The Miraculous Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio of Boljoon, Cebu

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Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio de Boljoon
In the historic and scenic municipality of Boljoon in Cebu, one of the most important site on this location is the its beautiful church that is very well preserved and withstood the test of time that earnes its status as National Cultural Treasure. This centuries old church is placed under the patronage of Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio - one of the few Marian avocations invoked in the country.

 The image

The image of Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio de Boljoon is a beautiful de tallado image of the Madonna and Child. The image has a wooden body and a beautifully carved heads and hands. The image wears a set of vestments, mostly of blue, white and gold colors, a veil, crowns for both Mother and Child and the diagnostic doce estrellas and a scepter for the Virgin.

A Traditional Liturgical Feast

The title "Patrocinio de Nuestra Señora", which literally means "The Patroange of the Blessed Virgin Mary" is derived from a traditional feast that is celebrated since the olden times to give thanks to the Lord for the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Patrocinio de la Nuestra Señora de Boljoon
The Feast of the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary was first permitted by Decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites issued on May 6, 1679, for all the provinces of Spain, in memory of the victories obtained over the Saracens, heretics, and other enemies from the sixth century to the reign of Philip IV.

Pope Benedict XII ordered it to be kept in the Papal States on the third Sunday of November. To other places it is granted, on request, for some Sunday in November, to be designated by the ordinary. The Office is taken entirely from the Common of the Blessed Virgin, and the Mass is the "Salve sancta parens".

In many places the feast of the Patronage is held with an additional title of Queen of All Saints, of Mercy, Mother of Graces. This feast was later relegated to the local calcnedars and some religious orders with the reforms of the General Roman Calendars in light of the Second Vatican Council.

Patrocinio de Maria Parish, Boljoon, Cebu
The devotion in Cebu

The devotion to Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio began in 1599 when the Augustinians established a chapel in Nabulho, that would later be known as Boljoon, locaed near Carcar dedicated to the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary The image of Virgin, which Fray Bartolome de Garcia brought along from Spain . For their part, the people matched devotion and learned the prayers and devotions,. The chapel was elevated to a parish on October 31, 1690, by Father Francisco de Zamora, Provincial of the Augustinians, as a result of the increasing number of Christians in the area. The decision was implemented upon the appointment of Father Nicolás de la Cuadra as its first parish priest on April 5, 1692.

By 1732, the Augustinians proposed to leave Boljoon owing to a shortage of priests; they eventually left on September 27, 1737. The administration of Boljoon was later transferred to the Jesuits. The Augustinians regained Boljoon in 1747, under an arrangement by which they ceded the settlements of Liloan, Cotcot, and Maraling to the Jesuits.

The church was declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute in 1999, and it was listed as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2001.

Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio de Boljoon
Miracles

Since the enthronement of the Virgin in Boljoon, numerous miracles were attributed to her intercession that more devotees come to pray for her intercession and protection. Based on the town’s history, Rev. Fr. Julian Bermejo, OSA sought refuge and protection from the Virgin when he and his comrades chased the Moro pirates invading the town. In the writings of Fr. Fabian Rodriguez, a cholera broke out in nearby towns of southern Cebu. This epidemic did not reach Boljoon, as the townfolks invoked for the motherly protection of the Blessed Mother.

It is also said that she saved the then Village of Nabulho in 1615 annihilation when invaders from Bohol burned both the church and the homes of the inhabitants. A mysterious lighting struck the invaders and forced them to flee. This account has passed into legend as one of the greatest miracles of the Virgin.

Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio de Boljoon
Numerous prayers were answered and diseases were healed due to the loving intercession and protection of the Virgin that pilgrims come to her church constantly to ask for her intercession for their different needs.

Church Recognition

Due to the numerous miracles attributed to the Virgin of Boljoon and in celebration of the 421st anniversary of the festivities in her honor, the miraculous image of Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio de Bohol was granted the honor Episcopal Coronation by His Excellency Archbishop Jose Palma, Archbishop of Cebu in 2020. The Coronation rites took place on November 14, 2020.

The devotion at present

The devotion to the Virgen Patrocinio continues to flourish up to this day with pilgrims flocking her church and ask for her help. Time and again, miracles are reported and visions occurred. People brought their problems to her. They asked for water on dry seasons and food when it was scarce. The people's piety has not waned even with the passage of time and grows as freshly as in the past when, the first Christian community rose on the then old Village of Nabulho .

The Second Saturday of the month is main devotional day dedicated to the Patrocinio where devotees flock Boljoon to fulfull their devotions to their beloved patroness. The feast of the Virgin is celebrated every Second Saturday of November it is widely celebrated in Boljoon with Bolho Festival, that began in 2008, is being held in thanksgiving to the patronage that she gave to the Boljoanons.

Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio de Boljoon
No one will deny that the power and extent of Mary's Patronage occupies a far more prominent place in every Catholic heart throughout the whole Church, than that of any other Saint, however eminent or however intimately connected with this or that particular place, or class, or subject.

Surely, this wonderful adaptation of devotion to Mary, to every age and condition and circumstance of man's life, and especially of his supernatural life, ought to engage the attention of the indifferent and conciliate the prejudices of the most hostile. If the mechanism of the hand, so curiously and wonderfully wrought, and its adaptation to the needs and conveniences of human life, may be successfully urged as a proof for the wisdom and power of the Creator, so a similar argument for the Divine origin of this devotion to Mary would not be without foundation.

To ourselves it is as a stamp set upon its Divinity. The work of all true religion is to unite a man to his Maker; devotion to Mary is a bond of union between God and all His creatures; it is equally suited to all classes, seeming to have some special adaptation to each; therefore it was instituted by God and is a part of the Christian Faith.

References:

Angliongto, Warren. "Evangelization of Boljo-on Under the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary". Boljoon Heritage Foundation, Inc., Retrieved on November 5, 2019.
"Boljoanons pay homage to patron saint", Retrieved from https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/74218/boljoanons-pay-homage-to-patron-saint#ixzz64zp6YYSo on November 5, 2019.
"Into the Postcard Town of Cebu; Boljoon", Retrieved from http://aparadiseinthesouth.blogspot.com/ on November 5, 2019.
Nilles, Kalendarium Manuale, II, 532; Benedict  XVI, De festis, II, 173, 174; "MARTINOV, Précis historiques" (1858), Retrieved from http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11560b.htm on November 5, 2019.

Special credits to the owners of the photographs that were utilized from this blogpost.
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