Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian

Aside to 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 of this image was fostered and became popular through the efforts of the Augustinian Recollect Order prior to the arrival of the actual 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 housed at the San Sebastian Church on Plaza del Carmen, 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 million of devotees through the centuries.

History of the image

The revered statue 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 Agustinian 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. The Cofradia of the Virgen del Carmen was established in 1625, and quickly gained popularity, attracting members not only from Manila but also from nearby provinces like Laguna, Pampanga, Bulacan and Batangas. They were primarily responsible for spreading the devotion to the Virgen del Carmen, with Her feast initially celebrated every January 21, then extended to January 29. Rome later moved her feast day to July 16 for the universal church.

In 1964, the Mt. Carmel Shrine and the Monastery was built in New Manila, becoming only the second shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel next to San Sebastian.

The Construction of the Present Basilica

Basilica Minore de San Sebastian

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, 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 he 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 is the only prefabricated steel church in the world.

Interior of the Basilica

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 establshment of Augustinian Recollect Sisters in the country

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.

Servants of God Dionisia Mitas and
Cecilia Rosa Talangpaz

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

The primitive Augustinian Recollect Fathers guide 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 benebolence of the Most Reverend Michael Oï¿½Doherty, 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 favours through their intercession were reported that the cause for their beatification was introduced in Rome through the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints in 1999.

The Sacrilegious theft of the image

The original head of the image - still missing until today

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 the mid 1970s. Fortunately, the image of the Child was retrieved but the head of the Virgin is still missing as of this writing. The head of the sacristans, Felipe Dy, head of the sacristan mayores, offered to restore the statue from the generous donations of parishioners. The well-known religious sculptor of Maximo Vicente re-created the missing parts of the original images.

The Canonical Coronation of the Virgen del Carmen

The Canonical Coronation of the image

The devotion to her was still evidently strong and miracles continued to happen that in 1991, under the Papal Decree issued by Pope Blessed John Paul II, the image was canonically crowned with much rejoicing. The coronation coincided with the church's Centennial Celebration in 1991.

Revival of the "Dungaw" of the Black Nazarene's Traslacion

The First "Dungaw" after years the ceremony
was halted for unknown reasons

In 2014, the long forgotten Tradition of "Dungaw" was revived. The "Dungaw" is the where the image of the Black Nazarene (also brought the Augustinian Recollects in the Philippines) and the 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 fiesta celebrations dedicated to Manila's beautiful flower of Carmel, the Liturgical feast of July 16 and the unique Traditional fiesta every January 29. The origins of the January fiesta was somehow reasonable. Due to the rainy season in the country that occur from June until the later parts of the year, the July Carmelite fiesta cannot be celebrated with much pomp. It was for this reason that the Recollect Fathers petitioned the Holy Father in Rome to have a special feast for the Virgin nearest to the feast of St. Sebastian, the titular feast of the Basilica to celebrate her fiesta with much pomp and solemnity that she deserved. The noble petition was granted in 1691 with issuance of the Papal Bull granting this indult that will take effect in perpetuity.

The January fiesta was first celebrated a day after the feast of St. Sebastian then later moved to January 23, three days after the titular patron's feast until it was formally celebrated every January 29 where the celebrations will begin from January 21 to 28. Due to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the January fiesta was halted during the late 1970's or early 1980's. In line with the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the image in the country, the January fiesta was revived in 2018, a chance for the new generation of devotees and a joy to those who knew the celebrations during their youth to celebrate her fiesta as how our forefathers did.

The devotion

In a country dedicated to the Mother of God, she never forget to give her dear country the privilege of the wearing the Brown Scapular - the garment that she bestow much graces 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.