Nuestra Señora de Salvacion de Joroan - The Protectress of Albay

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Nuestra Señora de Salvacion de Joroan
In the town of Joroan, located in Albay province, there is a Marian shrine that is also flocked by pilgrims, aside from the famed Virgin of Peñafrancia in Naga, Camarines Sur - the Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion de Joroan. The devotion to the Virgin of Salvation in Joroan is one of the most popular in Bicol region for numerous miracles were reported through her powerful intercession.

The iconography of the Virign

The original, 18th-century image of Our Lady of Salvation reflects her role in helping her Son Jesus to save mankind from the snares of the devil. The Virgin is portrayed as carrying the Christ Child in her left arm, while her right arm grasps a man by the wrist as he is about to fall into a gaping Hellmouth. An angel kneels at the foot of the Virgin, offering a basket of burning hearts to Christ, who holds a burning heart in his right hand, while his left hand is stretched in a gesture of accepting the hearts.

This particular iconography of the Virgin borrows that from the a popular devotion in Italy and Mexico under the title "Madre Santissima de la Lumen" (Our Lady of Light) which began in Italy in where the Virgin appeared to a pious woman in Palermo, Sicily and with the help of a Jesuit priest, Fr. Genovesi, a painting based from the vision was commissioned and the devotion began to spread all over Italy and was carried over to Mexico by the Jesuit Missionaries and later adapted by the Franciscans Missionaries in that country. However, due to the controversy surrounding its iconography, some churches in Mexico changed some of its elements. Given with this situation, it is possible that the title that was given to this image was altered to "Nuestra Señora de Salvacion" due to the height of the controversy back in Mexico.

The silver covering of the image was donated by Ms. Clara Vera in gratitude of the favors that were answered through her intercession and she asked that her descendants will be camarera (image caretakers/stewards) of the Virgin.

An artistic representation of the carving of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion,
San Antonio de Padua and Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
The beginnings of the Devotion

The history regarding the statue of Our Lady of Salvation and the Marian devotion began in 1770, when a certain haciendero named Don Silverio Arcilla assigned a tenant named Mariano Dacuba in one of his vast estates in Joroan (then known as Cagnipa). On a certain day, while Dacuba was clearing the hacienda, he chopped off a big Calpe tree. After several hours to his surprise, he found out that the leaves did not wilt and maintained its life and freshness although already severed in the base for a period of time. He informed his landlord Don Arcilla about it and the latter consulted the Friar pastor of Buhi of what could be done with it.

An estampa of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion de Joroan
The friar pastor of Buhi urgently called a sculptor named Bagacumba to have an image carved from the Calpe trunk found by Don Arcilla's tenant. Three Statues were produced out of the tree - Nuestra Señora de Salvacion, San Antonio de Padua, and Nuestra Señora de Soledad.

The Controversy of custodianship

On August 25, 1776, the image of the Lady of Salvation was lent to Joroan with the condition that the residents construct a chapel at the center of the barrio and the devotion flourished in that area. Joroan was separated some years later from Buhi. So, the image of the Salvacion likewise separated from Buhi and no chance to become a part of Tiwi.

In 1805, a strong typhoon hit the area where a small simple shrine was built to shelter the image. So they moved the image temporarily to Tiwi until such time that the place reconstructed completely. But the devotion to the Virgin were established in Tiwi.

The Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion de Joroan
Conflict rises between to devotees, one Joroan and the other was the Tiwi devotees that goes on for years. In 1918, an assembly was conducted with the participation of the members. They agreed to turn Joroan into another parish and built a new shrine to a sixteen-hectare land. When the it was completely constructed in September 15, 1919. The image was returned to Joroan on November in the same year and by 1920, the image permanently stayed in Joroan. To keep the ardour of the same Marian devotion in Tiwi and to prevent further tensions, Bishop John Bernard McGinley also permitted the creation of a replica for Tiwi.

Details of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion de Joroan
The Miracles

Joroan at that time was often the target of Muslim marauders due to its proximity to the sea. During an attack, the people of Joroan would flock to the image and pray to the Virgin for protection. Tradition notes that Muslims pillaging Joroan would constantly fail to ignite houses, and this was attributed to the Virgin.

Three devotees from the Region of Catanduanes went on a pilgrimage to Joroan, they bring along with them a set of candles in their boat. Upon reaching the shore, two of them decided to detour to Buhi and light candles for St. Anthony, while the other was left to guard the boat. A woman carrying a child approached the man and asked for a candle to light her way. The man refused because the candle was not his. The lady insisted and promised that she would return the candle in the morning if he would come to her house uphill. The man get her address and gave her one. She lighted the candle and walked away. On the next day, the man went to the address were the lady gave him but to his surprised he saw the candle on the on the foot of the image unlighted and unused.

Our Lady of Salvation was remarked from saving the town of Albay from the Muslim pirates. After that, Hermana Mayor, Doña Clara de Vera set to construct a new shrine. Don Manuel Casa, a Manileño and an architect volunteered for his service. But he is suffering from paralyzing disease. When he came to the cite he saw that a church was his task. As he started to work, he began feeling much better and when he was done with it, he was completely cured.

The Canonical Coronation of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion de Joroan
The Canonical Coronation

On December 8, 1975, Bishop Teotimo Pacis of the Diocese of Legazpi formally declared the Virgin Mary with the title of Our Lady of Salvation as the heavenly patroness of Albay. In 1976, the Diocese formally celebrated the Bicentennial Jubilee of its patroness. One of the projects during the Bicentennial was the completion of the shrine. The original design of the shrine was the handiwork of Juanito Pelea of Tiwi, but was later redesigned and finished under the supervision of Fidel Siappo of Legaspi City. After its completion, Bishop Pacis blessed the shrine on August 21, 1976. In August 25 of the that same year, as a culmination to the Bicentennial year, Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin of Manila crowned the Lady of Salvation while the shrine in Joroan was proclaimed as a Diocesan shrine.

Details of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion de Joroan
without her cape
The Devotion

The devotees of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion de Joroan celebrates two feasts days; the Parochial Fiesta every July 2 and the Diocesan Fiesta every Third Saturday of August.Every year, during the month of August until September, devotees from all over the Bicol Region visit the shrine of the Lady of Salvation in Joroan. The last Saturday of August is traditionally reserved as a special day of veneration wherein pilgrims would walk in a procession for 9 km from the St. Lawrence Church of Tiwi to the Diocesan Shrine in Joroan.  The devotion to the Blessed Virgin as the Virgin of Salvation continues to be popular in Albay and in other parts of Bicol Region, next to the famed Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia of Naga, Camarines Sur which is proven with the number of devotees who visit her and the miracles that she wrought to her people.

The devotion to the Virgin of Salvation leads us to reflect on her role in the plan of Salvation of Mankind. Mary’s fiat is her willingness to submit herself fully to the will of God so that He could restore humanity into communion with Himself. This important response to God's plan led to the coming of the Salvation of Mankind. He was going to send his only Son born of the Virgin Mary, into the world to take our place so that we who deserved death may have life; so that we who deserved eternal damnation may be given instead a place in the Kingdom of God. And so from the very beginning of time, the hand of God was upon the Blessed Virgin Mary. Of all women, she was chosen to be the vessel through which the salvation of the whole world, through which the salvation of the human race would come. She was chosen to be the new ark of the New Covenant – the New Eve. We should thank God for giving us her handmaid for the fulfillment of the salvation of the fallen human race by sending His only begotten Son Jesus, the Redeemer of the world.

Reference:

de Leon, Lorenzo. (1988) History of the Image of Our Lady of Salvation. Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Salvation, Legazpi City, Albay.
Barcelona, Mary Anne (2004). Ynang Maria: A Celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Philippines. Edited by Consuelo B. Estepa, Ph.D. Pasig City: Anvil Publishing, Inc.

Special Thanks to Mr. Romulo Ray Balisnomo.

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