El Divino Rostro de Naga - Ina's Miraculous Companion

El Divino Rostro of Naga

In the Devotion to the Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia of Naga, a painting usually accompany the image during the Traslacion and can also be seen in the old and new Basilica of the Virgin. The painting who accompanies Ina is the miraculous El Divino Rostro (The Holy Face of Jesus). This painting is known to be miraculous, particularly on saving the province from epidemics.

Features of the image

The image is that of St. Veronica holding the Holy Face of Jesus. Tradition has it that St. Veronica (or Seraphia in the accounts of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich) is noblewoman who became a disciple of Jesus. The Philippine Divino Rostro measures 61 cm. long and 47 cm wide. On the top of the silver frame is an art work depicting the instruments of the passion and sufferings of Our Lord, the crown of thorns, the nails, the lances and the cross.

In the accounts of different mystics, especially that of Blessed Emmerich, Veronica was the woman who got cured by touching the hem of the vestment of Our Lord, she is also one of the crowds who welcomed Our Lord on Palm Sunday.

When she learned that Jesus will be crucified, she prepared wine and spices for the Lord and a cloth to wipe his disfigured face. The time came when Our Lord passed her station, she reverently wiped his face with her clean cloth and Our Lord blessed her. When the Pharisees saw this act, they were enraged and ordered the soldiers to beat him. Veronica immediately went home after the event. Upon reaching home, she opened the linen cloth and beheld the image of the Lord imprinted on it. Veronica later showed it to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Mary Magdalene while they are resting. The Blessed Mother was in tears when she saw the face of Her Son in the veil while Mary Magdalene prostrated to the ground with grief while beholding the Holy Face of Jesus.

The Original veil is currently enshrined and venerated in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

The Origin of the Devotion

In the town of Osa de la Vega, Spain there lived once Gregorio de la Torre and Isabel Corral, a very religious couple who inherited from Father Juan Montilla, a picture of the Holy Face of Jesus (Divino Rostro).

The original image in Osa de Vega

To the amazement of many who bear witness of its veracity, the miraculous image of Our Lord began to sweat blood. Fast as a prairie fire, the news reached every corner of the town and in no time throng after throng of people fought hard to have a glance of the holy picture. The house became too small for a huge crowd, so the couple decided to request for its transfer to the church. There it easily stole the show, so to say becoming in a becoming in a short lapse of time the object of a very special devotion of the inhabitants.

In the year 1834, 1855 and 1865 the “cholera morbo” broke in Spain. Many of its towns suffered from the rueful effects of the dreadful malady. Thru a special flux of Divine Providence, however, attributed only to a special devotion of the people to the Divino Rostro, Osa de la Vega did not witness of demise of even one of its inhabitants. From them, the already popular devotion to the Divino Rostro soared to its heights and Osa de la Vega’s confidence in its power knew no bounds.

The Arrival of the Devotion to Naga

When Father Pedro de la Torre, recently named Provisor and Vicar General of the Diocese of Nueva Ceceres came to Naga, he brought with him to this place a picture of the Divino Rostro, a  replica of the one found in Osa de la Vega. The picture was exposed to the piety of the inhabitants of the town and after a lapse of years, it became very popular.

In the year 1882 a “colera morbo” broke out in Manila. A cure for the disease was not yet discovered so many died of the disease rapidly the dreadful disease reached Naga and according to Fr. Jose Ma. Lesa, who was then the Chaplain of the Shrine of the Virgin of Peñafrancia many people died during the epidemic. The bishop, Msgr. Casimiro Hererra had the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia brought to the Cathedral imploring her natural and maternal protection and help for the townspeople from the dreadful disease.

As if inspired by the impending danger, Fr. Pedro de la Torre remembered a similar catastrophe in Osa de la Vega and the miraculous intervention of the Divino Rostro. Fr. De la Torre made this miracle known to the people in Naga. A replica of the Divino Rostro was brought to the Cathedral for special prayers and devotion, imploring for the same prayers and mercy that was long ago shown. For the first time the two images were together. However the epidemic continued taking more lives. Undaunted Bishop Casimiro Herrera with his priests then made a promise, should the dreadful disease spare Naga, the Divino Rostro will be pompously venerated with special festivities together with the Virgin of Peñafrancia.

There were many people who died on that day, while on the second day only two died. On the third day the dreadful disease disappeared. The people saw the hand of God in this miraculous saving of the town and made good their promise. When the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia was to be taken to the Cathedral from the shrine on September of that year (1883), the Divino Rostro was also carried along in the procession with the priests themselves carrying it on their shoulders.

The people from all parts of the Bicol Region who came to attend the fiesta heard of the miracles of the Divino Rostro when they went back, they talked about it to their own folks. Thus unknowingly the devotion to the Divino Rostro became regional.

To make it easier for the devotees to give vent it their special devotion to the Divino Rostro, Fr. Pedro de la Torre decided to donate it to the Sanctuario of Peñafrancia.

The Chaplain of the shrine Fr. Jose Ma. Lesa with the approval of Bishop Herrera accepted the replica of the Divino Rostro and placed it on the altar constructed at the gospel side, the very place where it was until recently.

When the wooden frame of the miraculous image became so old and deteriorated Doña Fabiana Arejola Vda. De Reyes, the president of the Association of Peñafrancia donated a silver frame ordered from the famous Zamora Bros. She also donated the “andas” on which it is placed during the procession.

Under the initiative of Rev. Fr. Concordio Sarte, Auxillary Bishop of Caceres, then Rector of the Parish of Peñafrancia Shrine started a perpetual novena in honor of the Divino Rostro, this novena takes place before or after the first mass of Friday at the shrine.

"He who has seen me has seen the Father". It is necessary to know Christ and to let oneself be molded by his Spirit who guides believers "into all the truth" (cf. Jn 16:13). Those who meet Jesus, who let themselves be attracted by him and are prepared to follow him even to the point of sacrificing their lives, personally experience, as he did on the Cross, that only the "grain of wheat" that falls into the earth and dies, bears "much fruit" (Jn 12:24).

This is the path of Christ, the way of total love that overcomes death: he who takes it and "hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (Jn 12:25). In other words, he lives in God already on this earth, attracted and transformed by the dazzling brightness of his Face.