Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila - La Fuerza y Alegria de Manila
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| Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila (Courtesy of Mr. Christopher Palabay) |
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 centuries passed by with wars, calamities and other adversities, she continues to give her people the joy and strength that the people of Manila needed.
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| Full details of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila (Courtesy of Mr. Christopher Palabay) |
The image of the La Pilarica of Santa Cruz is that of a carved mahogany wooden the body of the image covered with silver and head and hands of the Mother and Child made of ivory. The image stands in a Pillar based from the account of the famed apparition of the Blessed Mother to Apostle St. James the Great in Zaragosa, Spain. The image wears an embroidered mantle/cape, wigs and crowns for both Mother and Child.
It is not certain if these date back to the Jesuit times, inasmuch as these are the parts that in every sculpture deteriorate more easily, and thus, more accessible to changes and innovations. Moreover, in the desire to preserve the image in the passage of time, it was deemed necessary to cover it with silver plates, that were so deeply engraved and set that it has not lost its finest details. The work was found to be carefully done, and very extensive.
The opulence of the people of Old Santa Cruz is strongly evident on the appearance of the Virgin. It is said that the hair of the Virgin had several strands of diamond chains serving as a hairnet that was given by her devotees. The people of this once aristocratic arrabal lavished the Virgin with such honor as an act of thanksgiving to all the miracles that she wrought to the people and for the thriving of trade and commerce of that district that was once called the cradle of "Tagalog Aristocracy".
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| The apparition of Our Lady of the Pillar to Apostle St, James the Greater |
According to tradition, in the early days of the Church on January 2, 40 AD, the Apostle James the Greater was proclaiming the Gospel in Caesaraugusta (present day Zaragoza) by the river Ebro, St. James the Greater was preaching on the banks of the Ebro River in Caesaraugusta (present day Zaragoza, Spain).
When it looked as if James' mission was destined to be a failure, and he was subsequently depressed, he was deep in prayer when he witnessed an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary atop of a Pillar. He was visited by the Virgin Mary in the flesh (she is still alive at this point in history) who appeared standing on a six-foot tall pillar of jasper carried by angels and gave consoling words to the distressed apostle and as the Virgin disappeared, she left the jasper pillar that she stood as a reminder of the apparition. Saint James later constructed a church under the patronage of Our Lady and the people started to believe the apostle and the good news of salvation that he brought with him.
The arrival of La Pilarica to ManilaThe image of Nuestra Senora del Pilar was brought to the Philippines by the Jesuits from Zaragoza, Spain sometime before 1743. Prior to her arrival, a confraternity already existed since 1743 in the district, thus the arrival of Virgen del Pilar made the devotion official. By the middle of the 19th Century, the La Pilarica became the Queen and Patroness of Santa Cruz district up to this day.
As a patroness of the Sta. Cruz district, she was the object of prayers, mid-day Saturday Masses and recitation of the Rosary. During novenas, the statue was mounted on a carriage and placed at the left side of the altar until after the procession.
During Japanese occupation, Fr. Lucio Garcia placed the image of the Virgen del Pilar in a vault at the Philippine National Bank in Escolta to preserve it from invaders and subsequent destruction during the liberation of Manila 1945. After the destructive War, the image returned to her Shrine and placed at the epistle side of the altar up to this day.
The Miracles Sometime in 1863, a violent earthquake shook and covered the city of Manila with desolation and ruins. Many houses, buildings and churches collapsed, as well as the frontispiece and much of Santa Cruz church. After the incident, the work to remove the sacred image from the rubble in which it was buried was carried out yet they are having difficulty on locating the image that they gave up on the search.
Suddenly, to the astonishment of the neighbors most immediate to the church, they saw at midnight a great light which came from the heap, and found on the rubble as a victorious pedestal, majestically erect and without even a scratch, the sacred image, that they have been looking for with filial anxiety. The parishioners of Santa Cruz, filled with astonishment, and gratitude, went without delay to the nearby establishment of the Chinese chandler, and waking him up, bought a large bundle of candles from him, with which they accompanied the marvelous glows that burned around the Virgin.
Another notable miracle took place during the administration of the Order of the Augustinian Recollects. It is said that on one of the usual walks at night of a Recollect friar in the church vicinity, he saw an old woman accidentally locked up in the atrium. The priest tried to look for the keys and opened the door and asked the lady to leave. The woman did not respond and the priest forced the woman to leave and she in turn went to a corner of the church with cogon grass growing and the priest followed her quickly. The following day, it was discovered that the uncultivated miniature forest became a beautiful garden. It was then that the priest realized that it was the Virgin herself who likes to walk around the atrium of her home.Local Businessmen of Binondo and Santa Cruz up to this day continuously implore her intercession to help them in their economic stability. In the later years, students who will take licensure examinations and people looking for better labor opportunities here and abroad flock the Church constantly to implore for her guidance and strength to achieve their life goals. The Virgin in turn did nor turn a deaf ear for she generously granted these graces to her devotees.
La Pilarica de Manila and the British Invasion of the Philippines
At the time, Britain and France were belligerents in what was later called the Seven Years' War. As the war progressed, the neutral Spanish government became concerned that the string of major French losses at the hands of the British were becoming a threat to Spanish interests. France successfully negotiated a treaty with Spain known as the Family Compact which was signed on August 15, 1761. By an ancillary secret convention, Spain committed to making preparations for war against Britain. Britain first declared war against Spain on January 4, 1762, and on January 18, 1762, Spain issued their own declaration of war against Britain. On September 24, 1762, a British fleet of eight ships of the line, three frigates, and four store ships with a force of 6,839 regulars, sailors and marines, sailed into Manila Bay from Madras. The expedition, led by Brigadier-General William Draper and Rear-Admiral Samuel Cornish, captured Manila, "the greatest Spanish fortress in the western Pacific" The resistance from the provisional Spanish colonial government established by members of the Royal Audience of Manila led by Lieutenant Governor Simón de Anda y Salazar and their Filipino allies prevented British forces from taking control of territory beyond the neighbouring towns of Manila and Cavite.
The Seven Years' War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on February 10, 1763. At the time of the signing, the signatories were not aware that Manila had been taken by the British, and consequently, it fell under the general provision that all other lands not otherwise provided for be returned to the Spanish Crown. However, the British finally received their orders to withdraw in early March. A turn over ceremony took place at the plaza of Santa Cruz Church in Manila and it is also said that the image of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila faced the plaza for this turn over.
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| Santa Cruz Church at present |
The Santa Cruz Church, located in Plaza Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz district, Manila. The Jesuits built the Church on June 20, 1619 made of stone and wood and was first dedicated to St. Stanislaus Kotska. The Jesuits enshrined the image of Our Lady of Pillar in 1743 to serve the predominantly Chinese residents in the area. As years passed by, the primitive materials were replaced with more stronger materials. On June 3, 1863 an earthquake destroyed the church. Fr. Agustin de Mendoza began reconstruction work on the church in 1868. Today, the church architecture employs a California Spanish Mission façade silhouette with the usual Filipino (Asian-Hispanic) baroque ornamentation. The church facade is topped with an effigy statue of Our Lady of the Pillar. At present, the church is under the administration of the Sacramentine Order of St. Peter Julian Eymard and was dedicated as the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed daily.
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| The Canonical Coronation of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila |
With numerous miracles that were reported through her miraculous intercession, the people of the Santa Cruz, through the efforts of Rev. Fr. Rudsend Paraganas, SSS and Mr. Christopher Nathaniel Palabay with other PPC officers and the Confradia de Nuestra Señora del Pilar, petitioned for the Canonical Coronation to the Queen of Santa Cruz district as a perpetual expression of thanksgiving to her maternal love and protection. On June 27, 2017, on the Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Pope Francis approved the decree for the Canonical Coronation of the venerated image.
The centuries old miraculous image of La Pilarica was Canonically Crowned on December 7, 2017. The coronation rites was presided by the Archbishop of Manila, His Eminence Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle together with the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, guests Bishops and Priests of the Archdiocese of Manila and other Diocese and Religious Orders and the Sacramentine Order. Pilgrims from all over the country attended the Coronation rites and the rites began with the Caracol from Cavite and a Solemn Procession followed after the Coronation where the people from all walks of life gave their homage to La Pilarica. The coronation rites was aired thru TV Maria and Radio Veritas that was viewed by thousands of devotees from different parts of the country and the world.
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| Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila on her Fiesta processiion |
The Virgen del Pilar celebrates two Feast days, the Liturgical Feast of October 12 and the Traditional Patronal Feast that is celebrated every Third Sunday of October. The procession of the La Pilarica is one of the most awaited in the month of October in the olden times. During the Spanish Era until the Pre- War period, the Third Sunday Procession of the Pilarica of Manila is known for its pomp and grandeur where people, especially women who wear their finest jewels from sapatillas (slippers encrusted with diamonds) to sparkling broaches - just like their Queen.
The devotion to the Virgin of the Pillar of Manila continues to thrive through the years, the people of Santa Cruz are forever grateful to their beloved Queen.The Virgin became the silent witness to the colorful history of her beloved district yet she never failed to shed her Son's graces to those who need them and she became the source of strength and joy of the people of Santa Cruz through the centuries for they always confide in her and she in turn directs them to her Son, the Redeemer - the true strength and joy of our life.
Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila, La Fuerza y Alegria, Ipanalangin mo kami!
References:
Aviado, Lutgarda, (1972), Madonnas of the Philippines, Manlapaz Press, Quezon City.
Delos Reyes, Michael (2017), The Historical Miracles of Nuestra Señora del Pilar, Retrieved from http://www.facebook.com.
Harper, Anna Maria L., (2004), Santa Cruz Church, A Living Heritage, Sta. Cruz Parish Pastoral Council,
Sta. Cruz Church (2017), Pagsisiyam sa Karangalan ng Nuestra Señora de Manila, Sta. Cruz Parish, Sta. Cruz, Manila.
Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila, La Fuerza y Alegria, Ipanalangin mo kami!
References:
Aviado, Lutgarda, (1972), Madonnas of the Philippines, Manlapaz Press, Quezon City.
Delos Reyes, Michael (2017), The Historical Miracles of Nuestra Señora del Pilar, Retrieved from http://www.facebook.com.
Harper, Anna Maria L., (2004), Santa Cruz Church, A Living Heritage, Sta. Cruz Parish Pastoral Council,
Sta. Cruz Church (2017), Pagsisiyam sa Karangalan ng Nuestra Señora de Manila, Sta. Cruz Parish, Sta. Cruz, Manila.
Viva la virgen Del Pilar Coronada!!!
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DeleteHow tall is the image?
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