Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles: The Regal Patroness of Angeles, Pampanga

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles inside the Holy Rosary Parish's famed
sunburst altar

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario
- La Naval de Angeles

In the previous blogpost, we discovered the history of the image and the surrounding devotion to Santo Angel Custodio, the titular Patron of Angeles City, Pampanga where the progressive city was named after, aside from its founder Don Ángel Pantaleón de Miranda. On this blogpost, we are going to present the history of the devotion to Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles - the Queen and Patroness of Angeles City, Pampanga.

The image

The venerable image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles is a de vestir image of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary somehow patterned to that of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila where the image is also vested in regal robes with bombas (conical enhancements), wears a set of metal accessories and jewels from crowns for both Mother and Child, a rostrillo for the Virgin, baston de mando, a scepter, the estrellas and a bejeweled rosary.

The Mother and Child has this sweet expression that captures the attention with easiness to the beholder.

The Holy Rosary Parish in
Angeles City, Pampanga

The Pisambang Maragul

The story of the devotion to Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles began with the plan to establish a parish in then newly found settlement in Culiat in 1796 by Don Ángel Pantaleón de Miranda, and his wife, Doña Rosalía de Jesús.

On May 12, 1812, the new settlers tried to make Culiat a self-governing town but the friars resisted the move, led by Fray José Pometa. Ten years later, on February 11, 1822, Don Ángel filed a petition for the township of Culiat to secede from San Fernando, but it was denied. This was followed by another petition within the same year, jointly signed by Don Ángel, his son-in-law, Mariano Henson, and the latter's father, Severino Henson. He donated 35 hectares for the construction of a parish church, a convent and a primary school while Doña Agustina Henson de Nepomuceno, the niece of who would become the first gobernadorcillo of Angeles in 1830, Don Ciriaco de Miranda, gave land for the new public market. Don Ángel paid the complete amount required by law just for the secession of Culiat from San Fernando.

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario
 - La Naval de Angeles

The foundations of the church were first laid out on October 18, 1877 by the founding families of Angeles City led by of Don Mariano V. Henson, It was as laid out by city planners in the Spanish colonial era and now is one of the most distinctive landmarks of the city today because of its historical significance related on how it was built. The church was constructed from 1877 to 1896. The Santo Rosario Parish, or more popularly known as the "Pisambanh Maragul" (Big Church), was completed in 1909.

The origin of the devotion

There were some factors on why the Pasimban Maragul was dedicted to the Virgin of the Rosary. First, the presence of an image of Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval in Angeles City somehow gives a historical nod and a subtle reminder of the victory of the famed naval battles of 1646 where the Tagalogs and Kapampangans joined the Spanish forces to defend the islands from the Dutch fleet who wanted to make Las Islas Filipinas as part of their colony.

Second was the devotion of Doña Rosalia de Jesus to Our Lady of the Rosary where according to historians, Doña Rosalia used to bring an image of Our Lady of the Rosary in procession whenever there was a clearing of the area of Culiat to ask her protection from the attacks of Aetas in the area and also she might have intended to bring Our Lady to the new settlement and placing it under her protection.

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario
- La Naval de Angeles

Third, considering Don Mariano's Dominican academic background, he was probably the one who suggested that the parish will be dedicated to Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval. The image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario, together with the image of Santo Angel Custodio, the titular patron of the city, was commissioned and completed in 1830.

On October 10, 1830, the town of Angeles celebrated its first La Naval fiesta or "Fiestang Naval" that was established and initiated by the founders of the city in commemoration and honor of the Virgin of La Naval de Manila and to give and to give honor to Our Lady whose intercession helped on the successful separation of Culiat from San Fernando. The Archicofradia del Santisimo Rosario was also established in 1834. In the subsequent years, thousands of devotees from different parts of Central and Northern Luzon flocked Angeles City for the annual "Fiestang Naval" and this was celebrated much pomp and fervor.

The Processional image of Nuestra Señora del
Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles

The devotion at present

The devotion to Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles continues to be a key devotion to the Angeleños, along with the Santo Angel Custodio and Apung Mamacalulu. The annual "Fiestang Naval" is celebrated every Second Sunday of October and still has that grand and colorful celebration that the city's founders envisioned centuries ago.

We can see in the history of one of the most progressive cities in Central Luzon that through the determination of its founders and with their trust to Our Lady of the Rosary, the dream of a self sustaining community became a reality and at present is reaping its good fruits.The story of Angeles City shows us how the Virgin once again changed the course of history of a town and became a silent witness to its strugles and its progress - something that the entire nation should emulate.

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Angeles, Ipanalangin mu cami!

References:

Dagohoy, Herminio, "The Saga of La Naval, Triumph of the People's Faith", Dominican Province of the Philippines, Quezon Avenue, Quezon City, 2007.
Tomen, Nina, "Pisambang Maragul: The Living Church of Angeles City", Angeles City, Pampanga, 2013.

Special credits to the owners of the photographs of the old and present UST campus that were utulized in this blogpost. 
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