The Healing Presence of Madonna Salus Infirmorum of San Isidro, Bulakan, Bulacan

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Madonna Salus Infirmorum of San Isidro, Bulacan
In the town of San Isidro in Bambang, Bulakan, Bulacan, the parish of San Isidro Labrador soon became a budding Marian pilgrimage site in the province of Bulacan because of the presence of the replica of the miraculous icon of Madonna Salus Infirmorum that is widely venerated by the Camillian Order worldwide.

Since the enthronement of the image fifty years ago, numerous miracles began to be reported and the news of miraculous cures became widely known.

The icon

The image of Madonna Salus Infirmorum or "Maria, Kagalingan ng mga Maysakit" is a replica of the famed image that is venerated by the Camillian Order in italy known as Madonna delle Sallute. The icon presents the typical early European Madonna and Child icon where the Blessed Virgin Mary is holding the Chld Jesus like those in early Eastern icons. The Virgin's hand is in her breats while the Child Jesus is in gesture of of teaching where he holds a book. The Virgin wears a green long veil and robe while the Child Jesus wears a golden robe. Both Mother and Child wear crowns.

The Italian image

Madonna delle Sallute
This icon of Madonna Salus Infirmorum's origns is unknown due to lack of documents regarding its origins. It is said that this image was given to the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Campo Marzio in Rome, the generalate house of the Camillians, by a Roman aristocratic lady in 1619.

At the outset it was placed on the high altar of the church, with a frame of gold. This project was carried out by Joseph and Giovan Battista Luraghi. The main feature of the chapel is its simplicity and emphasis on this holy image.

The title of Mary, Health of the Sick is a title St. Camillus adopted because of his belief that Mary interceded in his life and in the founding and formation of his religious Order. He spared no effort to instill in his followers a deep love and respect for her. He believed that “every grace that came from God came through the Virgin Mary” who he called “the Treasuries of All Graces.”

His belief was based on changes in his life that reflected Mary’s intercessions that led to the founding of his Order. Numerous miracles were attributed to the intercession of Our Lady as Health of the sick that the image was crowned in 1868.

Devotees venerating the image
The Bulacan image

The image of Madonna Salus Infirmorum was painted by local artisan named Ricardo Lunod St. in 1969 upon the request of Fr. Melchor Barcelon from a page of of reading material of the World Health Organization. The image was immediately enshrined at San Isidro Labrador Parish in Bambang, Bulakan, Bulacan that can be seen and venerated up to the present.

Initially, there were plans to have the Virgin be the titular patroness of the Bambang Parish, but due to the livelihood of its inhabitants were majority were farmers, it was later given to San Isidro Labrador. Nevertheless, the devotion to Our Lady never waivered and prospered over the years.

The devotion grew in span of decades and she became known in some parts of Bulacan from Paco in Obando,and Kurs na Daan in San Rafael. The blue scapular of Madonna Salus Infirmorum was aslo became well known as an instrument of healing due to the reported mriacles from those who wear it and asked the help of Our Lord through Our Lady.

The Blue Scapular of Madonna Salus Infirmorum
In 2019, the image of Madonna Salus Infirmorum was brought to Malolos Cathdedral during a stop of the incorrupt heart of St. Camillus of Lellis, the founder of the Order of the Ministers of the Sick, or the Camillians, who is known to be a great devotee and propagator of the devotion to the Virgin of Health.

Church Recognition

In line with the 50th anniversary celebration of the commissioning and enthronement of the image, Bishop Dennis Villarojo, DD, Bishop of the Diocese of Malolos granted the petition of the image's Episcopal Coronation in 2020. The Coronation rite took place on November 16, 2020 - the Virgin's Feast day.

The devotion

The devotion to Madonna Salus Infirmorum continues to flourish up to the present. A group of devotees was organized to further promote the devotion to Mary as Health of the Sick. Originally, her feast days is celebrated every August 27 until it was moved to its current date of November 16 to have it pattered to the feast of the image in Italy.

The participation of Madonna Salus Infirmorum at the Grand
Marian Procession in Intramuros, Manila
Health of body, yes; Mary wants us to have that, as Her Divine Son gave health of body. But most of all, She wants for us health of soul. Salus means salvation. And She who cooperated in the Redemption wants to see us healed of the disease of soul.

Mary is called the Cedar of Lebanon. It is interesting to note that healing virtues were attributed to this tree. St. Bernard has among his beautiful tributes to Her, this one: "O Mother of God, Thou dost not disdain a sinner, however loathsome he may be: if he send up his sighs to Thee, Thou wilt deliver him with Thine own hand from despair."

References:

"Feast of Our Lady of Health", Retrieved from https://www.camilliani.org/en/feast-of-our-lady-of-health/ on October 20, 2019.
"Ina ng Kagalingan ng mga Maysakit", San Isidro Labrador Parish, Bambang, Bulakan, Bulacan, 2017.
"Our Lady Health of The Sick", Retrieved from https://www.camillians.org/blog.html#blog2-full%20.type-regular-full-167564250881 on October 21, 2019.

Special thanks to Mr. Roman de Jesus of San Isidro Labrador Parish, Bambang, Bulakan, Bulacan for the inforamtin and photos of the Virgin that was utilized in this blogpost.
+AM+DG+

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