Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Mandaluyong - The Doting Mother of Mandaluyong City

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Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de
Mandaluyong
Mandaluyong City, famously known as the "Tiger CIty" due to its progressive economic development and also has a unique place in the history in our country. In the banks of the historic Pasig River, there is a church dedicated to one of the esteemed patroness of the city - Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Mandaluyong. The Virgin of the Abandoned of Mandaluyong City became one of the silent witnesses of the historic development of the city and also a solace to her children in times of need.

The image

The venerable image of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Mandaluyong is a wooden de vestir image of the Blessed Virgin Mary carrying the Child Jesus in her arms under this particular title. The image is faithful to the iconography of its original in Valencia, Spain and it's parent image in Santa Ana, Manila: the Virgin holding the Child Jesus on her right arm and a scepter with a sheaf of lilies on her left, wears a set of vestments made from different materials accumulated over the years, sports a wig, a crown, the aureala with estrellas, stands on a cloud base with angels and two children on each side. The Child Jesus on the other hand is holding a globus cruciger, also sports a wig and wears his diagnostic tres potencias and looking tenderly to her mother.

The original image of Nuestra Señora de los
Desamparados de Mandaluyong
History and development of the devotion

The devotion to Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Mandaluyong took its roots from Santa Ana, Manila where Mandaluyong (then known as San Felipe Neri) was once part of its jurisdiction and the community in Mandaluyong, especially the Catholic Filipino-Chinese residents, would frequently visit Santa Ana, Manila to pay homage to its miraculous patroness.

Not long after, the Catholic Filipino-Chinese community decided to build a chapel in Hulo, Mandaluyong in honor of the Virgin of the Abandoned, under the jurisdiction of San Roque Parish. The first image of the chapel is a privately owned and in 1937, the present altar image was commissioned by Cayetano Castillo.

On June 11, 1980, the Chapel of Our Lady of the Abandoned in Hulo, Mandaluyong City became a parish with Rev. Fr. Manny Ortiz as its first parish priest. The Parish of Our Lady of the Abandoned is currently under the administration of the Mission Society of the Philippines and it became one of the mission centers of the said society since 1987. The Society named the Virgin as the Patroness of Pasig River and Mother of All Missions.

The images of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados
of Mandaluyong, Manila and Marikina in a fluvial procession
on May 15, 2010
A historic fluvial procession

On May 15, 2010, a fluvial procession was held for the celebration of the feast of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Mandaluyong with participation of the shrines of Our Lady of the Abandoned in Sta. Ana, Manila and Marikina City together with the Department of Tourism, Pasig Ferry Boats, National Coast Guard, and MMDA. For this occasion, the images of Nuestra Señora de los Desmparados of Manila and Marikina graced the said event.

The activities began at 1:00pm with the arrival of  devotees of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Marikina, headed by then Shrine Rector Rev. Fr. Reynante Tolentino, organized a motorcade from Marikina to Guadalupe Ferry Station. There the devotees of the other Our Lady of the Abandoned parishes met and the priests blessed the ferry boats and the people. The three ferry boats, with the three images of Our Lady of the Abandoned, proceeded to Escolta Ferry Station in Manila and later went to Sta. Ana Ferry Station. A Solemn procession was held going to the Santa Ana Shrine - to pay homage to the first image of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados in the Philippines. Afterwards, the ferry boats brought the devotees to Hulo Ferry Station and held another procession towards the parish for the offering of the Holy Mass later that night.

Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados
de Mandaluyong in procession
The devotion at present

The feast of the Virgin of the Abandoned of Mandaluyong City is celebrated every Third Saturday of May (previously celebrated every Third Sunday of the same month) with numerous activities that is culminated with a fiesta Mass and a solemn procession in her honor.

The devotion to Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Mandaluyong continuous to flourish as of this writing as  she continues to protect and nourish her devotees with graces, miracles and protection.

As we conclude this blogpsot dedicated to Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Mandaluyong, here is a prayer to the Virgin that is prayed by her devotees in Mandaluyong City whenever a pilgrim image of the Virgin visit their homes:

Most Loving Lady of the Abandoned, we bid to you to come dwell among us and bless our homes with your presence. To your motherly protection, we pledge our family and our household.
Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de
Mandaluyong
With deep reverence, we commend everything to your love and keeping. Fill this house and our hearts, with your love to overflowing that together with you, we may always open its doors to the hungry and the needy, to the unloved and the forsaken. Plunge us to the depths of your holy mystery that we may faithfully pray together as a family and entrust complete ownership of our lives to your Divine Son.

 Keep us ever safe and secure in your reign as our benevolent Mother and comforter of the afflicted. Preserve us from harm and misfortunes and to deliver us from pain of sin. Through your intercession, we seek for out family the grace of a peaceful and holy death.

 May all who come and visit our home find us ever faithful to our devotion to you.

 Our Lady of the Abandoned, Patroness of Pasig River and Mother of all Missions, and may the fire of this devotion remain ever inflamed in our hearts to fight the way of the lost. May we, in our humble way, bring you and this devotion to every home. Amen.

 Our Lady of the Abandoned, pray for us!

References:

 Devotion to Our Lady of the Abandoned, Parish of  Our Lady of the Abandoned, Mandaluyong City, 2014.
Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish, Retrieved from http://www.ourladyoftheabandoned.com/index.phpoption=com_content&view=article&id=1&ltemid=3 on May 31, 2020.
POLA organizes the first Marian Fluvial Procession along Pasig River, Retrieved from http://www.msp.org.ph/news.do?id=6282 on June 27, 2020.

Interview

Agujar, Boon Jei

Photos:

Parish of Our  Lady of the Abandoned Facebook page

Special thanks to Mr. Boon Jei Agujar for assistance on learning the history of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Mandaluyong.
+AM+DG+

Comments

  1. UnknownJune 28, 2020 at 7:47 PM

    I have only recently discovered this treasure of a blog. I have been looking for a website or book about Mama Mary's devotions here in our country and felt so happy when I found this blog!
    Very well researched and organized! All the elements of the presentation contribute to make the information leap out of the page and inspire deeper devotion to Our Lord and Lady.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sleep deprived but hydrated humanAugust 8, 2021 at 7:19 PM

    the original image looks like a sto rosario becuese she is holding a scepter than a lily

    ReplyDelete

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