Santiago Apostol de Plaridel - The Mighty Patron of Plaridel, Bulacan

-
Santiago Apostol de Plaridel

In the historic municipality of Plaridel, Bulacan (then known as Quingua), known for its historic role during the Spanish and American regime, most notably the Battle of Quingua in 1899. The brave men and women of Plaridel took its pride to their miraculous patron saint that guided the municipality of Plaidel for centuries - Santiago Apostol. The devotion to Santiago Apostol de Plaridel was and still is the key devotion in this area for Santiago Apostol. or St. James the Great became a silent witness to the glorious and history of Plaridel, Bulacan.

The image

There were two images of Santiago Apostol venerated in Plaridel, Bulacan, the original image venerated in a chapel in Sipat and the parish image enshrined at the main altar of St. James the Great Parish in Plaridel, Bulacan. Both images presents St. James the Great riding on a horse, wearing an armor, brandishing a sword, trampling a Moor conqueror. In the parish of St. James, a de tallado version of the patron saint is enshrined at the main altar while the original centuries old de vestir image of Santiago Apostol of Plaridel is kept in the Sipat Chapel and it was this image that is used in processions, especially on his feast day December 29.

Santiago Apostol de Plaridel as a Pilgrim
The Life of St. James

Santiago, or St. James the Apostle, was a Galilean and brother of St. John the Evangelist. St. James was one of only three apostles whom Jesus selected to bear witness to his Transfiguration and accompanied Jesus in Mount Olives in His agony. Following Christ's Ascension, James spread the Gospel across Israel and the Roman kingdom as well. He traveled and spread the Word for nearly forty years in Spain.

It is said that one day, as he prayed, The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him and asked him to build a church in her honor to hasten the conversion of the Spaniards to the Catholic faith and the Virgin left the jasper pillar where she stood. This vision would became the first known Marian apparition/bilocation in Church history and the devotion to Our Lady of the Pillar took root and spread all over Spain and its colonies.

Later, St. James returned to Jerusalem but was martyred for his faith by King Herod in 41 A.D, who decapitated him. Saint James the Greater is known as the first apostle to die.

As he was not allowed to be buried following his martyrdom, his remains were taken to Compostela, Spain, by some of his followers, who buried him. In 718 A.D, his remains were discovered and moved to a tomb in Santiago de Compostela. Today, his remains can still be found in the Cathedral of Santiago. Because Santiago de Compostela is the most frequently visited place pilgrims migrate to following Rome and Jerusalem, Pope Leo declared it a shrine.

The church image of Santiago Apostol de Plaridel
Thirty years after that, a war between the Spaniards and the Moors broke out. When the Spaniards were in near defeat, an apparition of St. James, armed with a sword and riding a white horse, appeared “as bright as a star” in the thick of the battle. The apparition gave life to the demoralized Spanish soldiers and led them to victory over the Moors, who in turn were bedazzled by the blinding image of St. James. This miracle became a catalyst of the devotion to Santiago Matamoros (St. James - The Moor slayer) and became a national patron and symbol of Spain and its future colonies.

There were two feast days that are kept in honor of St. James the Great, his Liturgical Feast every July 25 and December 30, the Spanish feast (in the old Mazorabic calendar observed in the Iberian Peninsula) to commemorate the translation of his relics from Jerusalem to Santiago de Compostela which is still observed in Spain and its colonies.

The origin of the devotion

The devotion to Santiago Apostol of Plaridel, Bulacan began when the Augustinian friars from Malolos Convent discovered a vast forest in 1581 then named as Binto; this would later be known as Quingua. Quingua was established by the Augustinian Friars of Malolos who initially named it "Encomienda Binto" (Barangay Bintog got its name from this settlement).

The Augustinians built a visita (chapel of ease) and placed it under the jurisdiction of Fray Mateo Mendoza, the prior of Malolos. The visita of Binto was elevated to an independent parish named Parroquia de Santiago Apostol, and the whole of Quingua was separated from Malolos and was created as a new pueblo on September 27, 1602.

The original image of Santiago Apostol de Plaridel
The original image of St. James on a white horse brought to Plaridel (then Quingua) by the Spaniards in the 1800s was left in the care of the family of Bernardo Sampana a rebel heathen of Sepoy ancestry who became a Christian convert. The image was housed in their home at Barrio Tabang. Then the Sampanas were ordered by the friars to turn over the said image to the possession of the owners of the Bahay na Bato in Barrio Sipat (which was renamed Santiago), because of the townsfolk's claim that the family was allegedly practicing sorcery.

When the owners of Bahay na Bato died, the image became the possession of Tandang Sitang whose house was eventually turned into a barrio chapel, present home to Santiago's image in Sipat.

The "Salubong" Festival

A fiesta for horse lovers is the popular two-day celebration called “Pintakasi ng mga Caballero” or more popularly known as "Salubong" held before New Year's Eve in Plaridel, Bulacan. Its main attraction, however, is held on December 29 with a colorful parade of cocheros, jockeys and other equine aficionados, followed by a tilbury race (horse-drawn chariots for two), whose participants include movie stars, luminaries of the province and government officials. The 400 year old tradition became one of the most awaited in Plaridel in honor of the Feast of the Translation of the relics of St. James to Spain. Multitudes of devotees flock to Plaridel every year to witness and participate in this colorful festivities.

The Fiesta ritual preceded by an early morning mass on December 29 at the chapel of Barangay Sipat as, “the traditional salubong.” Featured are race studs and the patient horses of caritelas and tilburies with their owners seeking blessing during the translacion or transfer of their patron saint to the parish.  The procession is called "Salubong" because Santiago's image tailed by groups of faithful including elderly women wearing kimona’t saya and buntal hats performing a ritual dance is met by the patron's other devotees halfway from Sipat to Plaridel Parish Church, in the town's poblacion.

Santiago Apostol de Plaridel during the "Salubong" Festival
Local officials and national figures often join the devotees’ seven-kilometer trek to the parish church.  The image stays inside the parish to give time for the faithful to pay their respects until the following day, Dec. 30, when the image is again carried in a procession around the poblacion. After 14 days, when the fiesta celebration is over, the image, in another simple procession accompanied by fiesta organizers and town officials, will be returned to the Sipat Chapel, popularly known as "Hatid".

The devotion at present

The devotion to Santiago Apostol of Plaridel, Bulacan continues to be an intergral part in the every day life of the people of Plaridel, Bulacan and the have also imbibed to strong character of their beloved patron which they demonstrated during the crucial parts of our national history. His feast day remains one of the most popular and visited in Bulacan which shows that the devotion is very much alive even in modern times.

As we conclude this blogpost dedicated to Santiago Apostol de Plaridel, here is the prayer that the devotees pray in his honor to ask for his help and intercession:

Mahal na Patron naming Santiago Apostol, Mula sa pagiging mangingisda tinawag ka ng Panginoon Upang mamalakaya ng sangkatauhan na bubuo ng Kristiyanong Sambayanan. Tulungan mo kami upang madinig Ang tawag ni Kristo sa aming buhay. Naging saksi ka sa mga mahahalagang pangyayari Sa buhay ni Hesus. Makita nawa namin sa aming paligid ang masaganang Pagpapala ng Panginoon. Sa iyong buhay, tinanggap mo ang kalis ng paghihirap. Tulungan mo kami na maging matatag Sa gitna ng mga pagsubok At ng hamon ng buhay.

 Tulungan mo kami sa aming mga pangangailangan, (Banggitin ang sariling kahilingan)

 Pagalingin mo ang aming karamdaman Patatagin mo kami sa gitna ng aming kahinaan. Dinala mo ang Mabuting Balita sa ibang bayan: Makatulong nawa kami sa pagpapalaganap ng Simbahan Sa aming paglalakbay, ikaw nawa ay aming maging gabay Upang ang lahat ng tukso at kapahamakan na dulot ng Kasalanan ay aming mapagtagumpayan, Nang sa gayon kami ay makarating sa makalangit na Tahanan.

 Makasunod nawa kami kay Kristo, Tulad ng pagsunod mo ng buong katapatan Hanggang sa huling sandal n gaming buhay.

 Santiago Apostol,  Ipanalangin mo kami

References:

Butler, Alban,(1999), "Lives of the Saints", TAN Books, USA.
Galende, Pedro (2007), "Philippine Church Facades". Vibal Publishing House, Inc.
Cabigas, Estan. "Visita Iglesia: The Old Churches of Bulacan (Part 1 of 2)". simbahan.net. Retrieved on February 28, 2020.
St. James Parish Fiesta Committee, (2010), "Pistang bayan: Disyembre 29-30." Santiago Apostol Parish, Plaridel, Bulacan.

Special credits to the owner of the photographs used in this blogpost and to Mr. John Patrick Castro for providing the narrative and photos of Santiago Apostol de Plaridel.
+AM+DG+

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Nuestra Señora de Barangay - The Mother and Protectress of the Barangay

-
Image
Nuestra Señora de Barangay Of all Marian images venerated in the country, there is a simple yet beautiful image of Our Lady that is very unique in our consciousness, the very Filipina image of the Virgin of the Barangay. The image of the "Virgen sang Barangay" gained much attention since its first public appearance in the 1950's as the Patroness of the Barangay sang Birhen Organization and began touring the nation for some years and numerous replicas of this image, whether it is a painting or a three-dimensional statue, this particular Venerada clearly shows how the Blessed Virgin became became our own Mother of the Filipino Nation and became a unifying force for centuries and still enjoys much love and veneration as time passed by.  The image The icon of the Virgin of the Baranggay depicts the Virgin presenting her Son to the barangay. The Virgin wears the traditional balintawak and wearing a red and yellow tapis on her waist while the Child is covered with
Read more

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario, La Naval de Manila - The Queen and Protectress of the Philippines

-
Image
Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario –  La Naval de Manila Within the busy streets of Quezon Avenue, Quezon City, a towering shrine is seen along its road. Inside that massive shrine of Santo Domingo Church, it houses the silent witness to the turbulent yet triumphant history of the Philippines – the beautiful and grand image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario, La Naval de Manila. The Virgin of the Rosary of La Naval is not only a silent witness, she is the anchor of hope of the Filipinos through the centuries of its turbulent and challenging history, better yet, the Great Protectress of the islands, the La Gran Senora de Filipinas. The Image of Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario, La Naval de Manila (colloquially known as the Santo Rosario or Our Lady of La Naval de Manila), is one of the most miraculous and the most important in the country. As with the Battle of Lepanto of 1571, Filipinos credit her intercession for successfully repulsing Dutch invasion during the Battles of L
Read more

Sisters in Blood, Sisters in Christ - The Talangpaz Sisters

-
Image
Servants of God Dionisia and Cecilia Rosa Talangpaz During the Spanish period,, there were few women who pioneered for a change in the early years of the Catholic Church in the Philippines, then controlled by the Spanish Clergy from the likes of Venerable Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, foundress of the Religious of the Virgin Mary, Servant of God Francisca del Espiritu Santo, foundress of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena and the two sisters who founded the Second Congregation for Filipino women, the Augustinian Recollect Sisters of Manila - the Talangpaz sisters of Calumpit, Bulacan. The Talangpaz sisters heeded the call to serve the Lord and later founded a Congregation for Filipinas who wanted to live a contemplative life within the cloisters of a convent which was then denied by the Spanish colonial clergy at that time until the foundation of these Congregations. Despite the Controversies and hardships they faced, the sisters, backed up with their unwavering faith
Read more

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

-
Image
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
Read more

Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila - La Fuerza y Alegria de Manila

-
Image
Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila (Courtesy of Mr. Christopher Palabay) In the busy streets of Modern Quiapo - Santa Cruz areas, commercial establishments from ever present shopping malls down to the bangketas that sells almost everything from clothing, food, jewelry, that covered the area is always a common scene. With that modern yet looming atmosphere of that district, it is easy to forget that the same district was once one of the most aristocratic and arrogant arrabal (Spanish for district) during the glorious days of Old Manila. The district that several novou riche families and aristocrats used to stay in that neighborhood and where commerce thrives in.  The link between the Glory days of Old Manila and its present atmosphere is located in a dominant Parish Church of Sta. Cruz, the centuries old miraculous image of Nuestra Señora del Pilar. The beautiful sliver gilded image of the "La Pilarica" is the silent witness to the colorful history of the district. As
Read more