian now stands.

In 1621, the recovery of Mgsr. Velez, dean of the Manila Cathedral, was attributed to Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian, leading to the formation of the Cofradia de la Nuestra Señora del Carmen. The Cofradia grew rapidly in popularity, drawing members not just from Manila, but also from neighboring provinces like Laguna, Pampanga, Bulacan, and Batangas. In 1682, the Scapular Confraternity gained official recognition from the general of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites. Then, on August 19, 1691, the Archconfraternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel was formally established at the San Sebastian Basilica. This foundation was approved by Fr. Pablo de San Ignacio, Prior General of the Carmelites, due to the prevailing devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the Philippines.

Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian de Pulong Buhangin

So much so that the popularity of the devotion to Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian was so prevalent that a replica of the image was donated by the Augustinian Recollect Friars to a pious couple who received a message from a mysterious lady to have a replica of the famed Scapular Virgin on February 9, 1885. This image, which would become the Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian de Pulong Buhangin, was enthroned in the chapel in Pulong Buhangin in Sta. Maria, Bulacan which later became a parish in 1940, and the image received the honor of Episcopal Coronation on September 8, 2019.

The Construction of the Present Basilica

Minor Basilica of San Sebastian – Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

In 1621, Bernardino Castillo, a generous patron and a devotee of the 3rd-century Roman martyr Saint Sebastian and the Virgin of Mount Carmel, donated the land upon which the church stands. The original structure was made of wood and it was burned in 1651 during a Chinese uprising. Succeeding structures, which were built of brick, were destroyed by fire and earthquakes in 1859, 1863, and 1880.

In the 1880s, Esteban Martínez, the parish priest of the ruined church, approached Spanish architect Genaro Palacios with a plan to build a fire and earthquake-resistant structure made entirely of steel – an ambitious project to begin with – a befitting honor to the prodigious Lady of the Brown Scapular. Palacios completed a design that fused Earthquake Baroque with the Neo-Gothic style. His final design was said to have been inspired by the famed Gothic Burgos Cathedral in Burgos, Spain. Completed in 1891, San Sebastian Church is noted for its architectural features. An example of the revival of Gothic architecture in the Philippines, it is the only all-steel temple in the Philippines and the only prefabricated steel church in Asia.

The prefabricated steel sections that would compose the church were manufactured in Binche, Belgium. Belgian engineers supervised the assembly of the church, the first column of which was erected on September 11, 1890. The church was raised to the status of a minor basilica by Pope Leo XIII on June 24, 1890. Upon its completion the following year, on August 16, 1891, the Basílica Menor de San Sebastián was consecrated by Bernardino Nozaleda y Villa OP, the 25th Archbishop of Manila.

In 2006, San Sebastian Church was included in the tentative list for possible designation as a World Heritage Site. It was designated as a National Historical Landmark by the Philippine government in 1973 it was later declared a National Treasure by the National Museum on August 20, 2011.

The Talangpaz Sisters and the establishment of the Augustinian Recollect Sisters

Servants of God Dionisia Mitas and Cecilia Rosa Talangpaz

One of the most enduring legacies of the devotion to Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian was the foundation of the Beaterio de San Sebastian de Calumpang which would become the Augustinian Recollect Sisters. The Congregation of the Augustinian Recollect Sisters was founded by two sisters, both in blood and spirit, namely- Dionisia Mitas and Cecilia Rosa Talangpaz y Pamintuan who hailed from barrio San Miguel of Calumpit, Bulacan.

Convinced of their vocation to a way of living that would allow them a well-disciplined life of the Spirit, these two sisters, after they failed to obtain the habit of the lay tertiaries of the Augustinian Recollect Order from the local parish priest, undauntedly decided to leave Calumpit to come to Calumpang, then a sitio outside the wall of Manila, on which vicinity stood the Church of San Sebastian.

An 18th Century print of the Servants of God Dionisia Mitas and Cecilia Rosa Talangpaz

On July 16, 1725, the Talangpaz Sisters were invested in the habit of Augustinian Recollect Tertiaries and moved to the house in front of the San Sebastian Church. Soon more women joined them and formed the Beaterio de San Sebastian de Calumpang.

The Augustinian Recollect Fathers guided the two foundresses and the first community of beatas. They directed the Beaterio from its earlier stage of growth and development until it was canonically erected as a diocesan religious congregation on August 19, 1929, through the recommendation of the Reverend Father Gerardo Larrondo, the incumbent Prior General of the Recollect Friars; and through the benevolence of the Most Reverend Michael O’Doherty, then, Archbishop of Manila. Still, with the nurturing assistance of the Augustinian Recollect Order, juridical autonomy was procured for the congregation which subsequently was declared an Institute of Pontifical Right by the Holy See on November 20, 1970, under the pontificate of Pope Paul VI.

Mother Cecilia Rosa died on July 31, 1731, while Sor Dionisia died a year later on October 12, 1732. Miracles and countless favors through their intercession were reported and the cause for their beatification was introduced in Rome through the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints in 1999.

The Fiesta of Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian, the Cavite Mutiny and the Gomburza

One of the most notable episodes of the devotion to Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian was her role in our nation-building that led to our independence. The fireworks marking the opening of the fiesta of del Carmen de San Sebastian in Bilibid Viejo on January 20, 1872, were thought by the workers of the Port of St. Phillip in Cavite Puerto as the first sparks of a general uprising. As such, this triggered the incident which went down in history as the Cavite mutiny whose blame fell on the three priests now known as Gomburza.

Their martyrdom by garrote on February 17, 1872, is deemed by many historians as the moment of awakening the consciousness of the Filipinos as a nation, a moment so ominous that all the Spaniards took refuge in the walls of Intramuros in the days that followed. The Gomburza execution would lead to the Independence movement in the country that culminated on June 12, 1898.

The Sacrilegious theft of the image

The original head of the image that was stolen in 1975

The head and hands of the Virgin and the Child Jesus are of ivory, and both wear heavily embroidered vestments in traditional gold and brown colors. Unfortunately, the heads of the Virgin and Jesus were stolen in 1975. Fortunately, the image of the Child was retrieved but the head of the Virgin is still missing as of this writing.

The image of Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian with a newly commissioned head by Talleres de Maximo Vicente

The head of the sacristans, Mr. Felipe Dy, offered to restore the statue from the generous donations of parishioners. On July 8, 1979, the newly carved ivory head of Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian was inaugurated. The head was crafted by Maximo Vicente Jr. from an ivory piece carved by Mrs. Lourdes Fernandez.

The Pontifical Coronation of the Virgen del Carmen

The Pontifical Coronation of the Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian

The devotion to her was still evidently strong and miracles continued to happen that on August 18, 1991, under the Papal Decree issued by Pope St. John Paul II, the image was Pontifically Crowned with much rejoicing. The coronation coincided with the church’s Centennial Celebration that same year.

Revival of the “Dungaw” of the Black Nazarene’s Traslacion

The inaugural “Dungaw” rites revival of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian

In 2014, the long-forgotten Tradition of “Dungaw” was revived for the Feast of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno of Quiapo. The “Dungaw” rites is where the image of the Black Nazarene (also brought the Augustinian Recollects in the Philippines) and the Virgen del Carmen meet from the balcony of San Sebastian Church.

The “Dungaw” marks the silence of the noise of the iconic Procession of the Black Nazarene for the meeting of the two Great Patrons of Quiapo, the King and Queen of Quiapo.

The Fiestas

There were two distinct fiesta celebrations honoring Manila’s Flower of Carmel: the liturgical feast on July 16 and the unique traditional fiesta on January 29. The origin of the January fiesta was rooted in practicality, as the rainy season in the country from June to later months hampered grand celebrations for the July Carmelite feast. Thus, the Recollect Fathers sought a special feast for the Virgin, close to the feast of St. Sebastian, the Basilica’s titular celebration, to honor her with deserved pomp and solemnity. This request was granted in 1691 through a Papal Bull, ensuring a perpetual indult.

Initially observed right after St. Sebastian’s feast, the January fiesta shifted to January 23, three days after the titular patron’s celebration, eventually becoming fixed on January 29, spanning January 21 to 28. The Second Vatican Council reforms led to the suspension of the January fiesta in the late 1970s or early 1980s. However, in commemoration of the image’s 400th anniversary in the country, the January fiesta was revived in 2018. This revival offered a chance for new generations of devotees and those who reminisced about past celebrations to partake in the festivities, mirroring the traditions of our forefathers.

The devotion

In a country dedicated to the Mother of God, she never forgot to give her dear country the privilege of wearing the Brown Scapular – the garment that she bestowed much grace since the time she gave it to St. Simon Stock in her apparition in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Mary’s promise is the masterpiece of Her motherly love: “Whosoever dies clothed in this Scapular shall not suffer the fires of Hell.” It was made to be a source of hope and confidence to us. In the supreme moment of our lives—–the moment when we feel this earth slipping away with all that it has meant to us while a strange life yawns at our feet into eternity, we need a mother, and that is what the Blessed Mother is for all of us

References:

Aviado, Lutgarda, (1972), Madonnas of the Philippines, Manlapaz Press, Quezon City.
Barcelona, Mary Anne.(2004) Ynang Maria: a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Philippines. Ed. Consuelo B. Estampa, P.D. Pasig City, Anvil Publishing Inc.
Rubia, Rommel, OAR, (2013) Del Carmen de San Sebastian, Basilica Minore de San Sebastian, Plaza del Carmen, Quiapo, Manila.
Sanchez, Francisco (1904). La Virgen Maria Venerada en sus Imagenes Filipinas, Manila: Imp. De Santos y Bernal.

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Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje de Antipolo- The Benevolent Lady and Mother of the Filipinos

Summer in the Philippines is not complete without a pilgrimage to Antipolo to venerate its Miraculous Patroness. The miraculous image of Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje (translated in English as “Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage”), more popularly known as the Virgin of Antipolo is one of the most famous Marian images in the Philippines and its Shrine is the most visited in the country, especially during pilgrimage season from May to July.

People flock her shrine to ask for her guidance and protection especially for travelers here and abroad and the pilgrimage to Antipolo became part of our culture and history for centuries that continues to live on up to this day.

The Visage of the Queen

The image of the Virgin of Antipolo is made of wood carved in Mexico. Some studies noted that the wood used in carving the image of the Virgin of Antipolo was the same wood was also devised in the carving of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo and Santo Nino de Pandacan.

The brown image of the Immaculate Conception is dressed in a regal attire, consisting of a beautiful dress covered with a regal cape that highlights the Virgin’s signature conical silhouette standing on a base. She holds a scepter with her hands at chest level, wearing rings on her fingers. Since 2021, a rosary, a gift from Pope Francis was added to her regalia due to the participation of the Shrine to the International Rosary Marathon that same year.

The image, though wounded due to the Chinese rebellion during the Spanish era, has a lovely yet regal face, adorned with earrings, sports a lace veil, a lunette above her forehead, a set of precious crowns, and twelve stars completing the Virgin’s visage.

Origins

On March 25, 1626, Don Juan Niño de Tabora boarded the Galleon of San Raymundo, the “El Almirante” of the galleon fleet and left Mexico to go to the Philippines. He brought along the brown image of the Blessed Virgin which he found in a parish in Acapulco, Mexico. He was captivated by the beauty of the image that he requested to have the image of Our Lady to accompany him in his voyage to the Philippines and to help him govern the country.

The “El Almirante” safely braved the dangers of the stormy seas and a fire aboard the ship for three months. It finally arrived in the ports of Manila on June 18, 1626. Governor Tabora credited the Blessed Virgin for the galleon’s safe and successful journey and called for a celebration for the image’s arrival. A religious procession was held to transfer the image to the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros.

The Virgin’s “trip” to the tipolo tree

An artistic depiction of the miracle of the Virgin resting on a Tipolo Tree by Noli Manalang

A royal decree from Isabella II of Spain on 19 May 1864 ordered that the curias of San Nicolas de Tolentino be turned over to the Jesuits in exchange for the curias of Antipolo, Taytay and Morong, which were given to the Augustinian Recollects, who thus came into possession of the image.

Upon Governor Tabora’s death in 1632, the Blessed Virgin was turned over to the Jesuit fathers who were constructing a church in Antipolo. A church was to be built for the Blessed Virgin in the nearby barrio of Sta. Cruz although the Jesuit fathers found it hard to move it there from the Church of Antipolo.

Strangely enough, the image was always found on the tree trunk of Tipolo (breadfruit; Artocarpus incisa). This was taken as a sign that the Virgin wanted to be venerated on that spot and a church was built immediately. As for the tree, a pedestal was curved out of the trunks of that tree and the Blessed Virgin became locally known as the Virgin of Antipolo. With this incident, the place called Antipolo to commemorate the miraculous event of the Virgin resting on the tipolo tree.

The International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage – Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

The Jesuits built the first Antipolo church under Rev. Fr. Juan de Salazar, SJ in 1591, and it was damaged by the Chinese uprising in 1639 and earthquakes in 1645, 1824, and 1863. Originally, the church was meant for Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage but was built on a different plot of land. The current location of the church was where the image was found after mysteriously vanishing.

The church was destroyed during the Second World War, and a new shrine was built in 1954, declared the National Shrine to Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage on January 14 of the same year by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. The Diocese of Antipolo was canonically erected on June 25, 1983 and the Antipolo Shrine became the Seat of the Diocese.

The Chinese Revolt and Dutch Invasion

When the Chinese community in Antipolo revolted, they burned the church as well as the image. However, the Blessed Virgin was recovered unblemished except for a slight streak on her right cheek. It was said that the image was stabbed by the Chinese non-believers but the image miraculously survived. The stab can still be seen to this day.

Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, then the Governor General of the Philippines, ordered that the Virgin of Antipolo and the Santo Cristo of the Church be removed and be kept in Cavite in 1648 and remained there for 14 years.

It was during her stay in Cavite that in 1639 to 1646, the Virgin of Antipolo was then enshrined in Cavite Puerto. Cavite was saved from Dutch invasion because of her presence. Governor General Diego Fajardo ordered that it be temporarily restituted in the Church of Cavite. On June 10, 1647, an armada of 13 ships should have taken Cavite Puerto, however Andres Lopez de Azaldequi, a military personnel put his hope to the Virgin of Antipolo.

The Virgin of Antipolo and the Galleon Trade

It is from her stay in Cavite that the Virgin began to board on the galleons for the round trips of the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. By that time, the image served as Patroness and Protectress of the Manila – Acapulco Galleon Trade where the statue crossed the Pacific on Manila-Acapulco galleons six times from 1648 to 1748 aboard the: San Luis — (1648–1649), Encarnación — (1650), San Diego — (1651–1667), San Francisco Javier — (1659–1662), Nuestra Señora del Pilar — (1663) and San José — (1746–1748).

In recognition of the Virgin’s motherly protection, as she provided safe voyage for the galleons voyages, Governor General Sabiniano Manrique de Lara formally bestowed on the image the title “Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje” through a decree issued on September 8, 1653.

The National Hero and the Virgin of Antipolo

One of the most prominent devotees of the Virgin of Antipolo was our National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal which stems back from his infancy in 1861 where his mother, Doña Teodora Alonzo offered him to the Virgin of Antipolo will make a lifetime pilgrimage to her Shrine if he will be delivered safely. The Rizal family was able to fulfill this promise to the Virgin by going on a pilgrimage to Antipolo frequently and venerated a replica of the Virgin enshrined in a chapel (now a parish) in Biñan, Laguna.

Rizal’s devotion to the Virgin of Antipolo would later influence his writings, especially the one-act play “Junto al Pasig” where he framed it as an an inquiry to with what Filipino Catholics believe and portrayed another perspective of Satan and the Virgin Mary with themes of Christianity, Innocence against Evil, and Paganism. He would later mentioned the devotion to the Virgin of Antipolo in his controversial novels “Noli me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo” where he framed the devotion to the Virgin as a hall pass from vices and excessive yet misguided piety which were in fact contrary to what the Church actually teaches to her flock.

Yet, it is interesting to note that he never wrote any negative remarks on the Virgin of Antipolo as he kept a print of the image that he brings throught his travels that he kept in an album.

Miracles

A cholera outbreak was spreading the Philippine Islands and several people died during the outbreak and Antipolo was not spared. The people were alarmed with the situation that they decided to seek the help of the Virgin of Antipolo to eradicate the plague. The people went in procession and held a mass on top of a hill. After the mass, the plague was gone and this became a practice to bring the Virgin to the hill in special times of need. The Hill is now called the Pinagmisahan Hills and today, on the first Tuesday of May, the image is brought to Pinagmisahan Hills to signal the beginning of the Pilgrimage season.

In 1944, the Japanese Imperial Army invaded the town and turned it into a garrison, with the shrine being used as an arsenal. To save the image, the church’s head sacristan, Procopio Ángeles, wrapped it in a thick, woolen blanket and placed it in an empty petrol drum, which he then buried in the kitchen.

Fighting between Imperial troops and the combined American and Filipino forces drove Ángeles and other devotees to move the image to Colaique Hill between Antipolo and Angono. From there, it was spirited away to Barangay Santolan in Pasig, and then to the main area of Pasig itself. The statue was then housed to the residence of Rosario Ocampo, one of the prominent ladies of Manila, in Quiapo, Manila, before it was enshrined inside Quiapo Church for the remainder of the Second World War. On October 15, 1945, the statue was returned to its church in Antipolo, where it resides today.

To commemorate the miraculous escape of the Virgin from the destruction, the shrine organizes a special procession in Colaique that became part of the pious traditions to honor the Virgin.

A notable visitor

Blessed Alvaro del Portillo of Opus Dei pays his homage to the Virgin of Antipolo

The Virgin of Antipolo is already known as one of the important Marian pilgrimage sites in the country and it is a wonder that different prominent figures in history have set to the shrine of the Brown Virgin. One of the most esteemed pilgrims of the Virgin is Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, the successor of St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei.

On June 30, 1987, Blessed Alvaro went to do a pilgrimage at the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage. After reciting the Rosary and a “responso” for the soul of their saintly Founder. After which, he exclaimed:

“After seeing these roses offered to our Lady, I thought of the union of hearts of all the members of the Work, your sisters, and you, all together united to our Lord through our Lady. Let us be faithful. Let us renew our desire to do Opus Dei, as our Founder taught us, to serve the Church and the entire humanity, struggling against ourselves, because that is our path… My children, let us renew our resolution to give ourselves to the service of the Church and to all souls. Let us turn to our Founder so that he could help us from Heaven to be faithful, to do Opus Dei, being ourselves Opus Dei… Despite our miseries and trifles, our ingratitude, we want to be faithful. To achieve this, we go to the protection of the Most Holy Virgin. She would help us.”

Blessed Alvaro prayed the “Salve” with the others, praying for the Church and especially the Work in the Philippines, so that, She may be as God wants, a sowing of peace, a river of peace in these marvelous islands. He then later kissed the image and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to visit her shrine.

Civil and Ecclesiastical Recognition

Numerous honors were given to the Virgin over the centuries. Two of these were notable, the offering of the Field Marsha Baton by Governor General Juan de de Arechederra, OP, Bishop of Nueva Segovia from 1745 – 1750 who baptized Alimuddin I, the lone Catholic Sultan of Sulu and the Espada de Honor by Governor General Ramon Blanco. Governor General Blanco offered the Espada de Honor to the Virgin of Antipolo in thanksgiving of the victory against the Moros of Lanao in 1895 during the adimistration of Governor General Ramon Blanco y Erenas. Blanco gave the sword to the Augustinian Recollects on December 19, 1896 and it was offered to the feet of the Virgin by Fray Andres Ferrero, OAR, Prior Provincial of the Augustinian Recollects at that time.

The Pontifical Coronation of Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje de Antipolo

With much miracles that are attributed to the miraculous image of Our Lady of Antipolo, The image was Pontifically Crowned by the Archbishop of Manila, Rev. Michael J. O’Doherty, on November 28, 1926 in Luneta, Manila with much rejoicing. Thousands in attendance witnessed this solemn event.

The present Church of Antipolo was declared the National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in 1954 – the first National Shrine in the Philippines.

The Cathedral-Shrine of Antipolo participated in the International Rosary Marathon on May 7, 2021. The rosary marathon was an initiative from the Vatican that took place for the whole month of in 2021 for the intention of ending the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rosary Marathon features 30 International Marian Shrines all over the world. That same year, Pope Francis gifted the Virgin of Antipolo a beautiful rosary that was immediately added to her regalia due to the Shrine’s participation to the said global event.

The Solemn Declaration of the National Shrine and Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage as International Shrine.

In June 2022, the Vatican announced the approval of the petition to elevate the National Shrine and Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage into an International Shrine. This designation marks the first of its kind in the Philippines, in Southeast Asia, and the 11th worldwide. A year later, the Holy See sent the decree, and the concession officially took effect on March 25, 2023, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord and the anniversary of the departure of the sacred image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage from Acapulco, Mexico, to the Philippines.

A special rite for the elevation as the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage took place on January 26, 2024, with 80 bishops and faithful from different in attendance.

The Devotion at present

With the continuous growth of the devotion and devotees to the Virgin of Antipolo for years the devotion proves that it continued to be very strong and enduring as evident with the continuous pilgrims flocking her shrine.

The Walk for Peace from Quiapo Basilica to Antipolo Cathedral-Shrine

In the modern-day pious traditions, pilgrimages to Antipolo Shrine – Cathedral clandestinely start on the night of Holy Thursday, known as “Alay Lakad” where penitents and pilgrims from different parts of the country walk uphill to the Virgin’s shrine and offer prayers and sacrifices until the dawn of Good Friday.

Once the Easter Season kicks in, the festive pilgrimage season begins on 30th of April—the eve of May Day— The “Walk for Peace” (then known as “Alay Lakad” for distinction purposes to differentiate the Lenten pilgrimage) is participated by thousands of devotees would customarily spend the night traveling on foot from the Basilica Minore of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila to the Antipolo Shrine for dawn Mass.

The Procession of Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje of Antipolo during the opening of the Pilgrimage Season

The pilgrimage season formally opens with the Holy Mass offered at Pinagmisahan Hills on the First Tuesday of May, the feast of the Virgin of Peace and Good Voyage, to commemorate the miracle of the Virgin where a cholera epidemic that was ravaging the people of Antipolo and other parts of Rizal province died and once the Mass offered at the hill, the epidemic ceased. For the duration of the pilgrimage season, a set of novenas are offered in her honor, and on the last day of each set of novenas, a procession of her image is held.

The eminent Jesuit historian, Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde, SJ, who also served as Rector of the Residencia in Antipolo from 1747-1749, wrote about the feast day celebration of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage published in the years 1749 and 1847 in Manila. The written account attests to the First Tuesday of May as the date chosen for the feast day celebration.

This feast day celebration in May has been traditionally practiced since the time of the Jesuit presence in Antipolo during the Spanish Colonial Period until this present time. On May 22, 2018, the Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church, Bishop Francisco De Leon, Bishop of the Diocese of Antipolo decreed that a Special Solemnity for the Virgin of Antipolo, as the Patroness of the Diocese of Antipolo, will be perpetually celebrated every First Tuesday of May, about Padre Villarde’s historical account and marked the beginning of the Pilgrimage Season to Antipolo from the First Tuesday of May and ends on the First Tuesday of July.

Numerous parishes around the Diocese of Antipolo and other parts of Metro Manila would organize their pilgrimage to Antipolo called “Ahunan” where they would also bring along with them the venerated image of their town’s patron saint. The Pilgrimage season ends with the offering of the Holy Sacrifice and a solemn procession of the venerable image every first Tuesday of July.

On the other hand, numerous parishes, and chapels in the country are dedicated to Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage of Antipolo, and several replicas are sent to different Shrines and seminaries in different parts of the world from Spain, Italy, the United States among others.

Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje of Antipolo

The Brown Lady of Antipolo has already proven to be the beacon and travel companion of Filipinos through the centuries. Over time, with the ever-changing tides of time, new traditions sprung and continuously developed up to the present, from bringing her image to the ports of Manila to join the Galleons on their voyages of old up to the bringing newly bought vehicles for vehicle blessing of modern times. She once again demonstrates her role as a guide in our everyday journey here on earth to lead us to our much-awaited destination – heaven.

As we close this blogpost, we are sharing the prayer and hymn in honor of Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje de Antipolo as she continues to be our guiding light and star in our earthly pilgrimage.

Panalangin sa Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje – Ang Birhen ng Antipolo

Masintahin at Milagrosang Ina, sumasamo at dumudulog kami sa iyo. Tulungan mo kaming magpasalamat sa Panginoon sa lahat ng mga grasya at pagpapalang ipinagkaloob Niya saamin.

Sa tulong at awa mo, lingapin mo po ang mga naglalakbay, lalo na ang mangingibang bansa, upang maluwalhating makarating sa kanilang paroroonan.

Kami rin pong lahat ay iyong gabayan at akayin sa aming paglalakbay sa buhay. Sa aming pagtahak sa buhay na puno ng pag-aalinlangan at pangamba, pagkalooban po ninyo kami ng lakas at tapang na tahakin ang landas ng iyong Mahal na Anak na si Hesus.

Mahal na Birhen ng Antipolo, lumalapit po kami sa iyo. Dulutan mo ng mapayapang kalinga ang aming tahanan. Tulungan mo po kami na maitaguyod ng maayos at matuwid ang aming pamilya.

Sa aming paglalayag sa buhay, palakasin at patatagin mo ang bawat isa sa amin na makabuo ng isang pamayanan at bansang pinagharian ng iyong Mahal na Anak.

Nawa’y sa tulong at biyaya mo, Mahal naming Ina, ang buong mundo ay kupkupin ng iyong Mahal na Anak, at ilagay niya kami sa ilalim ng Kanyang pagkakandili at huwag kaming iwanan sa paglalakbay sa buhay, lalung lalo na sa oras ng sakuna at kagipitan.

Sa pamamagitan mo, Inang Mahal, pagpalain at tangkilikin mo po ang aming buhay paglilingkod sa iyong Anak na si Hesus at sa Simbahan upang mabuhay kami sa kapayapaan at katotohanan at marating namin ang kaluwalhatian ng buhay na walang hanggan, Amen.

Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje – Mahal na Birhen ng Antipolo , Ipnalangin mo kami!

Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje of Antipolo

BIRHENG MARIA NG ANTIPOLO

Birheng Maria ng Antipolo,
Kami Ay dinggin mo,
Ina naming minamahal,
Butuin nami’t gabay.

Tulutan mong lumaganap
Kapayapaan at katarungan
Sa Bayang Pilipinong
namimintuho sa iyo.

O Reyna naming kayumanggi
Akayin mo Kami
sa aming paglalakbay
sa landas niyaring buhay.

Tulungan mo kaming makarating
Ng maluwalhati sa aming
nilalangit Kaharian ng Diyos Ama.

Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje,
Ipanalangin mo Kami!

References:

Aviado, Lutgarda, “Madonnas of the Philippines”, Manlapaz Press, Quezon City, 1972.

Barcelona, Mary Anne, “Ynang Maria: a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Philippines”. Ed. Consuelo B. Estampa, P.D. Pasig City, Anvil Publishing Inc., 2004.

“Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, a Marian pilgrim in the Philippines”, Retrieved from https://opusdei.org/en-ph/article/blessed-alvaro-del-portillo-a-marian-pilgrim-in-the-philippines/ fbclid=IwAR3rdiSy5jiLgxX41j0y6Q8NFCAbS-UtxgZ-uEV7W7mteyCmO4XxavgJxVM on May 13, 2023.

Delos Reyes, Michael P., “Morena Graciosa: The devotion to the Virgin of Antipolo through the centuries”, Diliman, Quezon City, Claret Communications Foundation Inc., 2016.

Delos Reyes, Michael P., “Salve Regina: On Crowning image of the Virgin Mary”, Diliman, Quezon City, Claret Communications Foundation Inc., 2015.

“Novena to Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje of Antipolo”, Aklatang Lunas, Manila, 1980.

Sanchez, Francisco, “La Virgen Maria Venerada en sus Imagenes Filipinas”, Manila: Imp. De Santos y Bernal, 1904.

Photos:

Daquioag, Michael of Buen Viaje PH
Figueroa, Jun of the Antipolo Cathedral
Leon Gallery
Malabanan, James Benedict
Opus Dei Philippines
The Antipolo Cathedral Official Facebook page
Victorino, Gabriel of Desamparats PH

This blog is dedicated to the Virgin of Antipolo in observance of the Pilgrimage Season AD 2023 and in anticipation of the rites for the concession of Antipolo shrine as the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage. Mabuhay ang Birhen ng Antipolo!

+AMDG+ +AMPSPC+

Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno de Quiapo – The hope of every Filipino

Quiapo, Manila is arguably one of the most famous districts in Manila for many reasons, a melting pot of diverse cultures, the shops that pop around its streets that sell a plethora of times for personal and everyday use, the infamous crimes, and its hidden historic sites. But Quiapo is clearly identified for its famous patron – the famous image of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, a centuries-old image of Our Lord Jesus Christ carrying the cross that attracts millions of devotees nationwide from all parts of the country, especially on Fridays and on its Feast every January 9 – one of the biggest in the country and its attendance numbers increases annually.

The Visage of the Lord of Quiapo

The life-sized image of the Black Nazarene, which was carved by an anonymous Mexican artist sometime in the 17th century, depicts Jesus bearing the cross en route to his crucifixion. The statue derives its name from “Nazarene”, which is a title of Christ identifying him as being of Nazareth in Galilee, and from its very dark complexion uncommon among Philippine depictions of Jesus. The barefooted statue is shown in a genuflecting posture, symbolizing the agony and the weight of the cross with the pain Christ endured during his Passion. The statue bears a large, black cross of wood decorated with gilded brass caps on its ends.

The image sports a wig made of different fibers and wears a golden crown of thorns and the diagnostic “Tres Potencias” symbolizes the three offices of Christ: King, Priest, and Prophet, The other meaning to the Potencias are the powers of the Holy Trinity. These potencias are used to exclusively identify Christ in traditional Hispanic iconography. The image is dressed in a heavy velvet tunic of maroon, embroidered with floral or plant emblems in gold thread, and accented with lace trimmings on the collar and cuffs. Around its waist, a gold-plated metal belt embossed with the word “NAZARENO”, while a golden chain and ball looped around the neck and held in its left hand represents the Scourging. The image’s vestments are changed in the Pabihis rites which are performed by a priest and devotees a few times throughout the year in preparation for major religious occasions.

The beginning of the Nazareno devotion in Manila

The First image of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno of San Nicolas Church, Intramuros, Manila which was unfortunately a casualty of the Second World War

Contrary to popular belief that is continuously perpetuated in the mainstream media, there wasn’t an exact date or year on when the devotion and the image of the Black Nazarene started and when the image arrived. Although the year 1606 was the commonly cited year of the image’s arrival, further studies would show otherwise since the Order of the Augustinian Recollects in the country affirms that they did not bring an image of the Nazareno in their first missionary voyage in 1606 and they only brought images of San Nicolas de Tolentino and Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion y Correa that was enshrined at the Old San Nicolas Church in Intramuros (both casualties of the Second World War).

Interestingly, Msgr. Jose Abriol, then Rector of Quiapo Basilica, also noted that the year 1606 was an estimate regarding the arrival of the Recollect Missionaries in the country, a misconception later clarified by subsequent research. However, one fact remains certain: the first Nazareno image was brought to San Nicolas de Tolentino Church in Intramuros before April 20, 1651. This coincided with the establishment of the Cofradia de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, with approval from Pope Innocent X, where the existence of the Nazareno of Intramuros was documented.

Nuestro Padre Jesus nazareno of Quiapo with an encarna

The devotion to the Nazareno of Intramuros grew over the years until such time that another image was commissioned in Mexico which was kept at the Church’s sacristy. This image would eventually be known as the Nazareno of Quiapo. The sacristy image also gained so much popularity that Manila Archbishop Basilio Sancho de Santas Justa y Rufina mandated the transfer of the image to the Parish of St. John the Baptist in Quiapo, Manila in 1787 for the security of the Walled City. Pope Pius VII gave the statue his Apostolic Blessing in 1880, which granted plenary indulgence to those who piously prayed before it.

On the dark complexion of the Nazareno

Traditional accounts attribute the color to factors such as votive candles offered before the image, although the most widely held belief is that it was charred by a fire on board the galleon that brought it from Mexico which is false. A study conducted by Monsignor Sabino A. Vengco, Jr. from Loyola School of Theology shows that the image was not charred, contrary to popular belief, but in fact, the image is already dark through to its core, as it was carved from mesquite wood. Msgr. Vengco based this claim on his research in Mexico, where he said the wood was a popular medium in the period the statue was carved, and likened it to Our Lady of Antipolo of similar provenance and appearance.

The image at present

The Processional “Señor Vicario” image of the Black Nazarene

At present, there are two main images of the Nazareno of Quiapo, the original altar image and the processional image, also known as the “Vicario”. The present-day altar enshrined in Quiapo Church is a composite of the original head with a new body by renowned Filipino santero Gener Maglaqui, as commissioned by the Archdiocese of Manila.

The original head of the image damaged by a bullet in the 1980s

The second image, which includes the original body and the head of the Maglaqui replica, is currently enshrined in a chapel where devotees can kiss the feet of the image and offer prayers. This arrangement was initiated in 1998 due to security concerns for the image and to prevent further damage. Notably, in the 1980s, a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo sect shot at the image, sparking national outrage and fervent reactions from devotees. The incident resulted in a stampede that led to the death of the shooter.

In recent years, more replicas of the Nazareno would be commissioned by the Basilica for the veneration of the faithful, visitation to different parishes, and distribution in different dioceses in the country.

Parish of St. John the Baptist – Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno

The home of the Nazareno

Formerly a visita of Santa Ana, in 1586, St. Pedro Bautista and Fray Antonio de Nombella, a Franciscan friar, developed the Church and the town, initially dedicating it to Saint John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. Unfortunately, it burned down in 1603, leading Governor-General Santiago de Vera to initiate the full construction of the church in 1686. Despite numerous wars and earthquakes devastating the Church, it was consistently rebuilt each time.

In 1933, Fr. Magdaleno Castillo commenced the reconstruction of the church based on a plan prepared by the National Artist of the Philippines architect Juan Nakpil. He incorporated the church’s dome and added a second belfry to balance out the façade. Architect José María Zaragoza later enlarged the church and altered the design of the lateral walls in 1984, while retaining the façade and the dome to accommodate more devotees.

Jaime Cardinal Sin, then-Archbishop of Manila, reconsecrated the church on September 27, 1987, and the following year, it was declared a Minor Basilica. In 1988, the church was conferred the title Basilica Minor of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno.

The Quiapo Basilica was elevated to the status of Archdiocesan Shrine of the Black Nazarene. This decree was issued on May 10, 2023, and was announced by Fr. Robert Arellano during the noon mass at Quiapo Church.

The Solemn Declaration of Quiapo Church and Basilica as the National Shrine of the Jesus Nazareno

Months later, during their 126th Plenary Assembly in Kalibo, Aklan, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) approved the petition on Sunday, July 9, 2023, to designate Quiapo Church in Manila as the country’s 29th national shrine. The petition, initiated by Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila, was granted, bestowing the title of “National Shrine of the Jesus Nazareno” upon the iconic church, further acknowledging its significance in the Philippine Catholic Church. The solemn declaration rites took place on January 29, 2024.

The present image of Nuestra Señora de la Buena Hora of Quiapo

The Basilica is also the home of the devotion to Nuestra Señora de la Buena Hora where it was venerated in Quiapo Church since the Spanish era. Although the origins of the image were unknown due to a lack of records available, it is said that she also enjoyed a devotional following and the Virgin of the Flores de Mayo of the Quiapo community. Unfortunately, the original ivory image was sold in the 1960s when funds for the restoration of the church were needed and the devotion subsequently died down. After a few decades, the devotion was revived in 2017 with a new image and celebrated its first feast on August 15, 2017 – Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary after the devotion suddenly disappeared.

The Current devotion to the Black Nazarene

The devotion to the Black Nazarene of Quiapo developed and grew over the centuries. Fridays are specifically dedicated to the Nazareno, which the day is traditionally dedicated to the Passion of Our Lord. Pilgrims would flock to Quiapo on Fridays to ask for help in their everyday lives and numerous miracles were reported attributed to the dark-skinned Nazareno.

There are three annual dates when the statue is brought out of its shrine for public veneration: New Year’s Day (the first day of its novena); Good Friday; and January 9 more popularly known as the Traslacion The Traslación procession is the largest of the three, drawing millions of devotees and lasting anywhere from 14 to 20 hours.

The Solemn Procession of the Señor Nazareno of Quiapo during the Spanish era

Contrary to popular belief, there wasn’t a specific date on when the Traslacion took place and it is often mistaken as January 9. Msgr. Jose Abriol, then Rector of Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene stated that January 9 was the chosen feast of the Nazareno because it is the ninth day of the novena in honor of the Most Holy Name of Jesus which starts on January 1 which according to the old Church Calendar, it is the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus and the Circumcision of Our Lord (the dates of the feast vary depending on what day January 1 falls). At present, the novena begins on December 31 in the tradition of holding a nine-day novena before the feast of a patron saint.

The Traslación Procession of the Black Nazarene

The Traslacion Procession of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno of Quiapo

Every January 9, the Traslación procession of the Black Nazarene makes its way along the streets of the Quiapo district, with attendees reaching up to 12 million. In recent years, the processional route was altered due to a rise in vehicular and stampede accidents, to afford other neighborhoods off the traditional route a chance to participate, and because of structural deficiencies in bridges along the route.

It is normally only a school holiday for the schools along or near the path of the procession, starting. In 2014, Former President turned Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada declared a special non-working holiday due to the impassibility of some thoroughfares and projected congestion in others.

The Procession of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno of Quiapo

In the olden days, the procession of the Black Nazarene was solemn and celebrated with pomp and grandeur during the early years of the Spanish period until the early parts of the post-war period.

As per custom, the statue of the Nazarene leaves the Minor Basilica a day or two before, either in a public fashion or clandestinely. Since 2016, the procession has begun early in the morning after a Solemn Midnight Mass at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, near where the image was first enshrined, and ends in Quiapo early the following morning or at late night the same day, depending on how long the image is traveling. Some participants choose to wait for the image inside the Minor Basilica to greet it, while most devotees walk throughout the whole processional route.

The Traslacion Procession of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno of Quiapo during the Post War Era

All devotees wear maroon and yellow like the image’s garb, and they walk barefoot as both penance and in emulation of Jesus on his way to Golgotha. The Traslacion is well attended by the millions and it keeps on rising every year. Attendees include families of devotees, tourists, and members of devotees’ associations throughout the country (marked by their estandartes.)

The Black Nazarene is borne in procession on its carriage called the Ándas, and traditionally only men were permitted to be namámasán (“bearers”, i.e. devotees pulling the Ándas by its two large ropes), but in recent years female devotees have been allowed to participate. It is believed that the right shoulder side of the rope is the most sacred site since it is believed to have been where Jesus bore the cross.

Marshals from the Minor Basilica, known as the Hijos del Nazareno, form an honor guard for the Black Nazarene, and are the only people allowed to ride with it in the Ándas for the duration of the Traslación and their primary jobs are to protect the image from possible damage as well as direct the namámasán at the front and the crowd behind through hand gestures, voice commands (either directly or through a megaphone, especially at the front of the image) and whistle signals. They also help devotees clamber up the Ándas so that they might briefly touch the image or its cross, and wipe towels and handkerchiefs tossed at them on parts of the image.

The wiping of cloth on the statue, which is also done during the Pahalík (“kissing”) vigil preceding the Traslación, follows the folk belief that a miraculous object’s powers (specifically its curative abilities) “rub off” on cloth articles.

The Traslación is also infamously known for the casualties that result from the jostling and congestion of the crowds pulling the Ándas. The injuries and even deaths of devotees are brought upon by one or a combination of heat, fatigue, or being trampled upon by other devotees. The 2012 Traslación is the longest in the image’s recorded history as it ended after 22 hours, arriving at Plaza Miranda around 05:15 in the morning of January 10. The procession took longer than usual since the wheels of the Ándas broke early on at a point near Manila Hotel, and the rope broke near Liwasang Bonifacio. There were also reports of groups of devotees diverting the image from the previously decided route to pass by business establishments outside of the traditional route. This illicit act was done to allow homes and businesses off the planned route to receive the good luck and blessings of the image.

The Dungaw Rites

The first Dungaw of the Nazareno and Virgen del Carmen at the Balcony of Basilica Minore de San Sebastian after being halted for centuries for unknown reasons.

On January 9, 2014, the old tradition of the Dungaw (a Tagalog calque of its Spanish name Mirata, “to see” or “to view”) was revived and reincorporated into the Traslación after old documents attesting to its practice were re-discovered. The custom involves the Black Nazarene being made to stop briefly at Plaza del Carmen along the southwest flank of the neo-gothic Basilica Minore de San Sebastián.

After the recitation of the rosary by the congregation inside the steel basilica and as the bells in the church’s twin spires peal, the resident Recollect priests remove the statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel from its shrine in the retablo mayor. The image, which was given to the Recollects in 1617 by the Discalced Carmelite nuns in Mexico City, is then brought to a high platform at the southwest face of the church, and lifted up by several priests to “see” and “meet” the Black Nazarene.

The moment is accompanied by relative silence and fervent prayer on the part of devotees, and shortly thereafter, the priests slowly turn the Virgin’s statue so that it “watches” the Black Nazarene depart the vicinity of Plaza del Carmen with the crowds following. The meeting of the two venerated images of the Recollect Order signifies the meeting of the King and Queen of Quiapo – the Great Protectors of the Arrabal de Quiapo.

A few years later, more Marian rites were added to the Traslacion procession from the “Sungaw” of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Manila, “Pagtatagpo” of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila and “Visita” of Our Lady of Miraculous Medal of San Marcelino, Manila.

The devotion at present

An estampa of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno of Quiapo

The intense devotion to the Black Nazarene is rooted among Filipinos who identify themselves with the passion and suffering of Christ which the statue depicts. Many devotees of the Black Nazarene relate their poverty and daily struggles to the Passion of Christ as represented by the image. The Friday of each week in the year (except Good Friday) is colloquially known as “Quiapo Day” since the novena in the image’s honor is held on this day nationwide. As with “Baclaran Day” (which is ascribed to Wednesdays), commuters associate these two days with heavy traffic in the city due to the influx of devotees to each shrine.

Filipinos overseas have also brought the tradition of a procession and Mass honoring of the Black Nazarene statue to countries such as Australia and the United States. As in Quiapo, a copy of the image is paraded through the streets or within the parish bounds, with devotees reciting prayers in its wake.

The altar image of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno of Quiapo

The impact of the Black Nazarene on his faithful devotees is simply unexplainable, his devotees transcend social strata from the rich and wealthy, the poor and the destitute, from politicians, actors, professionals, and others, they may differ in their status in society, but all their accolades are nothing whenever they are in the presence of the Black Nazarene or joining his procession.

Critics of the devotees of the Black Nazarene, whether Catholic or non-Catholic, may dismiss the devotion as rowdy and uncultured because of the manner of the procession of the image and its devotional practices. But if one looks closely at the devotees, they have found their hope amid their troubles, they have found someone to whom they can put all their troubles – it is Our Lord Jesus, in the form of his suffering.

The devotees have found something that they can identify themselves with this particular image, from its skin color up to the scene that the image depicts, the image, for the devotees felt that Jesus is sharing their plight and suffering – that is why the devotion to the Black Nazarene is deeply embedded to the Filipinos.

References:

Abriol, Jose, “Pagsisiyam sa Pooong Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno,” Aklatang Lunas, Manila, 1992.
Almayo, Jose Ernil, OAR, “Romanillos rebuts ‘Myths and Miracles of the Nazareno de Quiapo’”, Retrieved from https://recoletosfilipinas.org/2019/01/09/romanillos-rebuts-myths-and-miracles-of-the-nazareno-de-quiapo/ on January 7, 2021.
Austria, Jose Alain, H”ijos de Enero 9: Quiapo’s Black Nazarene Procession as a Male Rite of Passage” Retrieved from https://ejournals.ph/article.php?id=3177 on January 2, 2016.
“Feast Day: The Holy Name of Jesus”, Retrieved from http://stairwayheaven11.blogspot.com/2012/01/feast-day-holy-name-of-jesus.html on July 5, 2017.
Gregorio, Xavier, “The truth behind the Black Nazarene’s color”, Retrieved from https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/1/9/truth-behind-black-nazarene-color.html

Photos:

Canapi, Benedict
Chua, Michael Charleston
Malabanan, James BenedictMinor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno
Yu, Kendrick Dominic

Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de Manaoag – The Lady who Calls

Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de Manaoag (English: Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag) or popularly known as Our Lady of Manaoag , Apo Baket to the people of Pangasinan, is one of the most revered image of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the country venerated in Manaoag, Pangasinan.

The title’s associated image, which dates from the 16th century is enshrined inside the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag. In Pangasinense, she called as “Apo Baket”, a name of reverence as an act of respect to an elder woman. The Manaoag shrine is a major pilgrimage site in the country, and is administered by the Dominican Order within the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan.

Our Lady of Manaoag, who is invoked as patroness of the sick, the helpless and the needy, is celebrated on two feast days: the third Wednesday after Easter (Patronal Feast), and the first Sunday of October (as Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary).

The Visage of the Calling Mother

The statue of Our Lady of Manaoag is a 17th-century ivory image of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus enshrined at the high altar of the Basilica. It was brought to the Philippines from Spain via the Manila galleon from Acapulco, Mexico, in the early 17th century by Padre Juan de San Jacinto OP.

The image is a de tallado statue with a huge base so that the image can be vested with fine clothing and this is still being practiced for centuries. One of the most important accessory of the image is the lunette in both the foreheads of the Mother and Child to give its signature look. The image of Our Lady of Manaoag is fully secured within a bulletproof glass enclosure above the new high altar, which has additional wood carvings, an elevated pedestal, and an elaborate altar.

The Apparition

Documents dating back to 1610 attest that a middle-aged farmer walking home heard a mysterious female voice. He looked around and saw on a cloud-veiled treetop an apparition of the Virgin Mary, holding a rosary in her right hand and the Child Jesus in her left arm, all amidst a heavenly glow. Mary told the farmer where she wanted her church to be built, and a chapel was built on the hilltop site of the apparition, forming the nucleus of the present town. This venerable tradition holds how the town of Manaoag got its name derived from the Pangasinense verb mantaoag, which means “to call” (from the root taoag, “call”).

History

The Augustinians built the first Chapel of Santa Monica (the original name of Manaoag) in 1600, at the site of the present graveyard. It was served by the friars from the town of Lingayen, who were succeeded by the Dominicans in 1605 and served from the town of Mangaldan..

The first Dominican priest to work in the Manaoag mission was Juan de San Jacinto, O.P., who was the first curate of Mangaldan. It was only in 1608 that the Mangaldan mission was formally accepted by the provincial chapter of the Dominicans. In 1610, Tomás Jiménez, O.P. became the Manaoag mission’s first resident priest.

Numerous threats from the Igorot tribes of the surrounding mountains led to the transfer of the entire community to the present site on a hill. The Dominicans started to build a large church on its present site in 1701 under the sponsorship of Gaspar de Gamboa and his wife, Agata Yangta, who were wealthy residents from Manila who moved to Lingayen. Later expansion of the church from 1882 was frustrated by an earthquake in 1892.

During the tumult of the Philippine Revolution for independence from Spain, revolutionaries set fire to church, its treasures, ornaments, and records on 10 May 1898. The image narrowly escaped destruction; it was found abandoned at the back of the church. It was spirited away to Dagupan City, where it was kept from June to October 1898.

The Dominicans returned in 1901 upon the invitation of Rev. Mariano Pacis, the diocesan priest of Manaoag. Under the aegis of the Dominicans, the church that was started in 1882 was finally completed to a large extent in 1911-12. The central retablo, incorporating Baroque columns from the 18th-century altar, was completed by the famed Tampinco Atelier of Manila. The transepts were completed in 1931-32.

The Dominicans ceded all their Pangasinan missions to the diocesan clergy except Manaoag. Spiritual administration of the shrine in perpetuity was granted by the Holy See to the Order of Preachers in 1925.

Miracles

Some of the earliest miracles attributed to Our Lady of Manaoag, including the original apparition, are depicted in the murals in the church.

In the early days of the Spanish era, animist mountain tribes burnt down newly-Christianised villages. The town of Manaoag was among the settlements that were burnt by the raiders, sending the locals fleeing to the thatch-roofed church. The pillagers’s leader climbed over the church compound’s crude fence and shot flaming arrows at all parts of the church, but the building miraculously did not catch fire.

During the Second World War, enemy Japanese forces dropped several bombs within the church’s vicinity. The structure was only moderately damaged. Four bombs were released above the church, with three landing on the plaza and the façade, destroying both. The last bomb fell into the sanctuary, but miraculously did not explode.

A mother went to Our Lady shrine with her dead child and asked the Virgin to bring her child back to life, then all of a sudden, the child came back to life and later serve to the Virgin’s shrine as an act of thanksgiving.

Church Recognition

The Canonical Coronation of Our Lady of Manaoag

A huge crowd attended the canonical coronation of the image on April 21, 1926 by then-Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Guglielmo Piani, S.D.B., as authorised by Pope Pius XI. This meant that the Catholic Church officially recognized and proclaimed that The Virgin Mary acclaimed as Our Lady of The Rosary of Manaoag had granted favors and blessings to or formidable intercessions for her devotees through the centuries.

Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag

On June 21, 2011, Cardinal Bernard Francis Law, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome and Pope Benedict XVI canonically approved the granting of a “Special Bond of Spiritual Affinity in Perpetuity” through which the pilgrims are assured of the same blessings and entitlement to a plenary indulgence equal to that received when visiting a papal basilica in Rome. This was confirmed by the prelate (now Archbishop) of the Lingayen-Dagupan, Socrates B. Villegas, in a circular dated June 13, 2011. The Manaoag Shrine is the first to achieve this status followed by the Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay in Taal, Batangas, Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Orani in Orani, Bataan, the Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Senora delos Dolores de Turumba of Pakil, Laguna and the Minor Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New Manila, Quezon City.

The official document and a shrine official, who was among the priests who went to Rome, confirmed that the plenary indulgence may be obtained on each visit to the shrine subject to three conditions for each occasion: going to confession immediately before or after the pilgrimage; receiving the Eucharist during the pilgrimage; and praying for the intentions of the Pope; each done in a spirit of detachment from the attraction of sin.

On July 22, 2011, the Shrine of Our Lady of The Rosary of Manaoag was elevated to a minor basilica in a ceremony attended by more than 100 archbishops and bishops, leaders of church and state, and numerous devotees. The Shrine was henceforth called the Basilica of Our Lady of The Rosary of Manaoag, headed by a rector appointed by the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan. A special Mass was also held to affirm the “Special Bond of Spiritual Affinity in Perpetuity” between the Manaoag Shrine and the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.

Feasts

The primary feast of Our Lady of Manaoag is on the third Wednesday of Easter. The peaks of the pilgrimages are during the Lenten and Easter seasons, the month of May, and the month of October – the month of The Holy Rosary – where the universal feast day of Our Lady of The Holy Rosary is celebrated every first Sunday of October. There are processions after the afternoon Mass on these occasions.

Veneration and Fervent devotion

Pilgrims lighting candles in a floating candle station of the Shrine

The devotion to Apo Baket continues to be more popular for centuries. Thousands converge on Saturdays and Sundays to pray for their intentions, hear Mass, pray the rosary, offer flowers, light candles, buy religious articles, have religious articles or vehicles blessed, get holy water, and join in the daily and seasonal activities. The blessing of religious articles and vehicles is performed at the back of the church grounds after every Mass, while holy water is also dispensed there for free to those with containers.

The short dawn procession and rosary every first Saturday before the 5 a.m. Mass is well-attended by regular pilgrims mostly from Metro Manila and from Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon. These first Saturday rites are pursuant to the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays requested by the Virgin Mary in her third apparition at Fátima on 13 July 1917 for the preservation of world peace. Today thousands continue to flock her shrine to heed her call to her children to give glory to his Son who Redeemed the world.

Through centuries, Apo Baket proven that graces will be bestowed to those who asked for them and heed her call for prayer and penance. The Manaoag Shrine has proven this testament and as long as they are people who heeds her call to live good lives and do whatever His Son tells them to do, she will lavish them graces and protection on their earthly pilgrimage.

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario, La Naval de Manila – The Queen and Protectress of the Philippines

Within the busy streets of Quezon Avenue, Quezon City, a towering shrine is seen along its road. Inside that massive shrine of Santo Domingo Church, it houses the silent witness to the turbulent yet triumphant history of the Philippines – the beautiful and grand image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario, La Naval de Manila.

The Virgin of the Rosary of La Naval is not only a silent witness, she is the anchor of hope of the Filipinos through the centuries of its turbulent and challenging history, better yet, the Great Protectress of the islands, the La Gran Senora de Filipinas.

The Image of Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario, La Naval de Manila (colloquially known as the Santo Rosario or Our Lady of La Naval de Manila), is one of the most miraculous and the most important in the country. As with the Battle of Lepanto of 1571, Filipinos credit her intercession for successfully repulsing Dutch invasion during the Battles of La Naval de Manila of 1646.

The image of Our Lady of La Naval, whose feast is celebrated every second Sunday of October, is a 16th-century ivory and wood statue enshrined at the Santo Domingo Church – the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Quezon City. On her throne, she became the silent witness and played a key role in the turbulent yet important moments in our nation’s history her presence is very potent and her devotion continues to be relevant to this day.

The Visage of the Queen

The Virgin of La Naval in her signature Numero Uno vestment

Measuring some 1.52 meters, the body is made of hardwood while the face and hands, as well as the entire Child Jesus in its arms, are made of genuine ivory. Since its creation, the statue – considered the oldest dated ivory carving in the Philippines – has always been decorated with elaborate garments and a crown.

A medal was placed at the center of the base of the image, that medal is that of National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin, a well renowned Filipino writer and poet famous for his literary works and for his literary pieces for the Virgin of La Naval. The Quijano de Manila (as he is popularly called) expressed on his deathbed that his medal will be placed at the base of the image as his final offering. The medal can still be seen today.

The jewels of image is also noteworthy. In his prose on the La Naval, Nick Joaquín attributed one of the red jewels in one of the statue’s crowns to an old legend of a giant serpent found in the Pasig River; the local folktale is more likely a metaphor of the triumph of Christianity over paganism.The other jewels were supposedly inscribed and donated by King Norodom of Cambodia in 1872, one having disappeared after a burglary in 1930 while another one was simply two pearls adorning the orbs of the statue.

The Beginning

The lone photo of the first image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario brought by the Dominicans in 1587 shortly before the bombings of 1941

Prior to the renowned ivory image of the Virgin of the Rosary, there existed another Santo Rosario image brought by the Dominicans from Mexico in 1587. This Mexican image, carved from a single piece of wood, stood at a height of one and a half meters on a 30-centimeter pedestal. Until the earthquake in 1863, the image was enshrined at the left side of the altar and a relic from the tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe was concealed within a hollowed-out portion at the back of the statue.

In 1593, the Spanish Governor-General Don Luis Pérez Dasmariñas commissioned a statue of Our Lady of the Rosary for public veneration in memory of his recently deceased father, Don Gomez Pérez Dasmariñas. Under the direction of Captain turned priest Don Hernando de los Rios Coronel, the sculpture was made by an anonymous Chinese sculptor, who later converted to Christianity; this is the commonly cited reason for the statue’s Asian features. The statue was later given to the Dominican friars, who installed it at the Santo Domingo Church.

Popular pious legend has it that while the Chinese carver was making the image, he heard a gentle female voice saying: “¡No me des tan fuerte!” (Do not chisel me too hard!, it hurts!). This incident haunted the carver that he moved to Ilocos to forget the mysterious voice, yet after much thought, he decided to be baptized and he willed that it will be done in front of the image he made.

The ivory image of Don Luis was donated to the Dominicans and was subsequently enshrined to the their Church around 1595. The devotees of the first image on the other hand requested that the wooden image be relocated somewhere where she could still be venerated. Thus the image was placed on the facade of old Santo Domingo and a light was provided by night thanks to a perpetual donation of ten pesos each year. The image survived the destruction of Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros by earthquakes and fires yet she was lost during the bombings of 1941.

Early Miracles

Since the enthronement of the Santo Rosario, there were already reported miracles that are attributed to her maternal intercession.

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila in her old altar in Old Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros

The first known and recorded miracle of the Santo Rosario took place was the miracle of Francisco Lopez in 1613, who is known for his vicious deeds yet his saving grace was praying the Rosary. One day while he was on a voyage, the natives attacked the ship leaving the Spaniards injured, and some of them died. Francisco did not die yet he has wounds all over his body and bled profusely.

Seeing his end near him, he sincerely pleaded with the Virgin to help him in his last hour. Then suddenly, the Virgin and the Child Jesus appeared to him, walking towards him and sustaining him in his remaining hours. Then a ship came and his acquaintance, Gonzalo Salcedo saw him in his pitiful state and Lopez related his encounter with the Virgin and asked Salcedo for a priest for his last Sacraments. A Franciscan priest came and received his last sacraments and died in peace.

At that same moment, the camarera, Doña Ana de Vera, saw that the lower part of the dress of both the Virgin and Child were dirty with cake mud and wet. This alarmed her that she called the Padre before reporting the incident. The conclusion to this mystery was later reached when an investigation took place and found out that the miracle of Francisco Lopez and the discovery of Doña Ana de Vera happened at the same time. This miracle was probed in 1621.

A Moro diver was doing his job to find precious pearls for trading and when he saw a great pearl in a giant clam, as he was about to get the precious pearl, the mother-o’-pearl closed and his arm got stuck. The diver remembered the preaching of a Dominican friar in Zamboanga about the Miraculous image of the Santo Rosario in Intramuros and he later asked the Virgin to help him escape from sudden death and he promised to offer the pearl to the Virgin, immediately, the mother-o-pearl broke into two and his arm was released and got the precious pearl. The diver immediately went to Intramuros and with the permission of the friars, he gave the precious pearl to the image of the Virgin.

Details of the face of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila

Not long after, a thief was lurking inside the church and wanted to rob the pearl of the Virgin, as he about to reach the image, the Virgin spoke to him “¿Por qué me roba usted cuándo no le daño?” (Why dost thou rob me when I harm you not?) The thief fell down and realized his sin, he repented and since then, the people now have high regard to the Lady’s jewels.

A Mother went inside Sto. Domingo Church, then in Intramuros, with her dead 6 months old baby boy. She went to the feet of Our Lady and begged to bring his dead baby back to life. To the amazement of the mother, and the crowds inside the church, the baby was brought back to life to the rejoice of his mother. The miracle was duly recorded and perpetuated.

The Miracle of the Battle in Molluccas

Prior to the Naval battles of 1646, the Virgin is already invoked for victories in naval battles. One such battle was that in Ternate, Molluccas (now part of Indonesia) 1604, the Governor General of the Islands Don Pedro Bravo de Acuña launched an expedition that will against the Dutch in Ternate, Molluccas as a preventive measure for a possible invasion of the Philippines. The combined Spanish and Filipino forces joined the fleet, accompanied by the Dominican Friars headed by Fray Andres de Santo Domingo. The entire fleet enlisted themselves to the Rosary Confraternity and made a promise that if the victory will be theirs, they will name the island after the Virgin.

Holy Week of 1604, the Spanish and Filipino armada headed to Molluccas and as they reached the island on Good Friday, they were intimidated by the forts and combined Dutch and Muslim forces. At the same time, a solar eclipse took place which a Moro elder from Molluccas interpreted as a bad omen for the Dutch. April 1, 1604, Holy Saturday, the Spanish-Filipino armada launched their attack and the Dutch-Moro forces began to fire cannons and guns at them. All of a sudden, a voice from heaven was heard by the armada encouraging them to attack and promising victory. The armada realized that Saturday was the day dedicated to the Virgin and the voice was an assuring sign from her and proceed with the attack.

The Dutch-Moro forces were defeated and when they interrogated one of the Dutch soldiers, he relayed that as they are firing a cannon, they saw a beautiful lady from the sky and stopped a Moro from firing the cannon, grabbed its weapon and poured sand to the cannon. Out of fear, he ran away yet he met the armada and died during battle. That Easter Sunday, a thanksgiving Mass was offered and fulfilled their promise to dedicate and named the island to Nuestra Señora del Rosario.

The Miracle of the Five Naval Battles of 1646

The devotion to the Santo Rosario reached its highest degree of importance and fame with her famous intercession on the Five Naval Battles of 1646.

In 1646, as the Philippines was recovering from several unfortunate events of the previous years, the Dutch naval forces made several repeated attempts to conquer the Philippines in a bid to control trade in Asia.

The combined Spanish and Filipino forces sought the aid of the Virgin of the Rosary and place themselves under her protection and prayed the rosary repeatedly. The combined forces made a vow that if the victory will be theirs, they will walk barefoot, offer a candle, and make a confession to the chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary then in Old Intramuros, to offer gratitude for the victory they hoped to obtain from her intercession.

From March to October of 1646, with only two old two merchant galleons led by Commander Lorenzo de Orella y Ugalde, the “Encarnacion” and the “Santo Rosario”, they went on to rebuff the attacks by the superior 18 Dutch fleets, engaging in five major battles at sea and losing only fifteen members of the Spanish-Filipino forces.

The first battle took place on March 15, 1646, in Bolinao Bay. The two galleons faced a fleet of five Dutch ships. Trusting in their spiritual weapons, the defenders recited the rosary on their knees. With just one casualty, they drove the Dutch into panic and inflicted significant damage. The second battle occurred on July 29, between Banton and Marinduque. The two galleons triumphed over a fleet of seven, armed with powerful artillery and around eight hundred men. The fierce and bloody battle lasted from evening till dawn.

Two days later, a third battle took place off the coast of Mindoro. The Dutch force of six ships faced the defenders, who shouted praises to the Christian faith and the Virgin of the Rosary. One Dutch ship was lost, and another was crippled.

Returning to Cavite, the galleons faced another Dutch fleet near Mariveles. Despite being hit, the Spanish-Filipino forces emerged victorious for the fourth time. A week later, the Fifth and last battle commenced as the disabled Sto. Rosario faced a Dutch fleet of three ships. The enemy bombarded her from all sides, nearly boarding her. However, the brave defenders called upon God and the Blessed Mother, resulting in the destruction of one Dutch ship and the scattering of the others. The defenders suffered minimal casualties, with only four men lost. In total, only fifteen defenders died in the five battles, which ended the Protestant Dutch ambition to conquer the Philippines.

The Battle of La Naval de Manila by Botong Francisco

After each victory, the Spanish-Filipino forces were able to fulfill the vow they made to the Virgin to walk barefoot to her altar and gave thanks for the miraculous victories.

On April 9, 1662, the cathedral chapter of the Archdiocese of Manila declared the naval victory a miraculous event owed to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, declaring:

“Granted by the Sovereign Lord through the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin and devotion to her Rosary, that the miracles be celebrated, preached and held in festivities and to be recounted amongst the miracles wrought by the Lady of the Rosary for the greater devotion of the faithful to Our Most Blessed Virgin Mary and Her Holy Rosary.”

Since then, the tradition of walking barefoot to her shrine later evolved into the iconic Grand Procession of the Santo Rosario that gathers thousands to millions of devotees every year. It is due to this famous miracles that the “La Naval” was added to her title and named “La Gran Señora de Filipinas”.

World War II and its transfer to Quezon City

The image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario La Naval de Manila during her stay at the University of Santo Tomas

During the Japanese bombardment in 1942, fearing that the statue would be destroyed, church authorities hid the statue at the University of Santo Tomas until 1946, the 300th anniversary of the battles. By Divine Inspiration, the image was kept in the vault of the Church prior to the destruction of the image.

On September 28, 1942, the image of the Santo Rosario was moved to the Chapel of the University of Santo Tomas and was placed at the main altar. The university held the image temporarily during the Virgin of La Naval’s “evacuation.” As a result, the first fiesta celebration of Santisimo Rosario Parish took place on October 7, coinciding with the universal feast of the Holy Rosary. During these times, the novenas and processions continued despite the tragic times of the war.

Santo Domingo Church – National Shrine of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila

On October 10, 1954, the Santo Rosario was transferred to her new shrine, the present Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City. For this journey, devotees constructed a Carroza Triunfal (a galleon-shaped carriage) to carry the image to its new home, which was declared her National Shrine by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines that same year.

The church and convent, along with the other objects stored in the complex were declared a “National Cultural Treasure” by the National Museum of the Philippines on October 4, 2012. This declaration is in accordance with Republic Act 10066 or the “National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009” by the National Museum.

The Santo Rosario in modern times

The Virgin of the Rosary – La Naval de Manila continues to play her role as the country’s Great Lady and Protectress as she witnessed the struggles of the Filipino people from its liberation from 3 colonizers, gaining independence, and the modern-day crisis that challenged our nation.

Nuestra Señora del Santrisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila at the Letran Chapel in 1953

In 1953, during the First Plenary Council of the Philippines, the image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila made a significant return to Intramuros. After twelve years since the Second World War, the image was brought back to oversee the council held at San Agustin Church. As part of the closing ceremony on January 24, 1953, the image briefly visited Colegio de San Juan de Letran for the veneration of the Letranite community.

During the People Power Revolution of February 1986, the callejera statue of the Virgin of La Naval was brought in procession to the EDSA by the Dominican friars, in a peaceful protest to end the Marcos regime. The callejera was also brought to the eastern gate of Camp Crame, the police headquarters where the rebel forces headed by Juan Ponce Enrile and Fidel V. Ramos were confined during the uprising. Many Filipino Catholics attribute the revolution’s peaceful victory to the miraculous intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario La Naval de Manila during her visit the University of Santo Tomas for the Quadricentennial Celebrations of the said University

In 2011, the original image of Our Lady of La Naval de Manila joyfully returned to the University of Santo Tomas to celebrate its 400th Anniversary. The visited delighted the Thomasian community, as she is the Patroness of the Royal and Pontifical University, which had served as her temporary home during the Japanese invasion.

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila in her homecoming procession in Intramuros, Manila in 2020.

On January 24-25, 2020, after 67 years since her last visit, the original image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila returned triumphantly to Intramuros for the Quadricentennial celebrations of Colegio de San Juan de Letran. The homecoming of the Virgin of La Naval filled her devotees and history enthusiasts with excitement, as they hoped to witness and participate in the Santo Rosario’s return to its home in Intramuros. Following the Welcome Mass at the Manila Cathedral and a brief moment of veneration, a solemn procession took place. Letranites, members of the Dominican family, the Rosary Confraternity, clergy, and devotees walked through the historic streets of Intramuros, marking the first procession in 79 years since the Second World War.

Civil and Ecclesiastical Recognition

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila wearing her Pontifical Coronation regalia

Over the centuries, numerous honors were given to the Virgin of the Roasry – La Naval de Manila in recognition of the miracles and the protection that she gave to her beloved Filipino people.

In an undated 1903 letter to the Archbishop of Manila, the “Rosary” Pope Leo XIII issued an exhortation for people to come in pilgrimage to the Virgin’s shrine in Santo Domingo Church (then in Intramuros): “…Go to the temple of Santo Domingo, to the sanctuary of the excellence of the Most Holy Virgin of the Rosary in the Philippines, to the place where your elders bent their knees to give thanks to her who liberated these Islands from Protestant heresy, to the spot consecrated by the piety of one hundred generations who had gone there to deposit their piety and confidence in Mary most holy.”

The Pontifical Coronation of the Santo Rosario – The First ever in the Philippines and in Asia

Pope St. Pius X authorized granting the statue a canonical crown in 1906, which was bestowed by the Apostolic Delegate to the Philippines, The Most Rev. Ambrose Agius, O.S.B.. The Pontifical Coronation of the Santo Rosario is the first in Philippine Church history and in Asia.

For the Pontifical Coronation of the image, The Filipino nation, some 310,000 individuals, donated and funded the making of the Canonical Crowns for the Santo Rosario image. The precious jewels, gems were donated by the students and faculty of the University of Santo Tomas for the Coronation of October 1907. These form part of the image’s large collection of elaborate jewels some of which date to the 1700s and continuously accumulated to this day.

On the day of the Coronation, October 5, 1907, crowds gathered in the plaza in Intramuros, despite the rains and the it was a jubilant day for her devotees and for the nation that she continuously protect. In 2007, she celebrated the Centenary of the Canonical Coronation with much rejoicing and pomp as the people relived the memory of the said event, especially during its re-enactment.

The Virgin of La Naval during the declaration of her Patronage of Quezon City

By virtue of Resolution No. 9645-S73 issued on August 21, 1973, the City Government of Quezon City designated “Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval” as the Patroness of Quezon City. To commemorate this significant event, a Holy Mass was conducted on October 12, 1973, coinciding with the 34th Founding Anniversary of Quezon City and publicly petitioned the Church to confirm the resolution on the Virgin’s Patronage over the city.

The following year, St. Paul VI welcomed the petition and on August 26, 1974, the Sacred Congregation for the Divine Worship issued the decree “Caelestium munerum conciliatrix” formalizing the Pope’s approval and grant of the Virgin’s Patronage over Quezon City.

Pope St. John Paul II together with the Virgin of La Naval in 1981

During the Papal Visit of St. John Paul II to the Philippines in 1981, at the presence of the crowd and the original image of the Virgin of La Naval, she was proclaimed as the “Queen and Protectress of the Philippines and the whole of Asia” and dedicated the Asian continent to the Virgin on February 18, 1981. The Pontiff blessed the original image the next day in another public Mass.

On the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, September 8, 2023, the Diocese of Cubao issued a declaration to observe the Solemnity of Our Lady of the Rosary – La Naval de Manila throughout its jurisdiction. This declaration aligns with Pope St. Paul VI’s 1974 declaration of the Virgin’s Patronage over Quezon City. Similarly, the previous year, in 2022, the Diocese of Novaliches made a similar pronouncement for the territories of Quezon City under its jurisdiction.

The Solemn Feast and the “Procesion de las Procesiones”

The image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila leaving Santo Domingo Church for the Grand Procession

Every Second Sunday of October, the vibrant, historic and awe-inspiring La Naval de Manila festivities is much anticipated fiesta and a major highlight of the Month of the Holy Rosary. This sacred event is a grand celebration of faith, devotion, and history, attracting thousands of devotees and curious onlookers alike.

The tradition of the procession of the Virgin traces back to the Spanish period first as a simple procession to repeat the vow of our forefathers until it developed elaborately over the centuries.

At present, the solemn festivities began on the day before the novena with a motorcade of the Vicaria image within the jurisdiction of Santo Domingo Church in the morning which was introduced in 2020. In the afternoon, the solemn enthronement will commence where the original and Pontifically Crowned image of the Virgin of La Naval will come out of her camarin in a short procession at the cloister of Santo Domingo flanked by the Dominican Friars until the Virgin in enthroned at the baldachino at the center that was built for the festivities.

The solemn novena masses will commence the following day with the musical accompaniment by the Tiples de Santo Domingo – the oldest existing boys choir in the Philippines – singing the traditional hymns that are associated with the Santo Rosario from the Inter-Mystery hymns, the “Ynvocacion a la Reina del Santisimo Rosario” and the haunting “Despedida a la Virgen”. On selected novena days, the besamanto will take place to give devotees a chance to have a glimpse of the Santo Rosario up close and personal and whisper their prayers of petition and thanksgiving for the prayers and her maternal intercession to her devotees.

At the solemn and grand fiesta, the historic and much anticipated La Naval Procession takes place. Dubbed as the “Procesion de las Procesiones” (The Procession of all Processions in English which was first used to dub the solemn transfer of the Virgin from UST to the present Santo Domingo Church in 1954) for it grandeur, pomp and solemnity that became the standard in different Marian celebrations in the country.

Decked to her carozza triunfal, adorned with regal vestments and golden crowns, the Great Lady of the Philippines shines with radiance. Her serene yet powerful countenance and presence inspire reverence and devotion among the multitude of faithful who gather to witness her grand procession. Accompanied by a solemn yet joyous procession, the image of La Naval de Manila is accompanied by clergy, religious orders, and numerous devotees. They carry lighted candles and rosaries, their voices lifted in prayer and praise. The streets are transformed into a river of faith as the procession makes its way through the city.

The Image of La Gran Señora de Filipinas is flanked with 27 Dominican Saints led by the first Filipino Saint, St. Lorenzo Ruiz. It is also interesting to note that out of 27 saints of the La Naval Procession, three of them actually venerated the Santo Rosario image themselves before they set sail to Missionary lands of Japan, China and Vietnam.

From left: San Lorenzo Ruiz, San Francisco Capillas, San Vicente Liem dela Paz

St. Lorenzo Ruiz, as a member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary, they have monthly gatherings at Sto. Domingo Church in Intramuros, praying the rosary in front of the miraculous image and annual participation in her grand procession before his exile, missionary work and martyrdom in Japan. St. Francisco Capillas is said to be a great devotee to the Santo Rosario that before he left for China, he and his companions chanted the “Despedida a la Virgen” before sailing to China which is commonly practiced by the Dominican Missionaries. St. Vicente Liem de la Paz, as a student of Colegio de San Juan de Letran and later the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas (then located in Intramuros) for the priesthood, it is believed that he frequented Sto. Domingo Church and venerated the Santo Rosario for her guidance in his studies. He was later ordained a priest and set sail to his homeland in Vietnam and minister to the Christians there until he was captured and executed.

As the solemn procession ends, the Virgin will be enthroned back to her baldachino as the shouts and cries of “Viva la Virgen” and “Viva Virgen de La Naval”. The festivities cap with the offering of the Act of Consecration to the Virgin of La Naval and the singing of “Despedida a la Virgen” which is heightened with the kneeling of the faithful and all those present in the Shrine when the lyrics “… Dame tu Bendicion” is sung asking for the Virgin’s Blessing.

A living legacy of faith

Through the centuries, the Virgin of La Naval continues to lavish her devotees with miracles and her unwavering protection to our country from exterior and interior enemies that will ruin the Church and the nation. The devotion to the Santo Rosario continues to be alive as new traditions and pious practices were introduced as what we have witnessed during the global pandemic between 2020 to 2021 which lead to rediscovery of old pious practices that our ancestors have performed centuries ago under different circumstances that were appropriated to the present time.

Pilgrims continuous to flock at her shrine, clutching their rosaries, seeking the intercession and protection of the Virgin. The Saturday devotions in her honor remain a steadfast tradition. The impact of this devotion is evident, particularly in other regions of the country where the Virgin of La Naval is revered as the patroness. Places like Angeles and Bacolor in Pampanga, San Antonio and San Marcelino in Zambales, and Cavite City in Cavite province bear witness to the influence of this devotion.

Despite all the regalias, the pomp, the pageantry, the thunder, its rich history that surrounds the La Naval that evolved to mythical proportions, she is still a loving mother who cares for her children here on earth to lead us to his Son, the King of Heaven and Earth.

We will close this entry of the La Naval with the words of Archbishop Socrates Villegas on his meditations to the La Naval:

“How much is La Naval de Manila worth? Her worth can only be understood and valued in heaven. No jeweler, no sculptor, no embroiderer, no man or woman, no friar or priest, no child or parent, no one can ever grasp her value and her worth. … How can you measure the worth of your mother? How can you measure how much is the Mother of the Lord? The mystery of La Naval de Manila is too much to grasp here on earth. The mystery of La Naval de Manila is heavenly. Her worth is heavenly,”

References:

“Anales Ecclesiasticos de Philipinas”, Archdiocese of Manila Archives, Arzobispado de Manila, intramuros, Manila, 1995.

Aviado, Lutgarda, “Madonnas of the Philippines”, Manlapaz Press, Quezon City, 1972.

Barcelona, Mary Anne; Estepa, Consuelo, “Ynang Maria: A Celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Philippines”. Anvil Publishing, 2004.

Cortez, O.P., Regino, “The Story of La Naval”. Santo Domingo Church, Quezon City, 1998.

Darang, Josephine, “A Purely Personal book of Miracles: A Collection of Columns published by Philippine Daily Inquirer”, Sound Publishing Corporation, Makati City, 2006.

Lomague, Mervin, OP, “La Naval is “Ina ng Letran””, Retreived from https://www.facebook.com/100000598407011/posts/10157250446297637/ on January 28, 2020.

Malabanan, James Benedict, “Bienvenida a la Virgen: The Virgin of La Naval de Manila’s homecoming to Intramuros – An eyewitness testimony”, Retrieved from https://pintakasiph.wordpress.com/2020/01/30/bienvenida-a-la-virgen-the-virgin-of-la-naval-de-manilas-homecoming-to-intramuros-an-eyewitness-testimony/ on May 20, 2023.

“Novena a la mas fragante Rosa del Paradiso de Dios Maria Santisima del Rosario. La Consagra a la Milagrosa Imagen Nstra. Sra. del Rosario El Convento de N.P. Sto. Domingo de Manila”, Manila, Tip. Pont. de la Universidad de Santo Tomás, Manila, 1925.

“Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary, La Naval de Manila”, National Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary, La Naval de Manila, Quezon City, 2007.

Pablo Fernandez, “Dominicos donde nace el sol: Historia de la provincia del Santisimo Rosario de Filipinas de la Orden de Predicadores”, Quezon City: Convento de Santo Domingo, 1958.

Sanchez, Francisco, “La Virgen Maria Venerada en sus Imagenes Filipinas“, Manila: Imp. De Santos y Bernal, 1904.

“The Rosary Virgin in Letran Chapel” Letran News Vol. XVII, No. 12, February 10, 1953.

Zulueta, Lito (Ed.), “The Saga of La Naval: Triumph of People’s Faith”. Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City: Dominican Province of the Philippines, Inc., 2007.

Photos:

Bernardo, Fritz Rinaldi
Castro, Alex
Choia, Davy
Daquioag, Michael of Buen Viaje PH
Malabanan, James Benedict
Lomague, Mervin

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Nuestra Señora de Guia – The Oldest Existing Marian image in the Philippines

The Image of Nuestra Señora de Guia is considered as the oldest Marian statue in the Philippines. There were different historical theories regarding the origin of this image, either from the Ferdinand Magellan expedition or from Chinese traders. The wooden Black Madonna statue is locally venerated as patroness of navigators and travelers since the Spanish times, the image is enshrined at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guia, popularly known as the Ermita Church, in Ermita, Manila.

Features of the Image

Made of molave (Vitex cofassus) wood, the statue stands about 50 centimetres (20 in) and is characterized by dark skin with a long, light brown hair. The image is depicted as the Immaculate Conception, she is dressed in both a manto and a stylized tapis, the traditional wraparound skirt of Filipino women.

Actual Condition of the image of Nuestra Señora de Guia

Upon close inspection, the image reveals a sarong-like bodice painted in the Chinese tradition of red, blue and gold paint… the unusual stance of the virgin, from the conservative stiffness of body line, has a bent torso very much like the Chinese goddess Kuan Yin.

Among her regalia is a scepter, a set of jewels given by Archbishop of Manila Cardinal Rufino Santos in 1960, and a golden crown donated by Pope Paul VI during his visit to the Manila Cathedral on May 16, 1971.

Details of the face of the original image

At present, the pandan leaves (whether a real or plastic pandan leaves) are incorporated around the image’s base as one of its iconic attributes. The statue is notable for its narrow, almond-shaped eyes, which some consider evidence of a Chinese origin for the statue.

These characteristics shows the probability that the image may have come from an Asian or if brought by galleon traders, it could have been commissioned to an artist who gets inspiration from Asian models. In spite of its old age, the De Guia retained the ruddiness of its cheek and its youthful allure. It conveys an oriental charm Filipinos can easily identify with

History

According to the Anales de la Catedral de Manila, the crew of Miguel López de Legazpi discovered a group of animist natives worshiping a statue of a female figure in a pandan bush, later identified as the Virgin Mary along the seaside of what is now Ermita. Later accounts claimed the statue was brought by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 and was given as a gift to Rajah Humabon, whose realm included what is now Cebu City to the Kingdom of Maynila.

The origins of this image is still in question by Ecclesiastical and Secular Historians for different theories arises to her origin: whether it is brought by Ferdinand Magellan because of its close resemblance to the Sto. Nino de Cebu, whether it is brought by Chinese merchants and the image is actually that of a Taoist deity “Kuan Yin” because of its oriental features and stance as evidently shown, or whether the image was brought by Blessed Odoric of Pordenone, a Franciscan Missionary for his Missionary work in Bolinao, Pangasinan in 1324 for the image was actually that of the Immaculate Conception. Regardless of these historical circumstances, historians reconcile to the fact that the De Guia image is the oldest Marian image in the Philippines.

On May 19, 1571, the sovereigns Rajah Sulaiman III and Rajah Matanda ceded the Kingdom of Maynila to the Spanish Empire, with López de Legazpi consecrating the city to both Saint Pudentiana and Our Lady of Guidance. In 1578, Phillip II of Spain issued a royal decree invoking Our Lady of Guidance to be “sworn patroness” of Manila, making her the city’s titular patroness. The statue was first enshrined in Manila Cathedral inside the walled city of Manila until 1606, when the first parish compound was built on the present shrine’s site.

Called La Hermita (“The Hermitage”), it was originally made of bamboo, nipa, and molave wood. It was later rebuilt with stone but suffered damaged in an earthquake in 1810.

During the Second World War, the statue was saved by the parish priest of Ermita Church, Fr. Blas de Guernica, and Justo N. López. They secretly kept the statue in one of the niches of the crypt behind the main altar a few weeks before the Allied liberation of Manila. Ermita Church was destroyed during the Battle of Manila in February 1945. Fr. Rogelio Bedonia with a chaplain and four soldiers of the American Army went to the ruins of what had been the church of Ermita, dug up the sacred image from the debris of the crypt and brought it to a safer place. Since then until the construction of the temporary chapel, the sacred image stayed in a private house on Taft Avenue, in San Miguel and then finally in Quiapo. The current parish church was built in 1947.

The Canonical Coronation of Nuestra Señora de Guia

The image was given a Canonical Coronation on Rizal Day December 30, 1955 by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi. Father Patrick Peyton also once delivered a homily preaching the Family Rosary Crusade in the presence of the image. The statue was removed from the Shrine and remained in the room of Pope John Paul II for the duration of his 1995 Apostolic visit.

A replica of the image was made to commemorate the image’s Quadricentennial year. From May 1970 to 1971, the replica visited almost all parishes, chapels, hospitals, schools, and other institutions in the Archdiocese of Manila. Since then, it is the replica that is brought out in procession and for public veneration during the its feast day on 19 May, with the original remaining ensconced in its glass-covered alcove above the main altar for preservation purposes.

On 14 January 2015, the image was securely removed from the Ermita Church and transferred to the Apostolic Nunciature building along Taft Avenue in Manila, where Pope Francis will stay during his apostolic visit. The replica of the image was brought to the Quirino Grandstand for veneration during the Pope’s open-air mass on January 18, 2015.

Patronage

In the olden days, she was decalred as the Sworn Patroness of Manila that signaled the Patronage of the Immaculate Conception in the Philippines due to numerous miralces attributed through her intercession.

The De Guia became the patroness of the seafarers. According to accounts, before an arrival of a trading galleon, investors would hold novena to guide and guard the merchant ships safely to the port and prevent the delay of the shipment. Mariners, in turn, gave abundant tithes to the church. Many benefactors donated and money, jewelry among many others in return for the favors they received.

Due to the church’s proximity to the United States Embassy, the statue is often visited by locals who petition Our Lady for safety in overseas travel. Devotees claim that under this title, the intercession of Our Lady is speedy and miraculous, particularly in securing approval of requests for United States visas. She is also considered the patron saint of all Overseas Filipino Workers.

Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guia

Church and Shrinehood

The Shrine of the Virgin was established from the moment the image was found and the Church became one of the most visited in Manila since the Spanish regime. The church was granted Archdiocesan Shrine status in 2005 by Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, then the Archbishop of Manila.

Bota de Flores Festival

The feast of Our Lady of Guidance is celebrated every May 19. The original feast of the image was celebrated on December 18, but was moved to its present date, May 19 when a rainstorm hit Manila Cathedral in February 1771.

The origin of the “Bota de Flores” harks back to the Spanish era when the people of Ermita demanded the return of the image to her original shrine in Ermita from the Manila Cathedral. The Capitana were tossing flowers in front of the Cathedral as a sign of protest and after much deliberation, the image returned to her original site with much rejoicing. The Flower tossing later evolved as a homage to the Virgin for her continues guidance to the people of Ermita and her devotees.

Today, the traditional flower-tossing ceremony is held where young women headed by a Capitana, who is chosen on the basis of standards set by the Parish Council. It is believed that the Capitana is the personal choice of Our Lady, for even if a vote is casted in favor of one candidate, if she does not end up with the role for one reason or another, the true choice will still emerge. The privilege to serve as a Capitana is considered a great honor by the young women of Ermita. The young girls pass down the line of honor guards going to the altar in a solemn candlelight ceremony and lay bouquets at the feet of our Lady whom they consider their guide for life.

Through centuries, the Virgin of De Guia continues her maternal guidance by the miracles that she wrought to her devotees. With the discovery of her image, She formally initiated the Christianization of Manila and the rest of the country. The arrival of her image prior to the Spanish colonization is considered as a plan from the Almighty God to put the newly discovered islands of the Philippines under the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Immaculate Conception. She witnessed the turbulent yet glorious history of the country and she never failed to give her guidance through the course of our history. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Sworn Patroness of our land guide us as we continue in our earthly pilgrimage until we reached our eternal goal – to be with His Son for all eternity.

Santo Niño de Cebu – The Eternal King of the Philippines

The most revered image in the Philippines – Santo Niño de Cebú is an image of the Child Jesus much venerated as miraculous by the majority of Filipino Catholics and revered as the symbol of the Catholic Faith in the country. The oldest Christian image in the Philippines, it was originally given in 1521 as a baptismal gift by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan to Hara Humamay, the chief consort of Rajah Humabon, along with a statue of the Virgin Mary, and a bust of depicting Christ as Ecce Homo.

The image is one of the most celebrated in the country that is highlighted through the celebration of Sinulog Festival every Third Sunday of January, its Liturgical Feast and on Kaplag every April 28th, its Original and Traditional Feast, to commemorate the rediscovery of the image by Juan Camus. Miracles have recorded through his help that he continues to shower his devotees up to the present.

Features of the Image

The image measures approximately twelve inches tall, and is believed to be originally made in Flanders, Belgium. The statue is clothed in rich fabrics, and bears imperial regalia including a gold crown, globus cruciger, and various sceptres mostly donated by devotees.

The Santo Niño image is replicated in many homes and business establishments, with different titles reinterpreted in various areas of the country. The Holy Child’s feast is liturgically celebrated every third Sunday of January, during which devotees carry a portable Santo Niño image onto the street fiesta dancing celebrations. The image is one of the most beloved and recognizable cultural icons in the Philippines, found in both religious and secular areas. It is permanently encased within bulletproof glass in a chapel at the Basílica Menor del Santo Niño.

History

The giving of the Sto. Nino de Hara Humamay later baptized as Reina Juana

In April 1521, Ferdinand Magellan, in the service of Charles V of Spain, arrived in Cebu during his voyage to find a westward route to the Indies.He persuaded Rajah Humabon and his chief consort Humamay, to pledge their allegiance to Spain. They were then baptized into the Catholic faith, taking the Christian names Carlos (after Charles V) and Juana (after Joanna of Castille, Charles’ mother).

The Rediscovery of the image by Juan Camus and company

According to Antonio Pigafetta, Italian chronicler to the Spanish expedition, Magellan handed Pigafetta the image to be given to the newly-christened Queen Juana right after the baptism, officiated by Pedro Valderrama. It was Pigafetta himself who personally presented the Santo Niño to the newly baptized Queen Juana as a symbol of their new alliance; to her newly christened husband King Carlos, It is reported that Reina Juana was in tears upon receiving the image. Magellan presented the bust of “Ecce Homo”, or the depiction of Christ before Pontius Pilate. He also presented an image of the Virgin Mary, the Virgen delos Remedios de Cebu, to the natives who were baptised after their rulers. Magellan died on 27 April 1521 in the Battle of Mactan. Legends say that after initial efforts by the natives to destroy it, the image was venerated as one of their pagan deities. Many historians consider the facial structure of the statue made from Belgium, where Infant Jesus of Prague statues were also common.

From Left: Sto. Nino de Cebu, Birhen sa Kotta (Virgen delos Remedios),Senor Ecce Homo de Humabon

Forty four years after Magellan’s soldiers left, the next Spanish expedition arrived on April 27, 1565, led by Miguel López de Legazpi. He found the natives hostile, fearing retribution for Magellan’s death, and the village caught fire in the ensuing conflict. The next day, the Spanish mariner Juan Camus found the image of the Santo Niño in a pine box amidst the ruins of a burnt house. Camus presented the image to Miguel López de Legazpi and the Augustinian priests; the natives refused to associate it with the gift of Magellan, claiming it had existed there since ancient times.

Writer Dr. Resil Mojares wrote that the natives did so for fear that the Spaniards would demand it back. The natives’ version of the origin of the Santo Niño is in the Agipo (stump or driftwood) legend, which states that the statue was caught by a fisherman who chose to get rid of it, only to have it returned with a plentiful harvest.

The statue was later taken out for procession, afterwards which Legazpi then ordered the creation of the Confraternity of the Santo Niño de Cebú, appointing Father Andrés de Urdaneta as head superior. Legazpi instituted a fiesta to commemorate the finding of the image, and the original celebration still survives.

The Minor Basilica of Santo Niño was built on the spot where the image was found by Juan Camus. The church was originally made out of bamboo and mangrove palm and claims to be the oldest parish in the Philippines. Pope Paul VI elevated it to the status of Minor Basilica on its 400th anniversary.

Miracles

Several miracles were recorded that are attributed to the Sto. Nino that it will take volumes to record its prodigies that he brough to his devotees. On the day of his discovery itself, the image was not scatched when the house were he was located was burning. The Nino is also known for his nocturnal visits to different places helping his poor devotees from joining them on their fishing activities and ends up catching much fish for livelihood. He also helped on farmers and other businesses by visiting them disguising as a boy with brown skin with curly hair.

There also numerous stories that surrounds the Holy Child of Cebu that spawned for centuries. The most popular of these which every devout Cebuano learned by oral tradition from their parents and forebears is the one about the Nino being a fishmonger.

An artistic depiction of the Sto. Nino de Cebu

Story goes that early one morning, a fish vendor was walking by the Basilica carrying a load of fish on a rattan tray on her head, locally called “lirong.” Some call it “nigo.” A boy whom she described as dark-skinned and with curly hair called her from the convent and told her that he would like to buy some fish but that she would have to come back for the payment a little later in the day as the priests were still asleep. Trustingly, the woman gave the child a string of fresh danggit (rabbitfish), a popular fish variety in Cebu. Later that day, the vendor went back to the convent and asked the Padre Cura for payment. But the priest denied having a dark-skinned, curly-haired boy for a servant, more so ordering anyone to buy fish. A little search led them to the image and there the string of fish was, resting by the feet of the miraculous icon. The Padre could argue no more.

Another manifestation had it that a certain Colonel C.F. Sharp was surprised by a Cebuano volunteer who came to him in Fort San Pedro used as a military headquarters during World War II. Sharp described the volunteer as no more than a boy with dark skin and curly hair. This story was noted by Cebuana newspaper writer/editor Conching Briones who saw first hand the horrors of World War II in Cebu. She was quoted to have reported this in her column Dateline Cebu in “The Evening News” (1961). The story circulated in 1943. Sharp was an American officer of the United States Army in the Far East (USAFE). The USAFE was officially closed down in 1942, but it secretly continued recruiting patriotic volunteers to fight the Japanese invaders.

Still another story is that of his being a speedy boater, perhaps one of the most touching of his manifestations. Testimony was written by the recipient himself, a sailor named Fernando Saavedra de Gracia. In his letter posted from Manila, dated Sept. 26, 1877 addressed to his Cebu-based friend, one Don Fidel Maas y Matti, de Gracia narrated that on the morning of Sept. 3, he hurriedly left the church of San Agustin (now the Basilica) and rushed to join his ship – Barcelona – at the port.

Much to his chagrin, however, the Barcelona had already left for Manila and was already at some distance from the pier. Then a boy approached him and spoke to him in fluent Spanish, just like a native speaker and told him he knows where the sailor is going. And that he could catch up with the ship, that had just left port, through his baroto (dug-out canoe).

While seated in the boat, de Gracia noticed that though the boy was not paddling, the baroto was sailing very fast. They caught up with the ship. A rope ladder was lowered for de Gracia by co-workers onboard. When he asked the boater how much the fare was, the boy told him to donate the money to the Hospicio de San Jose in Manila. When he asked the boy his name, the boy purportedly answered: “I am Jesus de Cebu.”

There is a story too that the Santo Nino walked along the shores of Old Cebu at night, and in the morning the image would smell of seawater and that dried amor seco weeds get stuck at the hem of the icon’s cape. So the priests assigned the sacristan mayor to check the icon regularly, have the weeds removed before the church opens for Mass.

The sacristan, tired of removing the amor seco weeds this time, complained “My goodness, you wandered again last night, hope you brought me some coins so I can buy myself tuba (coconut toddy).” Indeed, after he had cleared the cape of weeds, he found some coins by the feet of the image.

During the last World War, a bomb fell inside the church, but the image was found unscathed. It was one of the numberless miracles and powers attributed to the Holy Image.

He is also credited for saving Cebu from different calamities and invasions especially on “sheilding Cebu by his cape” that Muslim pirates and other enemy ships were dumbfounded to find out that the island was vanishing or out of sight.

The Grand Festivity

The feast, locally known as Fiesta Señor, starts on the Thursday after the Solemnity of the Epiphany. Each year, the celebration starts with a dawn procession wherein the replica image of Santo Niño de Cebu is brought down to the streets. It is then followed by the novena masses, which span nine days.

On the last day of the novena, another dawn procession is held wherein the image of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Cebu removed from its shrine to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu. After the procession, it will stay for a while in the Basilica. Then, the images of Santo Niño de Cebu and Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Cebu are brought to the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City to be reunited with the church’s namesake, thus forming the Holy Family. This transfer, which is common in fiestas throughout the country, is called Traslación.

On the morning of the vesperas (“eve”, i.e., the day before) of the feast, the images of Santo Niño de Cebu and Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Cebu are brought back to Cebu City in a fluvial procession that concludes with a reenactment of the first Mass and baptism in the islands. It is then followed by a grand yet solemn foot procession in the afternoon, culminating in a Pontifical Mass concelebrated by bishops and priests. The grand Sinulog Festival is then held on the following Sunday.

The “Hubo” rites

The festival officially ends on the Friday after the icon’s feast day, and it is marked with the traditional Hubo (Cebuano, “undress”) rite. During a Mass, the basilica’s priests and sacristans ceremonially strip the Santo Niño of its festal vestments and regalia.

There is a strict order of divesting the icon: first the crown is removed, followed by the orb and sceptre; then the bands, cape, tunic, inner garments; and finally, the boots. The priest performs the removals, preceding each with a short petition. Each removal is accompanied by a festive drum roll, and ends with the priest chanting Christe exaudi nos (”Christ graciously hear us”).

The priest then carefully immerses the icon in a basin of scented water, wipes it dry, and dresses it in simpler everyday robes. He then replaces the icon’s accoutrements in the reverse order of the undressing, each time ending with a prayer and leading the congregation in singing Christus Vincit; Christus Regnat; Christus, Christus Imperat.

The rite is said to highlight Christ’s humility, and symbolises a spiritual change that should occur in the individual believer. It was only in 1990 when the Augustinians in charge of the icon first made known and opened the rite to the public; it is now performed in other churches as well.

Church Recognition

The original feast date for the image was April 28, but in the 18th century, Pope Innocent XIII moved the date to avoid conflict with the Eastertide to its current Feast day. In addition, he approved special liturgical texts for use during the local feast of the Santo Niño in the Philippines, set on the third Sunday of January, followed by the Sinulog festival.

Pope Paul VI issued the Bull of Canonical Coronation for the image on April 28, 1965 via his Papal legate. Through the Papal bull “Cubanula Religionis”, the same Pontiff raised the sanctuary a Minor Basilica on 2 May 1965. Pope John Paul II gave his papal endorsement for the image in his Mass for Families in 1981. On April 14, 2021, in celebration of the 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines, the Minor Basilica of Santo Niño de Cebu was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum.

Military Honors

During the Spanish colonial era, the Santo Niño was given the high military rank of Captain-General, with the full title of “Celentísimo Capitán General de las Esfuerzas Españolas en Filipinas” (The Most Esteemed Captain-General of the Spanish Forces in the Philippines).For this reason, the statue is vested in a red cape and sash, symbolising the rank of a general, and military boots.

The image was later honoured by the Philippine Navy with the title “Lord Admiral of the Sea” during the 446th anniversary of the image’s Kaplag (“finding” or “rediscovery”) in 2011. This was done in acknowledgment of Christ’s “lordship over seafarers, mariners and the marine ecology.” The image was taken aboard the naval ship General Emilio Aguinaldo 140 for a fluvial parade, marking the first time its own naval ensign bearing its coat-of-arms was flown by a Philippine naval vessel. The honour was a joint effort of the Naval Forces Central, Philippine Coast Guard-Cebu District, Cebu Ports Authority, Philippine National Police Maritime Group, among others.

Patronage

The Santo Niño was popularly considered the official patron of Cebu, but the Church in the Philippines suppressed the notion and clarified that it is not the representation of a saint that intercedes to God but rather of God himself (specifically, Jesus Christ). Instead, the Archbishop of Cebu, Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, declared Our Lady of Guadalupe de Cebu the principal patroness of Cebu in 2002.

The devotion to the Holy Child of Cebu shares its worldwide veneration of the Infant Jesus of Prague. Colloquially referred to as Santo Niño, it is found in many residential homes, business establishments and public transportation. It is often found two traditional vestment colors, a red garment for the residential home, while a green garment for business locations. It is also often found with interchangeable clothing, whereas the devotee may choose to associate their own uniform to the statue, such as physicians, nurses, janitors or teachers.

The devotion to the Sto. Nino is a great testament of our unique Filipino Catholic Faith for Christ took the hearts of the Filipino nation in a form of an innocent child. Through the Sto. Nino, Jesus is teaching us that we should implore God with a childlike confidence. As Pope Francis said in his homily during the Papal Mass in Quirino Grandstand during his visit in 2015 in the country that the Santo Nino “reminds us of our deepest identity. All of us are God’s children, members of God’s family…For children, as the Lord tells us, have their own wisdom, which is not the wisdom of the world. That is why the message of the Santo Niño is so important. He speaks powerfully to all of us. He reminds us of our deepest identity, of what we are called to be as God’s family.”

References:

Galende, Pedro, OSA, “Santo Niño de Cebu 1565 – 2015, 450 Years of History, Culture and Devotion”, Vibal Foundaton, Inc., Quezon City, 2016.
Mojres, Resil, “The Feast of the Santo Niño, An Introduction of the History ofa Cebuano Devotion”, University of San Carlos Press, Cebu, 2017.
“Novena in honor of Santo Niño de Cebu”, San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila, 2000.
“Perpetual Novena in honor of Santo Niño de Cebu”, Minor Basilica of Santo Niño de Cebu, Cebu City, 2000.

Pintakasi ng Aming Bayan: An Introduction

The Iconic Procession of the Quiapo, Manila’s Black Nazarene

Pintakasi, a Tagalog word that is used to refer to someone who intercedes or mediates between God and the people. Pintakasi is commonly associated to a patron saint who mediates, intercede or plead your case to God on behalf of the people. The people of a specific city, town, barrio or baranggay has its own Pintakasi where they can succor to in times of need; whether a personal need or the need of the entire populace and once granted, the people will hold fiestas, annually or twice, even seven times a year in thanksgiving to God through the intercession of the town’s Pintakasi.

An accurate depiction of the First Mass of 1521 contrary to its popular depiction

Christianity in the Philippines was introduced by Spanish missionaries and colonists, who arrived in waves beginning in the early 16th century in Cebu in 1521 (thru the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan that was abruptly ended with the Battle of Mactan) and in 1565 (thru the triumphant conquest of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi that lasted for almost four centuries). With the arrival of the Missionary Friars of different Orders, from the Augustinians, Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinian Recollects, Hospitalliers, Franciscan Cappuchins, Benedictines, Vincentians and other orders, the Missionary zeal of Evangelizing the Filipinos was a remarkable success through their tireless efforts on this Herculean task.

A distinction that Filipino Catholics are best known is that Filipinos are very Marian. Filipinos are very close to the Blessed Virgin Mary that in fact many women are named after her from “Maria” and other names that are associated with the Mother of God. She has a fair share of festivities and cultural impact all over the country that solidifies our distinction as the “Pueblo Amante de Maria” (The People in love with Mary). Her Patronage is so powerful that she became the Principal Patroness of the Philippines (as the Immaculate Conception), the Celestial Patroness of the country (as Our Lady of Guadalupe), the Queen and Protectress of the Philippines (as Nuestra Senora del Santisimo Rosario de La Naval de Manila) and the Beacon of Light of the Philippines [Luz de Filipinas] (as Nuestra Senora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga).

The Grand Procession of Nuestra Senora del Santisimo Rosario de La Naval de Manila

The Philippines has shown a strong devotion to Mary, evidenced by her patronage of various towns and locales nationwide. Particularly, there are pilgrimage sites where each town has created their own versions of Mary. With miracle stories and the devotional culture that surrounds a certain venerated Marian image, Filipino Catholics have created localized images that became the focal point of popular devotions to which have been recognized by various Popes through Canonical Coronation of these images.

Catholic holy days, such as Christmas, Good Friday, etc. are observed as national holidays, with local saints’ days being observed as holidays in different towns and cities. The Hispanic-influenced custom of holding fiestas in honour of patron saints have become an integral part of Filipino culture, as it allows for communal celebration as well as serving as a time marker for the year. A nationwide fiesta occurs every third Sunday of January, on the country-specific Feast of the Santo Niño de Cebú. The largest celebrations are the Sinulog Festival in Cebu City, the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo, Aklan and the Dinagyang in Iloilo City (which is instead held on the fourth Sunday of January).

Now, why this blog was conceptualized in the first place?

This blog was conceptualized to introduce and re-introduce our Patrons, our Pinatakasis , well known, lesser known and the forgotten ones, so that not only to propagate their devotion, but also to see why they celebrate such festivity with pomp and grandeur and how the Pintakasi became integral to the lives of the people, particularly to its loyal devotees. The blog also will feature some devotional practices that are commended by the Church for centuries that us Filipino Catholics must practice as our guide in our spiritual life, some analysis of some popular devotions in the country and lives of Filipino and honorary Filipino saints and saints to be so that the faithful will be aware of their lives who lived “in odor of sanctity” and ask for their intercession, especially to those who are in the process of beatification and canonization so that one day, they will be exalted to the altars and venerated by many.

May this blog may be our guide to our rich Catholic faith through a glimpse of history, culture, and piety that make us the predominantly Catholic country in Asia.