Imprints of A Holy and Glorious Past - The Surviving Patrons of Old Intramuros

The old La Naval de Manila Procession in Intramuros years before the Second World War

A depiction of Intramuros

Whenever we pass the area of the Manila City Hall going to Quiapo-Tondo-Sampaloc area, we always see an imposing wall on the opposite side of the iconic City Hall - the famed centuries old walled city of Intramuros. The area of Intramuros (Which literally mean "Within the Walls") during the Spanish period was considered as Manila and the arrabals surrounding the walled city from Quiapo, Santa Ana, Santa Cruz, Sampaloc, Bagumbayan (now the Luneta area), Tondo, Binondo, Paco, Pandacan and Ermita are known as "Extramuros".

Since its foundation in 1571 with the conquest of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and its construction sometime later, Intramuros became one of the nerve centers of the Philippine Catholic Faith, next to Cebu, for it was chosen as the seat of Catholic Church in the country with the foundation of the Archdiocese of Manila from its parent Archdiocese of Mexico in 1555, several religious orders established their mother houses inside the Walled City and built magnificent churches that pilgrims visited over the centuries.

The religious orders, namely the Augustinians, the Franciscans, the Dominicans, the Jesuits, the Augustinian Recollects and the Franciscan Capuchins introduced several devotions and religious images  to the country over the centuries and these became part of our Catholic faith and even played important roles in Philippine history. The devotion to the Eucharist, the Blessed Virgin Mary in her several attributes and the saints was easily adopted by the people and the images that are associated with them became focal point of devotions and celebrations over the years. 

But the peace and quiet period in the Walled City turned to an end with the destruction of World War 2. All churches were bombed and completely destroyed, with the exception of San Agustin Church in Intramuros and years later, the Manila Cathedral was rebuilt. Fortunately, some important miraculous images were spared from the destruction of War due to their preventive safekeeping and were later moved to their new shrines outside Manila, other images were not as fortunate for they were victims of the destructive war. Without any further a do, here are some images who survived the destruction of World War 2 and now venerated in their new Shrines, or in some cases were hidden in museums and oratories..

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario
- La Naval de Manila in Intramuros

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila
Previous Provenance: Iglesia de Santo Domingo, Intramuros, Manila

Current Provenance: Santo Domingo Church - National Shrine of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, La Naval de Manila

The history of Intramuros is not complete without mentioning the miraculous image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila and its grand procession that was once enshrined in the Old Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros.

The image of the Virgin of La Naval, also called as the "Santo Rosario" was carved in 1593 by an unknown Chinese Sculptor upon the request of then Governor General of the Philippines - Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas and art direction of the officer turned Dominican Priest Don Hernando delos Rios Coronel. Years later, the image was donated to the Dominican Fathers and was enshrined in her own altar in the Gospel Side of the church. Miracles were later reported through the intercession of the Virgin of the Rosary of Santo Domingo Church.

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario
- La Naval de Manila at present

The devotion to the Santo Rosario reached its peak with the Five Naval battles of 1646 where the Spanish-Filipino troops protected the islands from invading Dutch. The two old ill equipped Galleons, the Encarnacion and the Rosario
was able to defend the islands against 18 big and well equipped warships. Before the battle, the whole armada vowed to walk barefoot to her shrine in Santo Domingo if victory will be theirs - and it happened, they fulfilled this vow and the Arzobispado of Manila declared the victory a miracle through the intercession of the Santo Rosario which was later called as the Virgin of La Naval and a Grand Festival is in order to commemorate the event,and the festivities is well attended.

With numerous miracles that she continued to lavish her devotees, she was canonically crowned on October 5, 1907 in Plaza Magallanes in Intramuros and the event was well attended from Filipinos, Spaniards and Americans.  She was the first Filipino Marian image to receive such honor from the Holy See.

During the Second World War, the Santo Domingo Church was destroyed yet the Virgin and other images, along with almost all important documents were kept in a vault and they were later moved to the University of Santo Tomas and finally to her current home in her new location in Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.

Nuestra Señora de Lourdes of Quezon City

Nuestra Señora de Lourdes of Quezon City
Previous Provenance: Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Lourdes, Intramuros, Manila
Current Provenance: National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Quezon City

The image of Our Lady of Lourdes in her National Shrine in Retiro, Quezon City, the altar image is the oldest surviving image of Our Lady of Lourdes in the country.

When the Cappuchins arrived in 1882, they settled in Intramuros as their headquarters in Asia. The Cappuchin Church was initially dedicated to the Divina Pastora then later to the Virgin of Lourdes when people began to flock the grotto that they built with a beautifully carved image of Our Lady of Lourdes done by Manuel Flores in 1892 that was enshrined there.

Nuestra Señora de Lourdes of Quezon City

With numerous miracles that were reported through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Cappuchin Friars later asked the same sculptor to carve the altar image two years later and a bigger church was later built with the besamanto image in the center.

An Archconfraternity was later established to further propagate the devotion to the Lady of the Grotto who appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. The popularity of the Virgen de Lourdes was unparalleled that almost every Catholic home in the country, one could see a grotto of the Lourdes Virgin enshrined in their gardens.

When the Lourdes Church was destroyed, the miraculous altar image was easily taken away and was first kept in the sacristy of San Agustin Church, then later at the University of Santo Tomas and finally to her new home in Retiro, Quezon City. The image later received Episcopal Coronation on August 10, 2010.

In 2019, Pope Francis, through the decree issued by the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, granted the Canonical Coronation of the venerable image of Nuestra Señora de Lourdes of Quezon City. The altar image (besapies) received the honor of Canonical Coronation on August 22, 2020.

Nuestra Señora de la Salud in Intramuros

Nuestra Señora de la Salud
Previous Provenance: Iglesia de San Nicolas de Tolentino, Intramuros, Manila
Current Provenance: San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish, Quezon City

The image of Nuestra Señora de la Salud of the Augustinian Recollects was brought to the Philippines in 1623, along with the famous Señor Nazareno of Quiapo, Manila. The image was first enshrined in her own church in Bagumbayan, now Luneta, which was dedicated to St. John the Baptist.

The venerated image was transferred to Intramuros three times when the Bagumbayan Church was destroyed until it was permanently enshrined in the old San Nicolas Church of the Recollects in Intramuros.

One of the most notable miracle of the dark Virgin of Health was during the infamous Chinese uprising in 1639. A novena was held in her honor to ask for the health of the army and to establish peace. The novena were held with grand solemnity, attended by no less than the Archbishop of Manila, the city officials, the Royal Audiencia, and the great multitude of the faithful, who profited much from the devotion to the Virgen de la Salud. She generously granted that which they asked for and celebrated her feast day with much grand and solemnity. Since then, the devotion to the Virgin of Health flourished.

Nuestra Señora de la Salud at present

Years later, the War broke out and San Nicolas Church was one of the unfortunate casualties. The Virgin, along with the miraculous Crucifix of Casiguran, an ivory image of St. Michael the Archangel and a chalice given by Pope Leo XIII were spared and immediately transferred to the sacristy of San Sebastian Church. As for the other images that are mentioned earlier, they were all destroyed by the War.

The Virgin was later evacuated to the sacristy of Minor Basilica of San Sebastián in Quiapo, Manila and moved later to the new mother house of the order in Quzon City. The image was later donated to the Museo Recoleto in the 1980's and stayed there since then.

In 2016, the image returned to Intramuros to participate at the annual Grand Marian Procession that sparked the revival of the devotion. At present, the Augustinian Recollects are now making efforts to revive the devotion to the Virgin of Health.

Estampa of Santo Cristo del Tesosro

Santo Cristo del Tesoro de Colegio de Santa Isabel
Previous Provenance: Colegio de Santa Isabel, Intramuros, Manila (Old campus)
Current Provenance: Colegio de Santa Isabel, Ermita, Manila (present campus)

The image of Santo Cristo del Tesoro of Colegio de Santa Isabel of Intramuros was also one of the most celebrated images in Intramuros and acclaimed as one of the so-called "Palladium of Intramuros" together with the Virgin of La Naval of the Dominicans and the now destroyed San Francisco de las Lagrimas of the Franciscans.

The image arrived in the country in 1631 from Acapulco for the Real Casa de La Misericordia. It was a gift of Don Juan Lopez, a captain who gave up the career of the sword, for that of charity. He was then bookkeeper of the above mentioned charitable institution.

The crucifix was placed in a shrine near the treasury of the Real Casa de La Misericordia as a guardian keeping a vigilant eye on the treasures of his beloved children. In fact, the crucified Christ proved that the treasury remained inexhaustible in spite of the many poor whose cries for alms and mercy were unfailingly answered.

Facial details of Santo Cristo del Tesosro

In times of drought, the Archbishop of Manila with his parishioners joined in a solemn procession in honor of this image, imploring for rain, and the events that followed did not fall short of the trust he and the people of Manila had placed in the Black Crucified Christ.

In the wake of the Second World War, the Santo Cristo was whisked away from the old Santa Isabel College to San Agustin Church and later transferred to Colegio de Sta. Rita of old Calumpang (now Plaza del Carmen of Quiapo). During the Japanese occupation, devotion to Santo Cristo del Tesoro found its way into the dreaded Fort Santiago and other places of torture. Freed or liberated prisoners form the fort went to the chapel of the Señor with  fervent and humble thanksgiving. The image was later transferred to his new shrine in the relocated campus in Ermita, Manila.

Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion y
Correa de Intramuros

Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion y Correa de Intramuros
Previous Provenance: Iglesia de San Pablo (San Agustin Church), Intramuros, Manila
Current Provenance: San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila

Being the lone survivor of the Second World War, San Agustin Church served as the solace of some of the well known images in the area and it is no surprise that its patroness, the Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion y Correa de Intramuros was spared from the ravages of War. The exact date of her arrival is unknown yet it is believed that the Consolacion was already enshrined in San Agustin Church in her own altar since the Seventeenth century.

The devotion to the Virgen de la Consolacion began when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Monica of Tagaste, Mother of the future St. Augustine of Hippo who was at that time a wayward child who is very invested to the pleasures of the world. The Blessed Virgin appeared in mourning clothes and gave her cincture and asked Monica to wear it as a sign of her maternal consolation and protection. Tradition has it that the Chord (Correa in Spanish) was immediately worn by Monica and later gave it to his son after his conversion.

Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion y
Correa de Intramuros at present

The Augustinians later adapted the Correa together with their habit when they are formally founded thru the Papal Bull "Cum quaedam salubria," issued on July 15, 1255 by Pope Alexander IV which ordered  a number of religious monks to gather for the purpose of being amalgamated into a new Order of Hermits of Saint Augustine which is called "The Grand Union", contrary to the popular belief that St. Augustine himself founded the Augustinian Order. A confradia was later founded in the country under her patronage for the propagation of the devotion to the Lady of Consolation and for promoting the spiritual life of St. Augustine.

The image was kept hidden during the Second World War and it was later enshrined to her altar once again years alter after the War and stayed there since then. The original Niño of the Consolacion was sacrilegiously stolen on February 13, 2005 and a replacement image was soon commissioned. The Mother of the Augustinian Order was Canonically Crowned on her feast day, September 4, 2000 - then the Jubilee Year.

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario
de Universidad de Santo Tomas

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de Universidad de Santo Tomas
Previous Provenance: Friary Chapel of University of Santo Tomas, Intramuros, Manila (old campus)
Current Provenance: Santisimo Rosario Parish, UST Central Seminary, Sampaloc, Manila

The beautiful venerated image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario of the Royal, Pontifical and Catholic University of Santo Tomas, the oldest Universtiy in Asia, was once enshrined in a chapel in the old campus of the University. In an interesting note, the University was actually under the patronage of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary and it is originally named as "Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario".

History is silent on where the image came from and who carved the image for a chapel in the old Intramuros Campus. In a study conducted by the Committee for the Centenary of the Canonical Coronation of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosaio - La Naval de Manila speculated that the opus was done either by Maximo Vicente or Graciano Nepomuceno which is yet to be confirmed.

When the then newly constructed UST Campus in Sampaloc, Manila was completed, another chapel was also constructed for the Virgin. The Chapel was among the earliest edifices in the Campus of the University of Santo Tomas. It was completed on November 13, 1932 and it was later became a parish in 1942, this chapel likewise became the center of the liturgico-sacramental life of the students and parishioners up to the present.

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario
de Universidad de Santo Tomas at present

On September 28, 1942, the image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila, which was saved from the bombings that destroyed the Old Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros, was transferred to the University of Santo Tomas and enshrined at the main altar of the UST Chapel. Thus, the first fiesta celebration of the Santisimo Rosario Parish, set on October 7, the universal feast of the Holy Rosary, was graced by the presence of the historical image of the Blessed Mother, and this went on for several more years until the year 1954, when the La Naval was solemnly transferred to her new and permanent temple, the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City.

The original parish image was then restored to its former place at the high altar, until the implementation of the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. The Feast day of the University's patroness was moved from Second Sunday of October to First Sunday of the same month to give way for the traditional Feast of the La Gran Señora de Filipinas. The Fiesta is well attended by its parishioners and most importantly, by its students to pay homage to patroness of the Universtiy.

Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu de
Colegio de San Juan de Letran

Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu de Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Previous Provenance: Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Intramuros, Manila
Current Provenance: Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Intramuros, Manila

For some Filipino faithful, the term Aranzazu is synonimous to San Mateo, Rizal where the Virgin, under this unique title is acclaimed as the Patroness of the Pueblo since 1716. However, the devotion to Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu already existed in Intramuros before it was introduced to San Mateo, Rizal.

The image of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu shows the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus in his arm holding a scepter and an apple on top of thorn tree and a quadrilateral bell on one of its trunks appearing to a shepherd named Rodrigo de Balzategui.

A Spanish captain brought the first image of the Virgin Mary from Mexico sometime in 1732. The devotion to the Virgin of Aranzazu in Letran flourished that led to the establishment of the Archconfraternity of Nuestra Senora de Aranzazu on December 16, 1772 by virtue of a Pontifical Brief issued by Benedict XIV on September 18, 1748.

Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu de
Colegio de San Juan de Letran at present

The confraternity was installed amid solemn ceremonies at the Letran Chapel and the image occupied the epistle side for public veneration on December 16, 1772 and its members grew in numbers. Devotions to her in the succeeding years were held with much fervor, at which the members attend decked in their special gala uniform of white tunic, red cape and a blue band with a medal with her image on it. Her feast day was once celebrated every December 16.

During the War years, the image was safely kept in one of the rooms of the college and she was spared from the damages the war have caused to the Walled City. Probably it was in that period that the hiding of the image to the public began and only a few, with the exception of the Dominican Friars who run the Colegio and stewards of the image, could get a glimpse of once celebrated images of Our Lady in Intramuros.

At present, the image is kept in a private chapel of the Friars in the college and the image is exposed on rare special occasions.

Apoteosis de Santo Tomas de Aquino

Apoteosis de Santo Tomas de Aquino
Previous Provenance: Iglesia de Santo Domingo, Intramuros, Manila
Current Provenance: National Museum, Manila

Probably, one of the least known miraculous image of Old Intramuros that survived the Second World War. The painting of the St. Thomas Aquinas - the Prince of Theologians and popularly known as the "Angelic Doctor"- in full glory, was attributed to Damian Domingo, the celebrated mestizo painter during the early years of the Spanish era.

The painting is said to be enshrined in old Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros and being flocked by pilgrims. In 1819, the Archbishop of Manila, Juan Antonio Zulaybar y Aldaope, OP granted indulgences to the faithful who will recite the "Our Father", the "Hail Mary" and the "Glory be"before this particular painting as it is inscribed in this painting.

The painting was one of the treasures that were kept in the vault of Old Santo Domingo and it was later kept in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas once retrieved. The painting is currently on display in the National Museum.

*Note: Apotheosis (Apoteosis in Spanish) - the elevation of someone to divine status 

Santo Niño - El Conquistador 

Santo Niño - El Conquistador 
Previous Provenance: Iglesia de San Pablo (San Agustin Church), Intramuros, Manila
Current Provenance: Museo de San Agustin, San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila

Another image that was once celebrated within the Walled City is the ivory image of Santo Niño - El Conquistador.

The image of the Santo Niño is clad in a conquistador regalia with a crown, scepter and a globus cruciger - symbols of power and domination. The origins of the image is unknown yet it is believed that it was enshrined since the Seventeenth Century to the Gospel side of the altar, along with the image of Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion y Correa de Intramuros which was located in the epistle side of the altar up to the present.

The Fiesta of the El Conquistador is celebrated with much pomp and solemnity and enjoyed much devotion from the entire Intramuros populace. However, during the Second World War, the image, along with the La Consolacion were hidden for sometime for safekeeping until both were re-enthroned after the War.  At present, the image is now located in San Agustin Church Museum for preservation.

Mary, Help of Christians of Parañaque City

Mary Help of Christians of Parañaque
Previous Provenance: Manila Metropolitan Cathedral, Intramuros, Manila
Present Provenance: National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, Parañaque City

The devotion to Mary, Help of Christians began in the Philippines with the appointment of Salesian Archbishop William Piani as Apostolic Delegate to the Philippines. In 1922, he brought the statue of Mary Help of Christians to Manila and was first enthroned at the Manila Cathedral.

In 1942, during the Japanese occupation, the statue was brought to the Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Loreto in Sampaloc, Manila for safekeeping. During those years, the Archconfraternity of Mary help of Christians in the Philippines was organized. The archconfraternity continuously offered novenas and masses every 24th day of each month to Our Lady. Perhaps due to Archbishop Piani’s influence, the following parishes adopted Mary Help of Christians as titular and Patroness in different places in the country. Years later, in 1994 the image was transferred to the National  Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians in Betterliving, Parañaque City while a new image of was enthroned in the original chapel in Manila Cathedral in 2016.

Virgen de la Soledad de Intramuros

Virgen de la Soledad (Mater Dolorosa) de Intramuros
Previous Provenance: Iglesia de Santo Domingo, Intramuros, Manila
Current Provenance: Santo Domingo Church - National Shrine of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, La Naval de Manila

One of the earliest known Holy Week images in the country is that of the image of the Nuestra Señora de La Soledad (More popularly known as the "Mater Dolorosa") of old Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros. Though the origins of this image is unknown yet it garnered a devotional following in Old Manila and the "Hermandad del Santo Entierro y Virgen de la Soledad", the Hermandad in charge of the Good Friday procession of the old Iglesia de Santo Domingo was given formal approval by Pope Clement VIII in 1598.

The image is usually decked on her silver andas for the Solemn and Somber Good Friday processions led by the Dominican Order, the Beatas of Beaterio de Santa Catalina, students of Colegio de San Juan de Letran and University of Santo Tomas, the military and the high ranking officials, including the Capitan General of the colony. The image is also accompanied by the different saints of the Passion and the Señor Yacente.

The Dolorosa image, along with the image of San Juan Evangelista, survived the Second World War and was kept first the UST Sampaloc Campus and later in the present Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City. At present, the image can still be seen every Good Friday during the annual televised Siete Palabras and later on the Good Friday procession in the afternoon.

Santo Cristo de Casiguran

Santo Cristo de Casiguran
Previous Provenance: Iglesia de San Nicolas de Tolentino, Intramuros, Manila
Current Provenance: Museo Recoleto, Mira Nila Homes, Quezon CIty

The small crucifix of Casiguran was brought to the old San Nicolas de Tolentino Church in Intramuros from Casiguran, Quezon by the Augustinian Recollect missionaries when they left that mission area in 1704. Believed to be miraculous, tradition has it that the Crucified Christ gave absolution to a dying Recollect missionary who hid together with his flock in the forest of Casiguran to escape Moro pirates. It also recorded that whenever there will be an impending danger or natural disasters that would befall Casiguran, the head of Christ would turn to it's direction as a warning to the faithful. Recently, there were some witnesses said that the head of Christ also turned to the direction of Leyte days before the devastating typhoon Yolanda (Internationally known as 'Haiyan') hit the island province. At present, the miraculous crucifix is currently kept in the Museo Recoleto for safekeeping.

The lasting value of the surviving images of old Intramuros

These miraculous images that are miraculously preserved during the Second World War is quite astounding for it only shows the Hand of God is working in our midst. These images are silent testaments and witnesses to the enduring faith the Filipinos have for centuries despite its rich, colorful and tragic history that shaped Philippine history. The survival stories of these miraculous images tells us that with God, we can endure every havoc or tragedy that we will face in our lives.

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.
Mary, Help of Christians Fiesta 2000 [Souvenir Program] (2000), National shrine and Parish of Mary, Help of Christians, Betterliving Subdivision, Parañaque City.
Rubia, Rommel, OAR, "La Salud: the Black Virgin of Health", Recoletos Communications, Order of Augustinian Recollects, Province of St. Ezekiel Moreno, Quezon City, 2016.
Sanchez, Francisco, "La Virgen Maria Venerada en sus Imagenes Filipinas", Manila: Imp. De Santos y  Bernal, 1904.

Photos:

Choia, Davy
Landicho, Miguel
Yu, Biggie
Some photographs that were used in this blogpost are credited to its owners.