Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Morong - The Mother and Queen of Morong, Bataan

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Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Morong
Morong, Bataan, famous for its sea shores and beaches that easily became the province's tourist's spot. In this municipality, the centuries old coral stone church can be found dedicated to Morong's powerful patroness - Nuestra Señora del Pilar. The miraculous image of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Morong became a silent witness to the history of the municipality and its development through the centuries.

The Visage of the Queen

The regal image of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Morong is a wooden image of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Nuestra Señora del Pilar. The image is a de vestir statue of the Blessed Mother holding the petite Child Jesus in her amrs while standing on a pillar. Both Mother and Child wears a set of vestments given by her devotees over the yaers, sports a set of crowns while the Virgin wears her diagnostic doce estrellas and rostrillo. Both Madonna and Child have this sweet expression on their faces that evokes tenderness to their devotees as she listens to their supplications.

Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Morong
The origin

The devotion to Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Morong, Bataan began with the establishment of the parish in 1607. It is said that the devotion to Our Lady of the Pillar in Morong, Bataan began when two captured Moro pirates relayed to the people, the civil and religious authorities of Morong that as they are about to attack Morong, they saw a an army of soldiers in the area headed by a beautiful lady, dressed in queenly robes protecting the area.

While the Church was on construction, a Spanish priest showed to the two Moro captives different images of Our Lady and the Saints to identify the woman they saw in the vision. When the image of Nuestra Señora del Pilar was shown to them, they quickly identified that this was the lady that they saw in the vision. Since then, the church in the seaside of Morong was dedicated to the Virgin of the Pillar to commemorate this unusual event and the devotion to the Virgin of the Pillar grew and strengthen over the centuries.

The Canonical Coronation of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Morong
Church Recognition

Since the enthronement of the image, numerous miracles were attributed through her intercession that gained her much devotional following in Morong. The La Pilarica of Morong received the honor of Episcopal Coronation on October 12, 2018 and on the strength of the Papal Decree issued by the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on March 23, 2018, she received the honor of Canonical Coronation. The Coronation Rites took place on October 10, 2018.

The devotion

The devotion to Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Morong continues to flourish up to this day. Devotees flock her shrine to ask for her guidance and strength in their everyday lives. Her feast day is celebrated every october 12, the liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Pillar and her feast day is widely celebrated in Morong with both a terrestrial and fluvial procession held in her honor.

References:

"Kasaysayan ng Mahal na Patrona – Nuestra Sra. Del Pilar ng Morong, Bataan", Retrieved from http://www.morong.gov.ph/index.php/news/80-kasaysayan-ng-mahal-na-patrona-nuestra-sra-del-pilar-ng-morong-bataan on October 16, 2019.
"Our Lady of Pillar Church (Morong)", Retrieved from https://www.beholdbataan.ph/destinations/cultural/churches/our-lady-of-pillar-church-morong on October 16, 2019.

Special Credits to the owner of the coronation photograph used in this blogpost.
+AM+DG+

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