The Colorful Grand Marian Procession of Intramuros, Manila
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| Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Mater Purisima - La Festejada |
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| The participation of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, one of the original venerated images of Old Intramuros, at the Grand Marian Procession in 2017 |
As the "Pueblo Amante de Maria", we always make sure that we celebrate the feast of our nation's Patroness with much grandeur and solemnity and this can be seen in different towns, cities and provinces in the Philippines that it would extend for a number of days in some cities and provinces. One of the most popular and prominent celebrations in honor of the Immaculate Conception in our country is the annual Grand Marian Procession (also known as Intramuros Grand Marian Procession) that is held every first Sunday of December in the historic Walled City of Intramuros, Manila were numerous images of the Blessed Virgin Mary from different families, parishes, organizations and shrines gathered together in a single event to celebrate and honor the Blessed Mother in her different titles and attributes in thanksgiving to the graces and protection she bestowed to her chosen nation.
The rebuilding of the Walled City
With the establishment of the Intramuros Administration in 1979, the goal of the then new agency is to bring back life into what was then a neglected backwater at the heart of Manila. Works on the fortifications were relatively easy and soon afterwards the walls, the moat, the old Plazas, portals, and tunnels were rehabilitated and restored. Museum collecting also began, concentrating on painting, sculpture (mainly Santos), furniture and domestic furnishings of the Spanish era now beautifully installed in different museums inside the Walled City.
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| The images of Nuestra Señor a de Guia, Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion y Correa, Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila (Vicaria image) and La Festejada in the Grand Marian Procession sometime in the 1990's |
When rebuilding Intramuros was about to complete and the with the success of festivals and cultural shows that was staged in the Walled City was proven to be a success, the Intramuros Administration thought of the impossible - to revive the old religious processions that once snaked its way in its old cobbled streets.
The agency decided to try to revive processions inside the Walled City, one for the month of December in honor of the Immaculate Conception - the Patroness of the Philippines, and a Holy Week procession. The agency tapped Mr. Conrado Escudero, a known patron of the culture and arts, of Villa Escudero in Quezon Province and the person behind the spectacular Holy Week processions of San Pablo City, Laguna, to organize the undertaking.
With Mrs. Helen B. Espino as the first Hermana Mayor, the first procession was held with two dozen participating images from different families and shrines in the country. Ms. Irene Marcos walked behind the carroza of the festejada, representing her mother, then First Lady Imelda Marcos who was then abroad.
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| Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Mater Purisima - La Festejada |
The procession became a resounding success with numerous faithful in attendance and it caught the wind of Marian devotees all over the country.
The Festejada
The focal point, or we should say, the last image of the Grand procession is the image of Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Mater Purisima or more popularly known as 'La Festejada" (Image used for festivities). The La Festejada image is a de vestir image of the Blessed Virign Mary presented in a typical Philippine iconography of the Immaculate Conception that is seen in numerous shrines in the country: the Virgin is standing upright while crushing the serpent, her hands clasped in prayer or held together, the face looking at the beholder, wearing an intricate vestment, mostly a de bastidor vestment (A vestment with a wide opening) mostly of blue and white tone with the cape done in "palikpik" style, and sports a crown, a scepter, the diagnostic doce estrellas and a set of jewels that adorn the image that was given by the Grand Procession's Hermanos Mayores, officials and members of the Intramuros Administration and the Cofradia de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Inc.
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| Nuestra Señora de la Inmculada Concepcion, Mater Purisima in her carroza |
The image at present is currently kept at the recently opened Museo de Intramuros where the ruins of the old San Ignacio Chruch and convento of the Jesuits stands.
The Cofradia and its apostolate
On the second year of the Grand Procession in 1980, Philanthropist Ms. +Imelda Cojuangco, the Hermana Mayor of the Grand Procession that year and a known Marian devotee, decided to organize a Cofradia (Confraternity) that not only supervise the now annual Marian event. Ms. +Cojuangco, the founding chair of the Cofradia de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Inc., stressed out that this is not "... a social club or a society organization. It is a group of devotees of the Virgin Mary. We have recollections and pilgrimages. It's not a high-society thing". The Cofradia gained recognition from the Archdiocese of Manila and made the Archbishop of Manila its honorary chairman.
Aside from organizing the Grand Marian Procession, the Cofradia also has its own apostolate from visiting imprisoned women and sponsors the introduction of 500 children from depressed areas to the Eucharist, apart from several other charitable--and unsung--activities.
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| The venerated image of Sta. Ana de Hagonoy (Bulacan), Nuestra Señora del Carmen de Sison (Pangasinan), Nuestra Señora de la O (Laguna), Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion (Bulacan) and Mary, Comforter of the Afflcited (Pasay City) participating the 2017 Grand Marian Procession |
The flow of the procession changed over the years yet it followed a certain pattern (order of appearance) that can still be observed in the event. The Hermano Mayores mass will start the event then follows the procession at Plaza Roma (located in front of the Manila Cathedral). The procession began with marching bands from AFP and other groups, followed by the banners of the Cofradia, Intramuros Administration, the ceriales, then begins with the image of San Andres Apostol, the Patron of Manila then followed by images of St. Joseph, and other saints followed by images depicting the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary and titles from the Litany of Loreto from different families, parished and shrines. The next set would be the images from different families and private individuals, usually replicas of venerated Marian images in the country and other parts of the world.
The procession continues with a plethora of venerated images from different parishes and shrines all over the country then followed by images that were granted Canonical Coronation from the most recent to the earlier ones. The procession concludes with the Canonically Crowned image of Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion y Correa of San Agustin Church - the lone Coronada that is still enshrined in the Walled City - and the Festejada image. The procession ends with final blessing from the a guest prelate then followed by fireworks display.
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| The participation of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba of Pakil Laguna is one of the much awaited delegation at the Grand Marian Procession due to the festive "Turumba" dance of her devotees. |
At the beginning of its conception and planning, the procession appeared to be a cultural-historical orientation of what was Intramuros then, yet the organizers admitted that the spiritual aspect of the procession prevailed and humbled by the faith shown by the participants, the outcome being the progressive intensification of the faith and Marian devotion in the Philippines.
Since that fateful December 1980 procession, the procession honoring the Inmaculada has been held each year and the number of participating images and devotees has grown each year up to this day. Enthusiasm was such that images from famous Marian shrines in the provinces began to come to Manila for the procession, not only to honor the country's patroness, but also to propagate the devotion of their beloved Patrona to the other devotees present in the procession. In this, the celebration followed the model of the Marian Procession of 1955 when some 60 famous and venerated images of the Virgin were united at the Quirino Grandstand.
Interestingly, most of the participating images from different shrines in the country gained more devotional following which helped on the popularity of the shrine's patroness like in the cases of Nuestra Señora de Dolores de Turumba of Pakil, Laguna; Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu of San Mateo, Rizal; Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga of Cavite City, Cavite; Mary Help of Christians of Parañaque City, Marawi City; Nuestra Señora de Asuncion of Bulakan, Bulacan; Nuestra Señora de la Merced of Candaba, Pampanga among others. The Grand Procession is also the day the reunion of some of the venerated images of Old Intramuros, at least for this occassion like those of Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion y Correa of San Agustin Chrch of the Augustinian Order (OSA), Nuestra Señora de Lourdes of Old Lourdes Church of the Franciscan Capuchin fathers (now in her National Shrine in Quezon City), Nuestra Señora de la Salud of the Old San Nicolas Church of the Recollect Fathers (now in her own shrine in San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish in Quezon City) and Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila of Old Santo Domingo Chruch ofthe Dominicans (now in her National Shrine in Quezon City).
The Grand Marian Procession became a resounding success that it became one of the much awaited and one of the biggest Marian event in the Philippines and it became known as the pioneer of this kind of procession that other parishes and organizations were inspired to have their own and have its own fair share of attendees.
As for the critics of the Grand Marian Procession, quoting Mr. Escudero from a magazine interview: "Can you imagine going there and stopping the procession? When it's time to celebrate, you cannot argue with the townspeople"
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| The Vicaria of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila from her National Shrine in Quezon City at the 2016 Grand Marian Procession |
We are known to be the nation truly devoted and in love with the Blessed Virgin Mary and we have a myriad of ways to express our devotion from a praying the rosary, wearing her scapular and the Miraculous Medal, praying novenas or the Divine Office, going on a pilgrimage to her shrines, celebrating her festivities either in a simple, solemn, grand are festive manner, (depending on the culture of the place) and others. Here, the faithful witness a celebration of the Virgin in her different attributed and titles that are known nationwide and it is a moving testament that the devotion to the Blessed Mother is still evidently strong in the islands despite of the changes of the times and challenges in our Church and the society that we faced at these dark times.
The Grand Procession showcases the rich culture that we have nurtured and preserved which really shows our identity as Filipinos that despite of the challenges that our nation faced, we still have the courage to celebrate and to give thanks to God for all the blessings, the graces and the protection that He bestowed to our Land through His Mother, the nation's patroness.
References:
Cofradia de la Inmaculada Conception, Inc. "Grand Marian Procession, 39 years" (Souvenir program), Intramuros, Manila, 2018.
Darang, Josephine, "A Purely Personal book of Miracles: A Collection of Columns published by Philippine Daily Inquirer", Sound Publishing Corporation, Makati City., 2006.
Gaba, Marc, "Moving images", Town and Country, 2006, Retrieved from http://andalltheangelsandsaints.blogspot.com/2011/10/85-moving-images.html on November 20, 2019.
Tesoro, Salud, "Mary, conceived without sin, Mary, Mother of God", ML Tesoro Castañeda, Manila, 1988.
Interview:
Chua, Clifford - Cofradia de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Inc.
The photos that are utilized in this blogpost are courtesy of Mr. Michael Angelo Daquioag, Mr. Danny Pata, and Dr. Reymond Feliciano. The photos of Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculda Concepcion, Mater Purisima (the Festejada image) and the participation of Our Lady of the Rosary - La Naval de Manila is from the blogger's personal collection.
Special thanks to Mr. Clifford Chua of the Cofradia de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Inc.
+AM+DG+
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