Our Lady of China of Iloio - The Mother of Iloilo's Filipino Chinese Community

-
Our Lady of China of Iloilo City
In the progressive Iloilo City in Iloilo, with a long historical link with the Chinese community since the early years in our history, it wasn't until the 1950's that Virgin of their homeland would arrive, under difficult circumstances, that was proven to be providential to the Filipino-Chinese community of the Hiligaynon City. Under the mantle of Our Lady of China of Iloilo, she guided her children, regardless of race, for she is the Mother of all nations, as His Son is the King of All Nations.

The image

Though her robes be pagan, she belongs to every age, to all people and to every race. The image of Our Lady of China in Iloilo is a standing figure of Madonna and Child wearing the Oriental style of clothing from the Imperial Chinese Court, the yellow traditional dress with colorful trimmings, the diagnostic hairdo of a Chinese noblewoman, the bald Child Jesus, and the sinitic eyes of both Mother and Child which gives with a mixture of a strong willed yet motherly impression.

The Original image of Our Lady of Dong Lu,
Empress of China
The origins of the devotion

The devotion to Our Lady of China began during the dark times of Chinese history. In April 1900, When the Boxer Rebellion broke out, nearly 10,000 hostile soldiers attacked the small impoverished mission village of Dong Lu (near Peiping), home of 700 - 1,000 Christians and founded by Vicentian fathers. The Virgin Mary appeared as a beautiful lady in white in the sky surrounded by light. The soldiers, in senseless rage, started to shoot into the sky. Then suddenly they fled, frightened, and never came back again when a fiery horsemen - perhaps St. Michael - chased the attackers out of the village. The Chinese pastor of the village, Father Wu, had prayed for Our Lady's intercession.

In thanksgiving for Our Lady’s protection, a beautiful church was built in her honor. It was meant to serve as a constant reminder to the people of Mary’s loving and motherly protection.

The modern painting of Our Lady of China
The priest secured a painting of the Dowager Empress Ci Xi, the long time ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, dressed in imperial robes.He commissioned an artist to use it as the background for the image of Our Lady holding the Christ Child. The picture was hung above the altar in the Church of Dong Lu, which eventually became a famous place of pilgrimage starting in 1924. That same year, Shanghai Synod of Bishops in China, the first national conference of bishops in the country, chose this image to be denoted as "Our Lady of China" or "Our Lady Queen of China". People began coming to the shrine. Following the event, Archbishop Celso Costantini, Apostolic Delegate in China, along with all the bishops of China, declared the Chinese people dedicated to Our Lady of China, using the official image.

The Church has not issued an official judgment of the apparition at Dong Lu. Pope Pius XI's establishment of the church as an official Marian Shrine constitutes implicit approval. In 1941, Pope Pius XII designated the feast day as an official feast of the Catholic liturgical calendar. Following the Second Vatican Council, the Chinese Bishops conference, upon approval from the Holy See, placed the feast day on the vigil (day preceding) of Mothers Day (the second Sunday of May).

Santa Maria Parish, Iloilo City
The devotion in Iloilo

The Santa Maria, Our Lady of China Parish in Iloilo City is by far, the only Chinese Catholic Parish in Iloilo City. It started way back in 1953 when the Chinese Jesuits first arrived from mainland China. The Chinese Jesuits were expelled from China due to the Communist takeover. Since their arrival, they began their apostolic work among the local ethnic Chinese community as a continuation of their missionary work in Mainland China. With the relentless support of the Iloilo Filipino and Chinese communities, the Santa Maria Parish under the patronage of Our Lady of China was established by Rev. Fr. Guerrino Marsecano, SJ, an Italian Jesuit Missionary.

As the parish grew, the Jesuits began accepting students for kindergarten until it grew to become Ateneo de Iloilo - Santa Maria Catholic School. While the school was relocated to its current site, the parish has remained and became a center of pilgrimages in Iloilo.

The devotion
Our Lady of China of Iloilo City


The devotion to Our Lady of China in Iloilo grew over the past decades since it's  establishment. The Jesuits continued to administer the needs of the Chinese and Filipino-Chinese community in the city. Masses in the Parish is said in English and Chinese pin yin. The feast of the Virgin of China is celebrated every Second Sunday of September.

As we conclude this blogpost dedicated to the Virgin of China, here a prayer dedicated to her for the conversion of the Chinese people to the true faith.

Hail, Holy Mary, Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ,Mother of all nations and all people.You are the special heavenly Mother of the Chinese people. Teach us your way of total obedience to God's will.Help us to live our lives true to our faith. Fill our hearts with burning love for God and each other.Stir up in our youth an unconditional giving of self to the service of God.

 We call on your powerful intercession for peace, reconciliation and unity among believersand the conversion of the unbelievers in China and throughout the world, for God's mercy is our only hope.

 Our Lady of China, Mother of Jesus, hear our petitions and pray for us. Amen.

References:

Our Lady of China, Retrieved from http:/ /www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/approved_apparitions/donglu/index.html on February 4, 2019.
Santa Maria Parish, Retrieved from https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/Attraction_Review-g298466-d15191495-Reviews-Santa_Maria_Parish-Iloilo_City_Iloilo_Province_Panay_Island_Visayas.html on February 4, 2019.

Photos:
Galera, Carl of Pitik Ilongo
Santa Maria Parish Facebook page

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