The Miraculous Headless Santa Quiteria de Caloocan

-
Santa Quiteria de Caloocan
In the silent area of Baesa, near Tullahan Road in Caloocan City where urbanization is very evident in the area filled with commercial buildings and residences, a simple parish in the area enshrines a strange yet peculiar Patron Saint of the area - the headless Santa Quiteria, Virgin and Martyr.

The miraculous decapitated Saint is currently enshrined in a parish dedicated to her and St. Francis of Assisi in Caloocan City and locals frequent this parish to ask for the intercession of the holy martyr - especially to those who were afflicted by rabies.

The image

This unique image of St. Quiteria is that of a de vestir image where she is vested regularly with vestments given by her devotees over the years. The image is holding her beheaded head and the palm of martyrdom, or sometimes a scepter to denote her royal origins.

The life of Santa Quiteria

Quiteria was born into royalty, the daughter of a Galician prince.  She was one of nine daughters born together (nonuplets).  Her mother, Calsia, was disgusted at the fact that she had produced nine daughters (rather than sons), and suffered through nine childbirths. Viewing the experience as a waste of her time, she ordered her maid, Sila, to take the nine girls to the river and drown them.  Sila, however, was a Christian, and secretly refused the task, instead delivering the infants to the Christian community to be raised.

Quiteria and her sisters were raised and baptized as Christians, and embraced the faith. Quiteria was the most dedicated of her sisters, studying and practicing the tenets of the faith, The Christians placing a strong premium on truth, informed the girls of their royal lineage when they were old enough to understand.  Yet, none of the girls wished to return to the palace or live a luxurious lifestyle.  Instead, they became warriors for Christ, forming a group who traveled the country, breaking Christians out of jail, proclaiming the Gospel, and smashing pagan idols.

The sisters survived for a few years, but were eventually caught and brought before the King, their father.  Recognizing his daughters, he requested that they give up their reckless ways and come live in the palace with him. This they did, but only to witness to the royal court.  The sisters converted their rooms into prayer halls, and spent their days praying and praising the Lord.   When the king realized they were Christians, he ordered them to renounce their ways, sacrifice to the Roman gods, and marry pagan husbands. The nonuplets refused and were imprisoned in a tower. However, they escaped and liberated all of their other prisoners. They subsequently waged a guerrilla war in the mountains against the Roman Empire.

Quiteria was caught and beheaded. Her sister Euphemia, unable to escape from the soldiers who pursued her, threw herself from a cliff situated today in the Peneda-Gerês National Park. A rock opened up and swallowed her and on the spot there sprang up a hot spring.  Prior to beheading, she is said to have kept the king’s vicious attack dogs at bay, with simply a gentle word which led the people to invoke her against rabies.

After she was beheaded, miraculously, however, her body rose up, grabbed her head with her hands, climbed a mountain and stopped in the place where she wanted to be buried.took her to heaven and this was witnessed by her father and it is also mentioned that he was later killed either by lightning or an earthquake. Her Feast day is celebrated every May 22nd.

Parish of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Quiteria in Baesa,
Caloocan City
The devotion in Caloocan

The date of the arrival of the devotion to Sta. Quiteria is uncertain yet the local recall that their patroness was already in their parish, first as a Visita and later established as a parish in September 11, 1979 - dedicated to her and St. Francis of Assisi.

It is said that favors were granted to those who seek her intercession and apparently, cures from rabies are also known that the locals of Baesa are forever grateful to their unique patroness and she became embedded to the lives of the area.

The life of Santa Quiteria is one of struggle for the faith. Despite a chance at a luxurious lifestyle, this lovely young woman and her sisters instead chose to fight for the truth of the Gospel, forsaking her family, her comfort, and eventually her life. Saint Quiteria’s courage and faith remind us that in our moments of difficulty, we need only turn to the Lord for inspiration and support, and that He will send His angels to protect and assist us.  We pray today for the confident faith in Christ, as exemplified by so many of the saints and martyrs that have come before us!

Santa Quiteria de Caloocan, Ipanalangin mo kami!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Nuestra Señora de Barangay - The Mother and Protectress of the Barangay

-
Image
Nuestra Señora de Barangay Of all Marian images venerated in the country, there is a simple yet beautiful image of Our Lady that is very unique in our consciousness, the very Filipina image of the Virgin of the Barangay. The image of the "Virgen sang Barangay" gained much attention since its first public appearance in the 1950's as the Patroness of the Barangay sang Birhen Organization and began touring the nation for some years and numerous replicas of this image, whether it is a painting or a three-dimensional statue, this particular Venerada clearly shows how the Blessed Virgin became became our own Mother of the Filipino Nation and became a unifying force for centuries and still enjoys much love and veneration as time passed by.  The image The icon of the Virgin of the Baranggay depicts the Virgin presenting her Son to the barangay. The Virgin wears the traditional balintawak and wearing a red and yellow tapis on her waist while the Child is covered with
Read more

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

-
Image
Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario –  La Naval de Manila 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 L
Read more

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles: The Regal Patroness of Angeles, Pampanga

-
Image
Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles inside the Holy Rosary Parish's famed sunburst altar Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles In the previous blogpost, we discovered the history of the image and the surrounding devotion to Santo Angel Custodio , the titular Patron of Angeles City, Pampanga where the progressive city was named after, aside from its founder Don Ángel Pantaleón de Miranda. On this blogpost, we are going to present the history of the devotion to Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles - the Queen and Patroness of Angeles City, Pampanga. The image The venerable image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles is a de vestir image of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary somehow patterned to that of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila where the image is also vested in regal robes with bombas (conical enhancements), wears a set of metal accessories and jewels
Read more

Sisters in Blood, Sisters in Christ - The Talangpaz Sisters

-
Image
Servants of God Dionisia and Cecilia Rosa Talangpaz During the Spanish period,, there were few women who pioneered for a change in the early years of the Catholic Church in the Philippines, then controlled by the Spanish Clergy from the likes of Venerable Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, foundress of the Religious of the Virgin Mary, Servant of God Francisca del Espiritu Santo, foundress of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena and the two sisters who founded the Second Congregation for Filipino women, the Augustinian Recollect Sisters of Manila - the Talangpaz sisters of Calumpit, Bulacan. The Talangpaz sisters heeded the call to serve the Lord and later founded a Congregation for Filipinas who wanted to live a contemplative life within the cloisters of a convent which was then denied by the Spanish colonial clergy at that time until the foundation of these Congregations. Despite the Controversies and hardships they faced, the sisters, backed up with their unwavering faith
Read more

Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila - La Fuerza y Alegria de Manila

-
Image
Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila (Courtesy of Mr. Christopher Palabay) In the busy streets of Modern Quiapo - Santa Cruz areas, commercial establishments from ever present shopping malls down to the bangketas that sells almost everything from clothing, food, jewelry, that covered the area is always a common scene. With that modern yet looming atmosphere of that district, it is easy to forget that the same district was once one of the most aristocratic and arrogant arrabal (Spanish for district) during the glorious days of Old Manila. The district that several novou riche families and aristocrats used to stay in that neighborhood and where commerce thrives in.  The link between the Glory days of Old Manila and its present atmosphere is located in a dominant Parish Church of Sta. Cruz, the centuries old miraculous image of Nuestra Señora del Pilar. The beautiful sliver gilded image of the "La Pilarica" is the silent witness to the colorful history of the district. As
Read more