Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de Cagayan de Oro - The Protectress and Peacemaker of Cagayan de Oro

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario
"Birhen sa Kota" de Cagayan de Oro

In the urbanized City Cagayan de Oro in Misamis Oriental where a diverse culture of Christians and Muslims blend in the area with a touch of modernity, one could hardly imagine that it was once a land frequented by pirates and they're best known defense is the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, or better known as the "Birhen sa Kota" to the Cagayanons,

The Virgin of the Fort in Cagayan de Oro became the powerful force in the City where she is enshrined and the Cagayanons continue to flock San Agustin Cathedral to pay homage to their beloved Protectress, Intercessor and Queen.

The Image

The image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de Cagayan de Oro is wooden image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, presented as the Madonna with the Child Jesus in her arms. The stance of the image is somehow similar to those of the Virgins the Rosary of Manaoag, Pangasinan, Bacoor, Cavite, Oroquieta, Misamis Occidental, etc. and the Virgins of the Pillar of Santa Cruz, Manila and Alaminos, Laguna. These instances somehow gives an impression that this particular model of Marian images was en vogue at that time and the attributes and sobriquets were later added due to the miracles that they wrought to their certain localities of devotion and to the missionaries who utilized this particular model for the devotion of the faithful by giving the titles to their images based from the religious order's particular Marian devotion.

The Missionaries in Cagayan de Oro

The Missions in Cagayan de Oro

The missions in Cagayan de Oro began with the arrival of the Jesuits in Mindanao in 1596 and built a mission house located between Butuan and Cagayan de Oro, including Camiguin. However, the Jesuits left the mission with the Order of Expulsion from the Spanish Crown and the Holy See was imposed.

In 1622, through the instance of Bishop Pedro de Arce of Cebu, the Augustinian Recollect Missionaries took over the mission and formally established in Himologan, which is now the area around Taguanao Bridge. The early Agustinian Recollect missionaries were the first to introduce to the old Cagayanons the devotion to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

An artistic depiction of the Birhen sa Kota on the walls
of Fort San Jose

Years later, the mission under the leadership of Padre Agustin de San Pedro, was transferred to the site where now stands the Cathedral of St. Augustine due to the threats of Moro pirates which is rampant at that time which began at the beginning of the Eighteenth Century. In 1626, a wooden fortification was constructed around the new settlement. The Catholic communities established both by the Jesuits and the Recollects were subject to frequent incursions by the Moros, who captured hundreds of Christians as slaves, destroyed churches and convents, looting precious items and killing the missionaries.

The Protection of the Birhen sa Kota

A wooden statue of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary was carved and installed in a church inside the fortification and later placed in the walls of the Fort San Jose for the people believed that the Virgin will protect them They called this Marian image “Birhen sa Kota”. It was in this enclosure along the riverbanks where the Cagayanons hid from the invading Moros who came to carry off people into slavery.The early Cagayanons believed that the image of “Birhen sa Kota” protected them from the Muslim invaders.

The apparition of the Virgin to the Moro Pirates

According to the story, this is what happened: The villagers sighted the coming of about 2,000 Moros in their vintas. To their great surprise,e the Cagayanons saw the Moro invaders suddenly retreated in fear and disappeared. It was later reported that the invaders saw a woman clothed in blinding white garment atop the fort’s walls and whose mein was fearsome and saying “Why are you harming my people.” The Lady ordered them to desist from their assault and commanded respect. Mystified they retreated in fear. This apparition took palce while the people inside the fort were praying for the intercession of the Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. After the reported apparition, Datu Salngsang and his wife were convinced and later were converted along with their people to the faith.

The imposition of the image to the heads of devotees

The "Sabadohan"

During the American Regime, the image was later placed in the right wing of the Cathedral, on the altar near the wall parallel to the river.

This part of the Church was called by the folks as “Sabadohan” since the Traditional Saturday devotions to the Blessed Virgin were regularly held in that area. During these Saturday devotions, the blessing of the sick took place with the rite of of placing the statue over the heads and cures were reported over the years. This practice is somehow similar to that in Iloilo with their own "Palapak" rites.

San Agustin Cathedral of Cagayan de Oro City

The Home of the Protectress

The San Agustin Cathedral was built in 1624 by the Augustinian Recollects under the leadership of Father Agustin de San Pedro. The church structure during that time was made of light materials with fortification built of the same materials.The church was frequently attacked and razed to the ground by soldiers from the Non-Christian areas of Mindanao that and was rebuild in the same materials,

However with the constant fires and Moro attacks in the area that prompted to build a stone church in 1841. The town mayor during that time, Don Jose Corrales, together with members of the local clergy, helped in the construction of the stone church. The church construction lasted from 1843 to 1851.  Through the years, four times the San Agustin Church suffered from destruction including that by bombs from American bomber planes during World War II.

Archbishop James Hayes, SJ, in 1946 rebuilt the Cathedral and the Convent until 1946. It was about this time that the stained glass, given by the New York Sacred Heart chapel, was installed. The Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro was canonically erected in 1933 and the San Agustin Church was chosen as the seat of the Diocese.

The Image during the War years and temporary safekeeping

During World War 2, while the Cathedral was being bombed by the American and Japanese forces, yet, the venerable image miraculously stood, unscathed and perfectly intact amidst the rubble of the destroyed Cathedral. While the Cathedral was being rebuilt, the image was brought to San Jose de Mindanao Seminray by Archbishop James T.G. Hayes, S.J., DD then later transferred to the Museo de Oro of  Xavier University for preservation on August 1967. For decades, the miraculous image was kept in the University Museum for preservation, yet local pilgrims continue to flock the image and the devotion continued silently.

Archbishop Adams incensing the Virgin on her return in 2008 

The Triumphant Return of the Queen and Protectress

Despite the silent devotion to the Virgin, the people and the clergy of Cagayan de Oro are longing for the return of their beloved Patroness and the opportune time came in 2008.

For the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, S.J., DD., made special arrangements with the Museo de Oro to return the Virgin to her rightful throne for the veneration of the faithful. That fateful event finally took place that same year headed by then Papal Nuncio Edward Joseph Adams with much solemnity.

Birhen sa Kota

The devotion continues

With the re-enthronement of the Queen and Protectress of Cagayan de Oro, Pilgrims and devotees multiplied and they continue to flock the miraculous Virgin in her pedestal and the Virgin in turn continues to bring miracles to her doting children from cures from several diseases and deadly ailments, answered petitions and, surprisingly, miraculous interventions and sightings that were attributed to the Virgin of the Fort of Cagayan. Her Feast day is celebrated every October 7, The Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.

The most wonderful miracle attributed to the loving Lady is the established friendship and peace among the Lumads of the province, the Muslims and the Christians in this particular part of Mindanao even up to the present and they continued to work hand in hand for the development of the province for years with the help of the Virgin since her apparition.

In our modern times, where peace is very elusive and where chaos is seemed to be inevitable, let us seek the help of the Blessed Mother in these trying times in the country, not only for a lasting peace in Mindanao, but also for the unity of our country that is severely divided and eventually destroy our nationhood.