Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de Odlot - Cebu's Lady of Numerous Miracles

Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de Odlot
(The weeping image)

In a quiet yet scenic town of Odlot, Bogo, North of Cebu, known for its beautiful beach, it is one of the most visited pilgrim sites in Cebu because it was here that the Parish of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de Odlot was enshrined and venerated in the area.

For the last few years, Odlot became a place of miracles since the enshrinement of three images of Virgin in their shrine and became a must visit pilgrimage site in Cebu and it draw thousands of pilgrims from Cebu and other parts of the country. Our Lord must have chosen this quiet area to shower numerous graces to the people of Cebu by sending the Blessed Virgin to the area through finding of her image in plank, then another image covered with honeycomb and the most recent was the weeping of another image of the Virgin.

These manifestations shows how much He cared for his people and by showering them with numerous graces.

The three images of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de Odlot

The images

There were three images of the Virgin of Remedies of Odlot that are venerated in the Parish. The First image is the plank where an effigy of the Virgin was seen with Saints Peter and Paul are beside the Virgin. The second image is a petite image of the Virgin with brown complexion, wears a set of crowns, vested with beautiful embroidered vestments, the Virgin holding a pouch while the Child was holding the globus cruciger. This image was enshrined in the altar and recipient of Episcopal Coronation. The third and the most recent image was a taller image of the Virgin that was seen shedding tears in 2008.

The first image that was found by fishermen

The Saga of Three images

The First image

The story of the miracles of Odlot began in the 1930's, the original settlement was not in present day Odlot, but in another site called Daang Lungsod, or old settlement. Then as now, the people depended on the sea for livelihood. in one of those shore fishing days, when only a small net called "baling" is used, a fisherman repeatedly caught nothing but a piece of wooden plank. Twice he hurled it back to to the sea, but twice the plank would get caught in his net.

While the other fishermen have had their catch for the day, the unnamed fisher still got nothing, and it was already past noon time. On the third time, he caught the same plank; he threw it by the shore, and finally caught some fish. When he arrived home, the hungry wife scolded him for being late for lunch, so he narrated what happened. The woman got curious and told the husband to bring her the "mysterious" wood. Next day, the fisherman got the plank and gave it to the wife who, seeing nothing but a piece of wood with some carved decorations on the sides placed it in their hut's "swambi", or small extension.

Perhaps, the wife thought of using the find as firewood but, she was told in a dream not to desecrate the wood, but rather to take care of it as it has certain value that would be revealed in time. Then in another dream, the wife was told to look closely at the wood, for an image of the Virgin and the Child Jesus would appear. She was also told to venerate the image that slowly showed as our Lady of Remedies. Images supposedly appeared gradually on the plain wood, and it was not only of the Virgin and Child Jesus, but also of two others, one on each side flanking the central figure, which happened to be Sts. Peter and Paul the Apostles. The couple told the neighbors about their unusual find, and the community decided to build a small chapel to enshrine the icon. Since then, the fisher folk took Our Lady of Remedies as their very own patroness, and invoked her help before going out to the sea.

The second image that received
Episcopal Coronation

The annual fiesta was celebrated in the chapel on December 18, simultaneous with the feast of Our Lady of Remedies in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Cebu. On the fiesta, the icon would be borne in a decorated boats, for a fluvial procession reaching as far as Nailon, another fishing village in Bogo, accompanied by fishing boats from Daang Lungsod.

When Barrio Odlot was established on a higher ground the settlers transferred but every December, the icon would be brought to it's original chapel site, and after the Holy Mass, would be still be carried in a fluvial parade, as they have always done in earlier times.

The Second Image 

A few years later, another image of the Virgin of Remedies was found in their chapel covered with honeycomb. The people went to consult their parish priest if they have to clean up the image or not. However,  the priest told the people not to touch the honeycomb for it's the Virgin's way of showing her manifestation. This image was the recipient of Episcopal Coronation in 2014.

Actual photo of the weeping of
Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de Odlot
taken in 2008

The Third image

The third, yet arguably, the most recognizable image of the Virgen de los Remedios of Odlot was taller statue of the Virgin that became the subject of headlines in Cebu and other parts of the country.

On June 21, 2008 the statue of the Virgin was seen shedding tears. Seven men, who were cutting some Indian trees outside the church at that time, witnessed this. They quickly informed Father Romeo Desuyo, the the parish priest of the Church, what happened and he confirmed that indeed tears were on the statue’s face. Other people showed up to see the phenomenon for themselves; hundreds witnessed this event.

On June 25, 2008, a few days after the first lachrymation,  the statue of Mary shed tears once again; thirty-five people who were praying in front of the statue witnessed this. Father Desuyo reported the matter to Cebu’s Cardinal Vidal, and the weeping statue has been observed by the church ever since. Cardinal Vidal had said, “Let us watch and observe because if it’s the work of God, then it will grow and flourish.” At the same time of the lachrymations, M/V Princess of the Stars sunked off the coast of Romblon . Two people from Odlot had been on that ship and went missing.

The Third image - the weeping image

The statue of Our Lady of Remedies in Odlot continues to shed tears on some occasions. There’s no telling when it will occur. On Monday, February 6, 2012, when the 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit Cebu and Negros, the statue wept once again. Another and the most recent incident of the weeping of the Virgin took place during the ravages of Typhoon Yolanda. On a Saturday after the typhoon hit Odlot that almost damaged the Parish, Father Desuyo and other devotees saw the at the eyes of the Virgin were red as if she cried so much. Although the parish church lost its roof, but the part where the weeping statue stood was not destroyed. The image of Mary was all right. Even her protective glass urna at the main altar was not broken.

As of this writing, the Archdiocese of Cebu have not given any positive or negative pronouncement of the reported frequent weepings of the Virgin of Remedies of Odlot.

Miracles

Aside from the aforementioned manifestations of the Virgin, Several Miraculous cures were reported through the intercession of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de Odlot:

A neurosurgeon who had fallen ill and later became paralyzed. After hearing the miracles of the Virgin of Odlot, he went there carried on a stretcher. On his second visit, pilgrims saw him on a wheelchair and his health improvement. On his third visit, he was using a cane to walk until he was cured and his ability to walk was restored and joined the First Saturday barefoot procession in thanksgiving since then.

There was a child who was lay dying in the hospital. As the child's condition was getting worse, the family already prepared a casket for him. One day, the child's aunt brought with her a vial of oil from Virgin. After the application of the oil, the child suddenly woke up as if nothing happened.

The Parish of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de Odlot

The development of the devotion

Over the years, there were numerous developments on the devotion to the Lady of the Miracles of Odlot. The original Feast of the Virgin of Remedios of Odlot was celebrated every December 16, the beginning of the Novena Masses for Christmas. In 1987 however, during the curacy of Fr. Hendrico Gabutan, the feast was moved to December 14 to avoid conflict of focus with the nine day Misa de Gallo for Christmas.

The devotion to the Nuestra Señora  de los Remedios of Odlot gained much popularity in Cebu and other parts of the country due to these numerous reported miracles through her intercession. Pilgrims from different places flock her shrine to venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary and ask for her intercession. Every first Saturday of the month, devotees would go to Odlot Parish to join their monthly procession, barefoot. Many people who join the procession give thanks and honor the Blessed Mary for their prayers has been answered

The Episcopal Coronation of the altar image of
Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de Odlot 

The parish of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de Odlot was first established in 1980 and it became the sanctuary of the miraculous images of the Blessed Virgin of Remedies since then and the Parish was formally consecrated on May 26, 2013.

On December 14, 2014, on the Feast of Virgin of Remedies of Odlot, the miraculous image of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de Odlot received her Episcopal Coronation witnessed by thousands of devotees present in the Church. The coronation rites was presided by Archbishop Jose Palma, Archbishop of Cebu.

In 2015, the pilgrim image of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de Odlot was brought to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Vatican City and the image was blessed and crowned  by the Holy Father, Pope Francis during one of his general audience. The pilgrim image comes out every first Saturday of the month for the dawn barefoot procession and visiting towns in Cebu and other parts of the country.

The devotion

As of this writing, numerous pilgrims continue to flock her shrine in Odlot, Cebu and subsequently, numerous reports of miracles continued up to this present day. The presence of the Virgin in a simple town of Cebu has a remarkable result, not only to the residents, but all of her devotees as well for she once again demonstrated her love for all of us, her dear children who are longing to be with her in heaven and giving us the needed remedy in our life, His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

As we conclude this blogpost dedicated to the Miraculous Virgin of Remedies of Odlot, Cebu, here is the prayer to the Virgin of Odlot that is often prayed by her devotees and can be prayed by all for those who would ask for her intercession.

The pilgrim image of Nuestra Señora
de los Remedios de Odlot 

Our Lady of Remedies, to whom angels and saints give honor, you are the sign of the Father's nearness, of your Son's mercies and of the Spirit's fruitfulness. Mother Mary, since you know my weakness, I beg of you to look down with compassion upon me, your devoted child.

O Comforter of the Afflicted, helper in all our needs, inspired by your example, I now renew my obedience to the will of the Father.  I humbly ask you to intercede with your Divine Son, that He may grant the many petitions I present to Him. (Mention your petitions). 

I pray especially for health and healing for the sick, courage for those who are dying, harmony among nations, and peace throughout the world.

For myself, I pray that I may grow in holiness. I implore the grace of being well prepared at the time of death when I must render an account of my life. At that moment may you be there, dear Mother, to support me, so that I may be declared worthy to enter the Court of Heaven, where you reign as Queen. There, may I enjoy your company in union with the Father, with Jesus your SoN, and with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

References:

Brainard, Cecilia Manguerra (2012), Magnificat: Mama Mary's Pilgrim sites, Anvil Publishing, Mandaluyong City.
Brainard, Cecilia Manguerra (2013), The Weeping Statue Of Mary In Odlot, Retrieved from http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-weeping-statue-of-mary-in-odlot on December 19, 2017.
Parish of Our Lady of Remedies, (2011), History of Virgen de los Remedios de Odlot, Parish of Parish of Our Lady of Remedies, Odlot, Cebu.
A Hidden Paradise-Odlot,Bogo City, Retrieved from http://whatsonbogo.blogspot.com/2011/03/hidden-paradise.html on December 18, 2017.

Special thanks to Rev. Fr. Romeo Desuyo, Parish Priest and Rector of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Cebu, Guadalupe, Cebu and former Parish Priest of Our Lady of Remedies, Odlot, Cebu for the photos and further information about the Virgen de los Remedios de Odlot.