Nuestra Señora de las Victorias of Victorias City - The Protectress of Negros Occidental

-
Nuestra Señora de las Victorias of Victorias City,
Negros Occidental
In the prosperous City of Victorias, located in the province of Negros Occidental, the people were proud to the origin of the name of their city for the city was named after their powerful protectress - Nuestra Señora de las VIctorias. The Blessed Virgin Mary, together with the city's first patron Saint Casimir of Poland, protected the city from a series of Moro and tulisanes raids that spreads terror in the city during the Spanish era.

The image

The image of Nuestra Señora de las Victorias is an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus standing on guard looking rightwards as if they are guarding the faithful from enemies. The Virgin stands beside her Son who on the other hand stands on a pillar of clouds imparting His blessing and protection.

The depcition of the Virgin of Victories of Victorias City is one of the few images venerated in our contry under this title and representation which is popular in Europe, particualrly in France.

Our  Lady of Victories Parish, Victorias City, Negros Occidental
The seemingly hopeless origins

During the Spanish era, the city was called Tugkagawan and later Malihaw. The name was taken from Malihaw trees which are in abundance along the banks of the Malihaw river. During Capitan Gregorio Conlu’s term, Moro pirates and tulisanes reigned unmolested. One day the Capitan’s household was robbed. Capitan Gregorio was able to escape together with his secretary Alfonso Pachera, but his wife Capitana Tutang and their servant Micay, were taken aboard the sailboat which immediately sailed for the open sea.

When Capitana Tutang was asked whether she knew how to swim, she replied that she could not. She and her servant were thrown overboard while the vessel was just outside the Malihaw river’s mouth. The robbers sailed on believing that Capitana Tutang and her servant were drown. but that was not the case, for Capitana Tutang and her servant were good swimmers.

Nuestra Señora de las Victorias of Victorias City,
Negros Occidental (Parish image)
The Manifestations of the Virgin

While struggling in the water, Capitana Tutang saw a beutiful Lady whom she believed was the Blessed virgin. When she reached home she prayed and promised to buy an image of the Lady who helped them. But having been divested of her possession, it took her several months of careful savings to accumulate a sizable sum for the purchase of the image from Barcelona, Spain. Since she did not specify what image she wanted, the Capitana received the statue of the “Nuestra Señora de las Victorias” which to her amazement held the likeness of that Lady who saved them from drowning.

One year before the expiration of the term of Capitan Gregorio, in 1880, two boatloads of Moro pirates entered the Malihaw river to attack Daan Banua (Old Town), At the mouth of the river the plunderers were met by a small banca riden by a Lady who had a long sword and a very big man with a spear. Upon seeing the two, the Moros sailed back in flight.

Three months later, four vintas bearing Moro pirates approached the river’s mouth to sail inland, but again the same banca with a Lady and a very big man stood guard and the marauders steered towards the town of Manapla, where they took captives.

During the raid, two captives were able to escape in the direction of Malihaw. These two related their adventure and collaborated the story of the Lady and the very big man in the banca. The two captives upon seeing the images of Nuestra Señora de las Victorias and San Casimiro (St. Casimir), the reknown Polish prince who was the first Patron of the City. The story which spread like wild fire reached the ears of the Parish Priest of Saravia Fr. Crispino Hinolan, a Visayan, who immediately went to Malihaw to verify the story.

Nuestra Señora de las Victorias and San Casimiro
After a thorough investigation, the priest declared that the town was saved by the Virgin and San Casimiro her companion. The proclamation of the Parish Priest resulted in the occasion of rejoicing and celebration. Capitan Gregorio and Padre Crispino proposed to the inhabitants that the name of the town Malihaw be changed to "Nuestra Señora de las Victorias" to perpetuate the miraculous incidents. the suggestion was at once received with unanimous enthusiasm and acceptance and the citizens enjoined the Capitan to ask the Governor to approve the change of name. The Governor gave his consent, but retained only “Victorias “ as the official name.

The Devotion

Since the news of the miracle of Our Lady of Victory in Victorias City, the devotion to the Blessed Mother under this title developed , grew and maintained by the Negrenses over the centuries. Pilgrims would flock the parish of Our Lady of Victories to ask for her powerful protection and intercession. The Feast of the Virgin is celebrated every April 26 and it is celebrated with much solemnity and pomp with the Malihaw Festival.

Monument of Nuestra Señora de las Victorias of Victorias City
As we end this blogpost dedicated to Nuestra Señora de las Victorias, here is a prayer composed by Pope Pius XII to Our Lady of Victories for the protection of the Church and our land:

O Mary, merciful Refuge of Sinners and Mother of all mankind! Behold how many souls are lost every hour! Behold how countless millions of those who live in India, in China, and in barbarous regions do not yet know Our Lord Jesus Christ! See, too, how many others are far from the bosom of Mother Church which is Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman! O Mary ... life of our hearts ... let not the Precious Blood and fruits of Redemption be lost for so many souls!

 Grant that a ray of Heavenly light may shine forth to enlighten those many blinded understandings and to enkindle so many cold hearts. Intercede with thy Divine Son, and obtain grace for all pagans, Jews, heretics, and schismatics in the whole world to receive supernatural light and to enter with joy into the bosom of the true Church. Hear the confident prayer of the Supreme Pontiff that all nations may be united in one faith, that they may know and love Jesus Christ, the blessed fruit of thy womb ... And then all men shall love thee also, thou who art the salvation of the world, arbiter and dispenser of the treasures of God . . . And, glorifying thee, O Queen of Victories, who, by means of thy Rosary, dost trample upon all heresies, they shall acknowledge that thou givest life to all nations, since there must be a fulfillment of the prophecy: "All generations shall call me blessed." Amen.

References:

Pius XII, Supremi Apostolatus Officio on the Devotion of the Rosary, Retrieved from http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/victory2.htm on July 4, 2019.
Victorias City – Our Lady of Victory Parish Church, Retreived from https://everydayannie.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/victorias-city-our-lady-of-victory-parish-church/ on July 4, 2019.
Victorias City celebrates 111th Malihaw Festival, Retreived from https://malihaw.wordpress.com/page/2/ on July 4, 2019.

Credits to the owner of the photos that were utilized for this blogpost.
+AM+DG+

Comments

  1. KimJanuary 23, 2021 at 10:52 AM

    Other Places of Devotion Of Our
    Lady Of Victory in the Philippines

    Nuestra Señora de la Victoria
    Divisoria Mexico Pampanga

    Our Lady of Victories Parish
    Dau Mabalacat Pampanga

    Our lady of Victory Chapel
    Victoneta Malabon

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Did Mama Mary Appear in the Philippines? - A Closer Look

-
Image
The Finding of Nuestra Señora de Caysasay of Batangas Disclaimer: The intention of this blogpost is to present data of different reported Marian apparitions that took place in our country from the Spanish era up to the modern times based from the reports gathered by the blogger. The blogger does not have any intention to incite belief in these reported events, especially those that do not have formal approval in accordance to the ruling of Pope Urban VIII regarding reported supernatural phenomena (anticipation of a formal approval or disapproval of such events without the official ruling of the Church). Therefore, the blogger  submits himself to the judgement of the Holy See, together with every interpretation or theory contained in this blog special. Introduction "Did Mama Mary appear in the Philippines?" a question that many Filipino Marian devotees would sometimes wonder given that we are known as the "Pueblo Amante de Maria" for our love for the Mother
Read more

Santo Niño de Cebu - The Eternal King of the Philippines

-
Image
Sto. Nino de Cebu The most revered image in the Philippines -  Santo Niño de Cebú is an image of the Child Jesus much venerated as miraculous by the majority of Filipino Catholics and revered as the symbol of the Catholic Faith in the country. The oldest Christian image in the Philippines, it was originally given in 1521 as a baptismal gift by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan to Hara Humamay, the chief consort of Rajah Humabon, along with a statue of the Virgin Mary, and a bust of depicting Christ as Ecce Homo. The image is one of the most celebrated in the country that is highlighted through the celebration of Sinulog Festival every Third Sunday of January, its Liturgical Feast and on Kaplag every April 28th, its Original and Traditional Feast, to commemorate the rediscovery of the image by Juan Camus. Miracles have recorded through his help that he continues to shower his devotees up to the present. Features of the Image The image measures approximately tw
Read more

Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Quezon - The Sorrowing Mother of Quezon Province

-
Image
Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Quezon (Altar image) In the quiet yet mystical town of Dolores, Quezon, known as one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the province where the famed Mount Banahaw is located where syncretic folk beliefs are practiced up to this day. Aside form the “mystical” Mount Banahaw, pilgrims would flock a church near the mountain and it became a center of pilgrimage for ages, the National Shrine of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. The devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows of Dolores, Quezon flourished over the years and it became one of the most visited in the Quezon Province due to the numerous miracles that were attributed to her intercession. The image There were two images of the Virgin of Sorrows that is venerated in the shrine, the famed altar image that is currently enthroned at the center of the main altar and the processional image that also served as the pilgrim image of the shrine. Both images depict the Blessed Virgin Mary in her moment oi sor
Read more

San Agustin de Tanza - Cavite's famous "Tata Usteng"

-
Image
San Agustin de Tanza "Tata Usteng" In the collective consciousness of the faithful in lowland Cavite, three famous Patrons are community not heard in their lips and centers of devotion, that of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga or "Nana Choleng" of Cavite City, Santa Maria Magdalena or "Nana Nena" of Kawit and our San Agustin of Tanza or more popularly known as "Tata Usteng". Arguably the most famous image of St. Augustine in the Philippines, Tata Usteng lavished his devotees with answered favors, unbelievable miracles and other phenomena that was engrained to the hearts and minds of Cavitenos and his devotees outside Cavite. The image The famed image of San Agustin of Tanza is that of a wooden detallado image of St. Augustine as a Bishop wearing his canonical garb, holding his staff, wearing his mitre and holding a book topped with a scale model of a church in allusion to his title as "Doctor of the Church". Although t
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