Nuestra Señora de la Lumen de Cainta - The Light of Cainta
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| Nuestra Señora de la Lumen |
The image
The image of Our Lady of Light of Cainta was based on the original image venerated in Palermo, Sicily and Guanajuato, Mexico. The image was that of a canvas painting where the Virgin was depicted holding her Son Jesus. The Virgin is preventing a soul from the flaming mouth of Satan while an angel was holding a basketful of hearts and offering it to the Child Jesus while the Child Jesus accepts these offerings of flaming hearts, the hearts of the faithful. Two cherubs hover above the Virgin and they are about to crown the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This depiction was based on an apparition of a pious woman in Palermo, Sicily in 1722 and upon the advice of Fr. Giovani Genovesi, a Jesuit priest, the original painting was commissioned based on the woman's vision for the purpose of his missionary work in the Island.
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| The Apparition of Our Lady of Light in Palermo |
The devotion to Nuestra Senora de la Lumen originated in the island of Sicily, South of Italy sometime in 1722 when a pious woman, with a good reputation of holiness and piety, was reported to receive visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary and reported these visions to Rev. Fr. Giovanni Antonio Genovesi, a Jesuit priest. Fr. Genovesi at that time, wanted an image of the Virgin that would help him in his mission in Sicily. When the pious lady relayed these to Fr. Genovesi, he requested the lady to ask the Blessed Mother for her guidance in this pious desire of having a beautiful image of her. The Virgin granted this request when she appeared once again to the lady on November 21, 1722. The Virgin also requested that she wanted to be known as "Madre Santissima del Lume (Mother of Light).
Despite the hardships that the lady and Fr.
Genovesi to complete the painting of the Virgin, the painting was complete in. It is also interesting to note that while the painter is painting the image, the Blessed Virgin was present at the painter's studio, however, only the pious woman can only see her, yet the Blessed Mother and the visionary guided the painter on completing the image and the result was a beautiful image of Our Lady of Light, it was very beautiful that it is said that the painter could not replicate this heavenly masterpiece.
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| The painting of the image |
The image accompanied Fr. Genovesi during his missionary work until his death. Each time the people of a certain place would know that he and the picture were coming, they would wholeheartedly prepare their chapel or church, and the altar on which the holy picture was always met by many people holding flowers or lighted candles. The original image was unfortunately destroyed in 1943 when the Church in Casa Profesa was bombed. The image of the Confraternity was Canonically Crowned in the Cathedral of Palermo in 1986.
The Spread of devotion
Through the help of the Jesuit Missionaries, the devotion to Our Lady of Light spread throughout Europe and Latin America. A confraternity, called Confraternita Della Madonna del Lume al Noviziato, was founded to further propagate the devotion that was formed in 1736 and Pope Clement XXII authorized the veneration of the Blessed Virgin under this title. The devotion became very popular in Italy with numerous copies of the image that can be found in that country and venerated by the faithful through the centuries.
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| The original image in Palermo |
The popularity of the Virgin of Light was so widespread that the other religious orders, like the Franciscans, also began to promote
the devotion in Mexico and later carried it over to the Philippines, most specifically in Joroan. While the devotion becomes more popular, controversy arises when some members of the clergy questioned the depiction of the Virgen de la Lumen, most specifically when the Virgin pulled a soul from the mouth of the devil, which they believed that it contradicts the teaching that Christ is our only Savior. For some time, the devotion was halted and its effects were felt when later images of the Virgin is depicted without the mouth of the beast, the Angel with a basket of hearts and the soul and was later replaced with a scepter and a rosary in place of the soul. The dispute ended in 1771 when a Franciscan friar points out that the Virgin was actually helping the soul from falling away to the fires of hell and the devotion resumed with much enthusiasm.
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| The Verdadero retrato of Nuestra Señora de la Lumen de Cainta |
The devotion of Nuestra Senora de la Lumen arrived in the Philippines in two ways, first through the Jesuits in Cainta, Rizal in 1727 and in Loon, Bohol in 1754 under the title Nuestra Senora de la Luz and second through the Franciscan Friars in Albay under a different title, Nuestra Senora de Salvacion in 1776.
The Jesuit missionaries arrived in Cainta in 1591 and introduced the devotion to Nuestra Senora de la Lumen in 1727, a few years after the beginning of the devotion in Sicily through the efforts of Rev. Fr. Bartolommeo Cavanti, SJ who came from Ferrara, Italy by which the devotion became widespread in Italy at that time.
The original image that was brought by the Jesuits was first enshrined in one of the side altars of the Parish until its transfer to the Main Altar in 1853. Unfortunately, the original image was destroyed during the Philippine Revolution in 1899, nevertheless, there were two existing copies of the original image that was venerated in the meantime, an illustrated estampa that was printed in 1801 which was usually given to families who give donations to Our Lady and some of the copies exists to some residences in Cainta. Another copy of the image was a charcoal painting by Mariano Javier of Cainta which was done in 1857 with some similarities with the Verdadero Retrato estampa and at present, it is kept by the heirs of the late Mrs. Flora Javier Buenviaje.
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| The present image of Nuestra Señora de la Lumen de Cainta painted by the National Artist Fernando Amorsolo |
Church Recognition
The devotion to the Virgin of Light became very popular in Cainta that as the devotion was so widespread, she became the Secondary Patroness of Cainta, with St. Andrew as its Titular Patron. Years later, with the publication of the first Tagalog novena to Our Lady of Light in 1884, Our Lady was considered as the Titular Patron of the Parish and the Town of Cainta.
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| The Pontifical Coronation of Nuestra Señora de la Lumen de Cainta |
The devotion at present
The devotion to Nuestra Senora de la Lumen of Cainta was engrained in the popular consciousness of the people of Cainta, Rizal for centuries due to the many miracles that she wrought for the town. The feast of Nuestra Senora de la Lumen of Cianta was celebrated on December 1, a day after the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, the second patron of Cainta, since 1853. The Virgin also celebrates her Secondary Feast which is celebrated every Thursday after Pentecost Sunday. The devotees of Nuestra Senora de la Lumenalso observe the Seven Saturday novena preceding her feast day in December. She is well known as the patroness of reconciliation and those seeking conversion.
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| The Charcoal Painting of Nuestra Senora de la Lumen by Mariano Javier |
As we end this blog post dedicated to Nuestra Senora de la Lumen of Cainta, Rizal, here is a prayer to Our Lady of Light:
O Maria, Ina ng Kaliwanagan, masdan mo kaming dumudulog sa iyong paanan upang maghandog ng aming puso sa Diyos sa pamamagitan ng iyong mapagpalang mga kamay. Liwanagan mo ang aming landas tungo sa buhay na walang hanggang dulot sa amin ng iyong Anak na nag-alay ng kanyang buhay upang kami’y hanguin sa kadiliman ng kasalanan.
Buksan mo sa liwanag ng katotohanan ang aming mga mata upang makita ang aming pagkukulang sa Diyos, sa aming kapwa, sa aming angkan, sa aming sarili, at sa kalikasan. Puspusin mo sa liwanag ni Hesus ang aming puso upang lubusan naming talikdan ang pagkamakasarili at pagwawalang-bahala sa iba. Buksan mo ang aming palad upang ang lahat ng nangangailangan ng aming tulong ay mapaglingkuran sa ngalan ni Hesus.
Ang lahat ng ito, Mahal na Ina ng Kaliwanagan, ay aming panalangin at panata sa Diyos sa pamamagitan ni Hesus na iyong Anak at aming Panginoon. Amen.
Nuestra Senora de la Lumen de Cainta, Ipanalangin mo Kami!
References:
Cassidy, Joseph (1958), "Mexico: Land of Mary's Wonders". Paterson: St. Anthony Guild Press.
delos Reyes, Michael P., (2006), Virgen ng Caliuanagan: Patrona ng Cainta, Parish of Our Lady of Light, Cainta, Rizal.
delos Reyes, Michael P., (2016), "Pagdedebosyon at Pagsisiyam sa Kabanalbanalang Ina ng Kaliwanagan - Patrona ng Cainta", Parish of Our Lady of Light, Cainta, Rizal
Neurburg, Norman, (1995), "La Madre de la Luz", The Journal of San Diego History vol. 41, no. 74-86.
Remedios, Luis (1927), "Pagdedevocion at Pagsisyam sa Cabanalbanalang Virgen ng Caliuanagan." Manila: J. Martinez.
Ympresion en Tagalo - titulado Pagdedevocion at Pagsisiam sa Casantosantohang Virgen Caliuanagan (1884)
Our Lady of Light: Souvenir Program of Our Lady of Light Parish - Fiesta, December 1, 2007 (2007)
Special thanks to Mr. Michael delos Reyes for the necessary materials for this blogpost dedicated to Nuestra Senora de la Lumen of Cainta, Rizal.
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