The Miraculous San Nicolas de Tolentino of Quezon City

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San Nicolas de Tolentino
of Quezon City
Within the modern facade of Quezon City, there is a certain parish located in Congressional Avenue, at the back of a shopping center which has a rich history that dates back during the Spanish era. This particular parish is dedicated to the famed miracle worker San Nicolas de Tolentino whose origins dates back in Intramuros which makes the parish and devotion the direct descendant of the glorious old San Nicolas Church of Old Manila.

The image

The image of San Nicolas de Tolentino is also a petite image of St. Nicholas of Tolentine garbed in his Augustinian habit, a paragua (an umbrella like halo) and presented with his traditional attributes: holding a lily, a symbol of his chastity, a solar disc on his chest (alluding to a vision of a star that is said to be given by God as a token of his sanctity and a sign that he will be laid to rest in Tolentino in the very spot the star settles). The image in the Recollect Church portrays him holding a chalice while visiting the Holy Souls in Purgatory for he is known as patron of souls in Purgatory.

The original San Nicolas Tolentino
of Old Intramuros
The Life of St. Nicolas of Tolentino

St. Nicholas of Toletino was born in Castle St. Angelo, Italy in 1245. From his childhood, St. Nicholas was a model of virtue and innocence. He entered the Order of St. Augustine and he became a famous preacher and thaumaturgist (Miracle Worker). St. Nicholas was blessed with mystical gifts because of his many labor a in service and constant prayer. At the same time, he continued to advance in sanctity and his zeal for the salvation of souls became as fervent as ever that he was also known as the Patron of the Souls in Purgatory on the account his intercessory help to these souls to reach heaven in his lifetime and continued after his death and canonization. He died in Tolentino, Italy in 1310.

The devotion in Intramuros

The first Recoleto missionaries came to the Philippines with the intention to dedicate the first convent on Filipino soil to the glorious San Nicolas de Tolentino - the First Saint of the Augustinian family. Upon arriving in Manila in 1606, however, they came to know that the Augustinians had already an altar in his honor. Out of finesse, the Recollect Fathers desisted from this purpose. Yet in their simplicity, the tried to solve the problem by drawing lots. Pleasantly surprised, the good Fathers witnessed that for three consecutive times, the name of San Nicolas came out first. Naturally, they names the Saint as Patron not only of the first house but also of the while Province of the Order. An image of San Nicolas was later enthroned in the Church and became a center of pilgrimage since then. Numerous favors have been recorded through the intercession of this charitable Saint, both individually and collectively.

San Nicolas de Tolentino
of Quezon City
The original convent and Church of San Nicolas was destroyed and razed that the Superior Provincial was transferred to Spain and the Vice Provincial has been residing at San Sebastian convent until it was decided to have an independent and autonomous residence for the Central Office of the Recollects in the Philippines and China.

The transfer in Quezon City

In 1970, the Recollect Fathers moved to their new location in Quezon City where they built the Motherhouse and it's adjacent Church was erected on December 23, 1971. Both the house and the Church are meant to be a living remembrance of the convent and the Church in Intramuros. The devotion to San Nicolas was also resumed and his feast is still celebrated with much solemnity with the distribution of the famed "Panecillos de San Nicolas" to the faithful.

Despite the glorious yet turbulent history of the Church and it's devotion to San Nicolas de Tolentino, the devotion continues and never wanted as it is still kept alive and it developed over the years.

Reference:

Aguilar, Antonio Martinez, OAR, San Nicolas de Tolentino (A biographical sketch), San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish, Quezon City, 1972.

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