Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Maasin - The Powerful Protectress of Maasin, Southern Leyte

-
Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion de Maasin
(altar image)
In the City of Maasin, Southern Leyte, known for its scenic tourist spots, especially for nature lovers, the people are very religious because the people of Maasin developed a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion.

For centuries, numerous miracles were reported through her intercession, most well known is the protection of her chosen city from different calamities.

The images

There were two images of the Our Lady of the Assumption enshrined in her Cathedral in Maasin City, the original wooden image and the ivory altar and processional image.

The original wooden image of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion is a de tallado image where the Virgin is standing on a cloud with cherubs, has loose yet wavy hair, her right hand is outstreched and her left was on her chest looking upwards. The original yet fragile image is currently enshrined in a special chapel dedicated to her for veneration.

The original image of Nuestra Señora de
The second image was that of a de vestir image where the body was made of wood and her head and hands are made of ivory. The image is vested with a robe and a cloak made from different materials and embroidery styles offered by her devotees. This image presents the Virgin with her arms outstretched upwards and eyes looking upwards. This image sports a crown since it was this image that received Episcopal Coronation. This same image is the current altar and processional image of the Cathedral.

The origins

The Chruch of Our Lady of the Assumption of Maasin, Southern Leyte was established in 1770 and was later consecrated in 1771 by the Jesuits. Following the departure of the Jesuits, the Augustinian fathers took over the parish in 1771 and ordered the construction of the second concrete church a kilometer away from the ruins of the first one which is is the present-day location of the church. Another wave of missionaries came in 1843, this time the Franciscans, and they succeeded on establishing Our Lady of Assumption as the Patroness of the Parish on August 15. Though the origins of the two images were unknown, the two images gained much love and devotion of the populace since their enthronement.

By 1920s until 1930s, the parish was placed in the care of the diocesan priests of Cebu. It was then transferred to the Diocese of Calbayog and Diocese of Palo, until in 1968, it became the cathedral seat of the Diocese of Maasin on August 14, 1968.

The monument of  Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion de Maasin
at the Monte Cueva Shrine
Miracles

The Virgen de la Asuncion de Maasin is known as the Protectress of the city for there were several instances that the Virgin protects her children from different calamities and disasters. One of the most notable ones when the it is said that the Virgin appeared to stopped an incoming storm and most most recently during the ravages of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2014, a mysterious cloud hovered in Maasin City that acts as a protection from the eye of the storm that spared the city from the destructive typhoon and the people attributed this protection to their beloved Patroness.

As an act of perpetual thanksgiving of people of Maasin City to their beloved patroness, two shrines were erected by her devotees as an act of thanksgiving to all the miracles and graces that she gave to her faithful children. The first shrine is located at Jaleca Hills which is said to be the the tallest privately owned shrine in the Philippines. The second shrine is the Monte Cueva Shrine donated by the Chung family to the Diocese of Maasin where a 30-foot monument of the Virgen de la Asuncion based from the original statue can be seen.
The Episcopal Coronation of Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion
of Maasin, Southern Leyte
Church Recognition

In recognition of the numerous miracles that were attributed to the intercession of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion de Maasin, on the closing rites of the Golden Jubilee of the Diocese of Maasin, the altar image received the honor of Episcopal Coronation on August 15, 2018 - the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On August 14, 2020, the Cathedral was declared as the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Assumption.

The devotion

The devotion to Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion continues to flourished up to this day. Her feast day, August 15 is kept with much solemnity and the locals continued to flock  her shrine day in and day out to seek her help. The miracles that the Virgin of the Assumption of Maasin is proof our Blessed Mother's powerful intercession where she extends her help to all her children from the moment of her glorious assumption to heaven and took the role of Mediatrix.

References:

Arlu, Edward. "Maasin City Cathedral: Standing with it's Beautiful History and Architecture". Retrieved from edwardlu.blogspot.com. August 14, 2019.
"Maasin City - Simply Marvelous!" brochure; City Investment Promotion & Tourism Office.

Interview: 

Arce Madredijo - Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral, Maasin, Southern Leyte

Special thanks to Mr. Lawrence Vidanes and Mr. Arce Madredijo for the photographs of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion de Maasin
+AM+DG+

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