The Meek Santo Niño de Marikina

-
Santo Niño de Marikina
In the shoe capital of the country, Marikina City, aside from the devotion to Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Marikina that continued to flourished in the city, another local devotion that is kept alive in the city - the devotion to Santo Niño de Marikina. The miraculous image of Santo Niño de Marikina that is currently enshrined in his own chapel in J.P. Rizal, Marikina City is one of the most treasured in the city that became one of the silent witness to the history of the city.

The image

The ivory image of Santo Niño de Marikina is presented as a regal prince ready to take his dominion. The image has a archaic face that adds a certain charm to it's  beholder. He sports long curly hair with the diagnostic Tres Potencias,  vested with an array of vestments given by his devotees for years and holds a globus cruciger and a scepter - the standard symbols of rulership.

Santo Niño de Marikina
The origins

As of this writing there were no existing documents to determine the origin of this miraculous image and how the devotion to the Holy Child started in Marikina. On the other hand, a pastoral report written in 1905 that was kept in "Parroquia de Marikina" that would later be known as the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Abandoned of Marikina that gave an early mention of the existence of the Santo Nino. In this particular report, the existence of the Chapel or "Visitas" in the area were mentioned explicitly: Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepcion (now a Parish), Santo Niño, San Roque and San Antonio de Padua.

In connection with these records, it also noteworthy that in the parish's fiesta program in 1960, one of the "Patron de Barangay" images that joined the procession is that of the Santo Niño along with the images of San Antonio de Padua, San Roque, Santa Elena, Santo Niño de Pasion, San Isidro Labrador and Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Marikina.

Santo Niño de Marikina
According to the Mrs. Paulina “Lola Poleng” Guevarra-de Asis, one of the caretakers of the first chapel, she mentioned that  chapel was first located at the corner of J.P. Rizal and Sumulong Highway yet it was later demolished due to the fact that a new chapel was built on it's present location.

The devotion

The Feast of Santo Niño de Marikina are held twice during the month of January - first during January 1 as the Barangay fiesta and Third Sunday of January, the Liturgical feast of the Child Jesus in the Philippines. On his liturgical feast day, the image is brought out to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Abandoned in Marikina for it's fiesta mass and procession. During the last day of May, the image also comes out in procession along with other patrons of different barangays under the jurisdiction of the Shrine for the Panapos procession - the closing procession of the festivies in honor of Our Lady of the Abandoned, Patroness of Marikina City.

The devotion to the Santo Niño de Marikina grew in the recent years and locals continued to flock his chapel to seek his divine guidance. In His quiet presence in the city of Marikina, he continued to guide the city as it progress over the years and never ceases to grant favors to his devotees every time someone needs His help.

Facial detail of Santo Niño de Marikina
As we conclude this blog dedicated to Santo Niño de Marikina, here is a prayer that is prayed by his devotees to seek his intercession.

 Mahal naming Santo Niño de Marikina, Panginoong Hesus at aming Tagapagligtas. Ikaw ang masunuring anak ng Diyos Ama. Ikaw ang aming buhay at pag asa. Nagpapasalamat kami sa lahat ng pagpapala at walang hanggang biyaya Mo sa amin. Pinupuri Ka namin dahil Ikaw ang tunay na Diyos naming mahihina at dukha.

 Mahal naming Santo Niño de Marikina, sa tulong ng Iyong ina at amin ding Inang si Maria, patuloy Mo kaming buklurin at pag kaisahin bilang isang Simbahang Katoliko dito sa Marikina. Pagpalain Mo po ang aming pamilya at iligtas Mo kami sa masama at anumang sakuna. Bilang isang deboto gawin Mo po akong tapat at banal. 

 Mahal naming Santo Niño, kahabagan Mo po kami.

References:

Parroquia de Marikina (pastoral report), Parroquia de la Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados, Marikina, 1905.
Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish Fiesta Souvenir Program, Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish, Marikina, 1960.

Interview:

Rodel Enriquez of the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Abandoned, Marikina City

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Nuestra Señora de la Regla: Cebu's Gracious Lady

-
Image
Nuestra Señora de la Regla de Cebu Aside to the famed Santo Niño de Cebu, there is another devotion that flourished in the island that pilgrims visit through the centuries succor in times of great need - the felicitous Nuestra Señora De la Regla. The miraculous image is venerated widely by the Cebuanos who believe that the prosperity they enjoy is a blessing achieved through the strength of her maternal intercession. The image is currently venerated at The National Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Regla in Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan Island, Cebu. Features of the image The image of the Virgin is patterned to the original located in Chipiona, Spain. The Our Lady of the Rule image carved from the trunk of dark Philippine hardwood, was installed at the her own altar of Our Lady of the Rule Church in Lapu-Lapu City. The Brown Madonna holds the Infant Jesus in a form of offering and showing - as if she is presenting the Child Jesus to the people and telling them to worship his Son -
Read more

Nuestra Señora da la Salud: The Powerful Health of the Sick

-
Image
Nuestra Señora da la Salud Within the confines of modern Quezon City, there is a precious treasure that was once one of great importance of Old Manila's Glorious Past. This principal treasure is the dark image of the Blessed Virgin, under the title of"Nuestra Señora de la Salud" (Our Lady of Health) brought by the Recollect missionaries to the Philippines in 1634. In the olden days, the Virgen de la Salud is one of the most celebrated Marian images in the country with numerous miracles were attributed to this Dark Virgin of Old San Nicolas Church. So numerous and well known that even high government officials of the time are in attendance and one of most awaited in the summer and it somehow rivals that of the Virgin of the Santo Rosario of Old Intramuros (now will be venerated in her new Shrine in Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.) However, after the ravages of World War 2, though the image was safe and kept by her custodians, the devotion her seemed to be forgotten by
Read more

The Regal and Miraculous Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Bacolor of Bacolor, Pampanga

-
Image
Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Bacolor (Church image) Bacolor, Pampanga, one of the most historic town one of the most populated in the province that was once the provincial capital of the province bearing the name "Villa de Bacolor" and dubbed as "Atenas de Pampanga" due to its significant role in the history, culture, economy and faith in Pampanga. Bacolor is also famous for its centuries old sunken San Guillermo Church where half of edifice was submerged by lahar during the Pinatubo eruption in the early 1990's and decades later as the church from the iconic ABS-CBN teleserye "May Bukas Pa". Bacolor is also known as one of the main Marian pilgrimage sites in the province and also of Central Luzon because it was in the famed Bacolor Church were the miraculous image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Bacolor is enshrined. The Virgin of the Rosary of Bacolor became a silent witness of the colorful yet tra
Read more

Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga - the Queen of Cavite

-
Image
Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga In the province of Cavite, located in Southern Luzon area, there lies a church in Cavite City, then known as Cavite Puerto where it has been, and still is, the center of pilgrimage in the whole province and outside, including Metro Manila and other provinces for the parish San Roque in Cavite City is the home of the famous Patroness of the Cavite - Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga, the undisputed Queen of Cavite. For Caviteños, the Soledad will always be part of their lives for tremendous miracles were attributed through her intercession and it is no wonder that in almost every home in Cavite, altars and doorsteps are not complete without an image of the Soledad either in print, sculpture, reliefs and other media. The icon has received several titles in its history, including "Queen of Cavite" and "Exalted Patroness and the Celestial Guardian and Protectress of the Province of Cavite and its Port" (Spanish
Read more

Nuestra Señora de Barangay - The Mother and Protectress of the Barangay

-
Image
Nuestra Señora de Barangay Of all Marian images venerated in the country, there is a simple yet beautiful image of Our Lady that is very unique in our consciousness, the very Filipina image of the Virgin of the Barangay. The image of the "Virgen sang Barangay" gained much attention since its first public appearance in the 1950's as the Patroness of the Barangay sang Birhen Organization and began touring the nation for some years and numerous replicas of this image, whether it is a painting or a three-dimensional statue, this particular Venerada clearly shows how the Blessed Virgin became became our own Mother of the Filipino Nation and became a unifying force for centuries and still enjoys much love and veneration as time passed by.  The image The icon of the Virgin of the Baranggay depicts the Virgin presenting her Son to the barangay. The Virgin wears the traditional balintawak and wearing a red and yellow tapis on her waist while the Child is covered with
Read more