Mary Mother of the Church: Reflection # 2 on my Personal Pilgrimage

“Blessed are you among women and Blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus!”

The line quoted above was taken from one of the most popular prayers of the Church. Indeed a very ancient prayer intended to repeat the salutation the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary - "Hail! full of grace, the Lord is with you....." As I reflect on this pilgrimage that I have undertaken, I am awed by the thought that just as how many billions of times this prayer has been uttered by countless of the faithful, it has found its fulfillment in the lives of the Bicolano people. Today no one can speak of a Bicolano culture or identity without association with the icon of Our Lady of Penafrancia. The word Bicolano and Penafrancia have become synonimous. No one could speak of a Bicolano identity without the sillouhette of Our Lady's image at the back of the imagination of one's mind. The four hundred years of evangelization has wrought the drama of this rendevouz of the Bicolanos with the Mother of God.

The Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Penafrancia, Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines

Its amazing sometimes to think that a Marian Devotion coming from a distant land such as Salamanca, Spain, will find its way in the Philippine Islands in Asia-Pacific. The story of how the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title Our Lady of Penafrancia is a love story between the Bicolanos and the Blessed mother. Many before thought that the devotion is French in origin. But it actually started from the mountains between Salamanca and Caceres. It seems that the whole story of this devotion was wrought with Divine intervention. Simon Vela a Frenchmen who inherited wealth after the death of his father and sister, afraid that the vast wealth he inherited may do him harm, sold them and gave the proceeds to the Church and to the poor and worked in a Franciscan convent. In a dream he was instructed by the Lady to go and look for her image in the mountains of Pena de Francia. Not knowing the place he searched for it for almost five years until he found them. The complete story of this can be read from this link Our Lady of Penafrancia. For almost five years he roamed the regions of Salamanca to look for the image. As the story goes [our readers can look for the link to the full story], Simon Vela found the image. And thus he exclaimed: "O Lady dream of my soul, the inspiration of men and women! My labors are now ended. Many years I have travelled far and wide to seek you and to drink in the beauty of your eyes! Do not forsake me: be my protection." [wikipedia]. Thus the true image of the Virgin was venerated not in France but in the region of Salamanca and Caceres in Spain. This is surprising that now the image of the Virgin is venerated by the Bicolano people and the mother Archdiocese of the Bicolano people is the Archdiocese of Caceres in the Philippines.

Pavilion in front of the Basilica intended for outdoor Liturgical Celebrations

The journey of the Lady to the Philippines and specifically in Bicol started with the story of Fr. Miguel de Covarrubias. A Spaniard born in the Philippines whose family came from San Martin de Castanar in Spain, in the town where Simon Vela got the hint where the mountains of Pena de Francia was. Miguel was a very sickly person and he had an ardent devotion to our Lady of Penafrancia. Whenerver he get sick he would press the image of the Virgin to the place where the pain was most severe and miraculously he would get well. Later he testified that perhaps the Lady delayed his cure in order to help him repent more ardently of his sins. When Miguel was ordained to the Priesthood, he was assigned to the Diocese of Caceres now in Naga City. And that was how the story began. You may link up to the web site of the Basilica of Our Lady of Penafrancia for more of this story or from the website of the Archdiocese of Caceres].

Nativity Scene in the Basilica

The Souvenir Shop and Restaurant inside the Basilica Compound offering refreshments for pilgrims

Just like many hundreds and thousands of Bicolanos devoted to the Virgin, I found this personal devotion beneficial. I have done this many times and I believe that the Virgin has been very good to me and has blessed me with her intercessions and prayers. Everytime I visit her shrine, I am enthralled to see her magnificent image togother with her Son Jesus. Indeed a mirror of the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God and a sign of God's blessing for humankind. This touches my heart in a very personal way. As they say to those who believe, words are no longer necessary. For the unbelievers no amount of words will suffice. For God comes to our hearts in the most unusual and unconventional ways. But to those who believe nothing is impossible.

Marble Plaque commemorating the visit of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to this Basilica

The Icon of Our Lady of Penafrancia Depicted in Stained Glass at the entrance of the Basilica near the Choir Loft.

Icon of the Divino Rostro [Holy Face]

The Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Penafrancia. Thousands of Devotees testify to answered prayers, ranging from mending of broken relationships, financial woes, success in education and physical healing of ailments.

The Shrine and altar. Despite being a shrine, the Blessed Sacrament is reserved at the center.

The Road leading to th Basilica.

Veronica with the cloth containing the imprinted image of Jesus. Veronica means bearer of the true image. Veronica is a popular name among Filipinos.

The Fluvial Procession Depicted in Stained Glass.

The Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary Depicted on Stained Glass.

The Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Penafrancia. Built in the 1960s to provide the Icon a bigger Church that could accommodate thousands of pilgrims. The design of the Church is traditional since the planning started during pre-Vatican era.

The Belfry of the Basilica