A Look on the Patronatos de Filipinas - it's origins, circumstances and controversies
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| Las Patronas de Filipinas |
As we are about to celebrate the 500 Years of Christianization of the Philippines, let's put to the table this particular topic in an attempt to made the necessary clarifications, laid the misinterpretations to rest by the lay down the facts, the circumstances of such declarations so we can appreciate it and to look at it in a different way.
La Inmaculada Concepcion - The Principal Patroness of the Philippines
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| La Inmaculada Concepcion of Manila Cathedral |
With the successs of the reconquista, a Papal Bull "Illius fulti praesidio", dated February 6, 1578 was issued by Pope Gregory XIII that established the Diocese of Manila and decreed that its Cathedral should be under the invocation of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary then later elevated as an Archdiocese on August 14, 1545. The same invocation was given to the cathedrals of Nueva Segovia and Cáceres decreed by Pope Clement VIII dated August 13, 1595. Pope Clement also decreed in 15 the Patronage of the Immaculate Conception to Spain, the Americas in 1760 and the Indies supported by a Royal decree issued by King Carlos of Spain in 1761.
With these developments, the devotion to the Immaculate Conception flourished over the centuries, most notably the devotion to Nuestra Señora de Guia and Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje of Antipolo whose images are that of the Immaculate Conception. The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception in the Philippines is a Holy Day of Obligation and it is celebrated with much pomp and splendor in the country - most notably the annual Grand Marian Procession held every first Sunday of December in Intramuros, Manila.
After the Philippines ceased to become a Spanish colony, the first Provincial Council of Manila petitioned the Holy See for the privilege to continue using cerulean (a unique shade of blue) vestments for the Feast of Immaculate Conception. Pope St. Pius X granted this request via a special audience, with the privilege included in a list of indults granted to the Philippines, dated February 11, 1910, executed by Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val.
By the Apostolic Letter "Impositi Nobis" of September 12, 1942, Pope Pius XII, at the request of the bishops in the Philippines, declared the Virgin Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception as Principal Patroness of the Philippines with Saints Pudentiana and Rose of Lima as secondary patronesses, mentioning that the 1907 Provincial Council of Manila invoked "Maria Immaculata" as patroness of the whole Filipino people and that historical documents indicated Saint Pudentiana as Patroness of the Philippines from the 16th century and Saint Rose of Lima from the 17th. The bull only affected those patronesses of the Philippines that were Ordinarily ranked. Since 1571, Saint Pudentiana was principal patroness of the Philippines; and since 1670, Saint Rose of Lima was principal patroness of the Indies, thereby also becoming a de jure principal patroness of the Philippines.These two patronesses were later became the official Secondary Patroness of the country in deference to the Immaculate Conception.
Our Lady of Guadalupe - The Celestial Patroness of the Philippines
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| Altar image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in her National Shrine in Makati City which is a replica of the tilma venerated in Mexico |
Contrary to the claims that the Virgin of Guadalupe is the Secondary Patroness of the Philippines, A Papal Bull was issued on July 16, 1935 by Pope Pius XI, issued a Papal Bull declaring that:
"Forsooth with our certain knowledge and mature deliberation, and from a plenitude of Our Apostolic Authority, according to the purport of these letters and in perpetual manner, we define and declare that the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the aforesaid title of Guadalupe is before God The Celestial Patroness of the Philippine Islands, Wherefore we command that all the Liturgical Rights and privileges which are proper to such a Patronage shall be bestowed upon Her Heavenly Patronage. [...]
Given at Saint Peter’s at Rome, under the Seal of the Fisherman, on the sixteenth day of July in the Year Nineteen Hundred and Thirty Five."
On November 13, 2001, the celebration of the Feast of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe in the Philippines was declared an Obligatory Memorial. On September 8, 2002, Bishop Socrates Villegas, DD declared the Virgin of Guadalupe as Pro-life Patroness in response to the issues on human reproduction and mortality in the country.
Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila - The Queen and Protectress of the Philippines
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| Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila |
The grandeur of the image and its miracles gained much popularity and devotion in the country that she was popularly acclaimed as "La Gran Señora de Filipinas" and she was named as "Patrona Especial de estas Islas" by a bishop in 1884 and a century later by an apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila in 1902.
As part of preparations for the petition for the Santo Rosario's Canonical Coronation, a separate petition was proposed for granting the the Santo Rosario as the "Patrona Universal de Filipinas" throughout 1905 to 1906. This move is to have a special patronage to be bestowed to the Virgin which the Dominicans clarified that it won't contradict the general patronage of the Immaculate Conception over Spain, Americas and the Indies (The Philippines included). However, the petition was met with negative reception by Cathedral Chapter, the local clergy, some religious orders and the Papal legate which became a national issue at that time.and it almost led to the postponement the coronation of the Santo Rosario. The petition for the Coronation was approved by Pope St. Pius X in 1906 and the coronation rites took place on Ocotber 5, 1907 - the first of its kind in the Philippines attended by the thousands which they also expressed for a special patronato for the Santo Rosario.
The controversy ended with the apostolic brief issued by Pope Pius XI in 1935 with naming the Virgin of Guadalupe as "Patrona Celestial de Filipnas" which is not in a way contradicting the general Patronato of the Immaculate Conception over the country - as the Dominicans originally intended for the Santo Rosario which vindicated them after years of accusations and harsh treatment they received from the opposing clerics and orders. The Virgin of La Naval was later named the Patroness of the Philippine Navy and in 1981, St. John Paul II in his visit in the country named the Santo Rosario as the "Queen and Protectress of the Philippines and Asia" in the presence of the said image.
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| Santa Rosa de Lima of the La Naval de Manila Processions |
Just two years after her beatification in 1668, on August 11, 1670, Pope Clement X issued the Bull Sacrosancti apostolatus cura, confirming Pope Clement X’s declaration of then Blessed Rose of Lima as Patroness of Peru, and extending her patronage to each province, realm, and region of the whole American continent, including the Philippines, and of the Indies. Quoting the Bull:
"(With) the good odor of Christ far and wide, which is poured over the whole of the Church, of our soul, with the spiritual joy of recalling the merits of the great, pious and devout, (...) King Charles came, and his hands outstretched to us on this favorably, and to grant the supplications, desiring to grant Blessed Rosa de Santa Maria in all the principal advocate of individual provinces and countries, islands and areas of the firm for the Americas, the Philippines, and the Indies, with the same prerogatives of the designated authority we declare."
Since the declaration of St. Rosa de Lima's patroange in the Philippines, numerous churches and altars were erected in her honor, most otably in Santa Rosa, Laguna, Tarlac, Rizal province among others. The meztisas and native women started to imitate her as their model in life and lived as solitary beatas in their homes. Years later, the Colegio de Santa Rosa founded by Mother Paula de la Santisima Trinidad in 1750 and the Tuazon family planned to establish Beaterio de Santa Rosa for the Meztisas and Christian Sangleys, yet it was unfortunately denied.
On September 7, 1942, Pope Pius XII, moved by the request of the Filipino Bishops, issued the Bull Impositi Nobis Apostolici, placing the Philippines under the principal and universal patronage of the Immaculate Conception, declaring Saints Pudentiana and Rose of Lima as secondary patronesses.
Santa Potenciana - The Secondary Patroness of the Philippines
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| Santa Potenciana of Pampanga |
On May 19, 1571, Miguel López de Legazpi took possession of Manila, after Mass in honor of Saint Pudentiana, who was then declared patroness of the city and of the entire Islands. According to the 1877 Historia de la Santa Iglesia Metropolitana de Filipinas based on the manuscript of P. Francisco Moreno, a presbítero, after Saint Pudentiana was proclaimed general patroness of these Isles in 1571, her cultus gradually disappeared and her patronage became forgotten until such time that the Cabildo decided to appoint a protector for the realm. They decided to cast lots with the names of many Saints into an urn, and had a very young boy draw a name from the urn. The name inscribed was Santa Potenciana. It was then that a regidor stood up and stated that Manila was taken possession on her feast day. Her cultus was then revived, and she once again became the principal patroness of the Islands, a title that was never abrogated.
Governor General Dasmariñas had a church dedicated to her in 1591, and another in 1592. Her relics arrived in the Philippines on 12 January 1595, and were received with great jubilation, paraded through the streets of Manila. They are presumed lost or destroyed during World War II. Until September 1963, her feast was obligatory. She was invoked against typhoons and storms.
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| The Basilica of Santa Pundenziana in Rome designated as the Church for the Filipino Community in Italy |
Despite the suppression of the feast, it seemed that her devotion flourished in other parts of the country, particularly in Maquiapo in Guagua, Pampanga where her fiesta is celebrated with much pomp and solemnity that she once enjoyed in Manila and miracles were reported through her intercession and a parish was also dedicated to her in Palawan. It seemed that despite the "ungratefulness" of some Filipinos to her, she continued her protection to the Filipinos for her Basilica in Rome was designated as the Church for Filipinos in the Eternal City.
Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga -Luz de Filipinas
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| Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga |
On the day of the image’s Pontifical Coronation on November 18, 2018, the titles that were historically ascribed to the Virgin of Solitude were formally recognized in the decree of shrine elevation of San Roque Parish as the Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga. On November 24, 2018, the image was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum for its tangible and intangible (i.e. devotion, historical significance, traditions, and customs) cultural significance.
Some thoughts
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| Sts. Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod |
It can be possible that a special patronage was also considered during the process for their causes (at least in my own opinion, but who knows) but it would beneficial for their cultus because at this time, although Churches were built in their honor and they are invoked in the prayers issued by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, their feasts are not Solemnities in our country nor a Holy day of Obligation which is a bit odd if one is going to check on their liturgical books. Interestingly, a special patronage wasn't conferred to them - at least for now. As what I've observed, there was much hype on their beatification and canonization rites and the devotional and nationalistic fervor was there yet as years passed by up to this point, it is waning. It would be interesting that a special patronato would be conferred to them or at least raise their feasts to Solemnities and holy days of obligation - not just mentioning them in oratio imperatas to keep the cultus sustainable. That way, we could really invoke them in times of need and enjoy their heavenly intercession as a nation.
Now that I mentioned the prayers issued by the CBCP every time there would be a crisis, natural, social, political, or other concerns, one might notice that our Segunda Patronas were not mentioned in ejaculatory parts of their prayers, it is somehow puzzling and perplexing why such happened, maybe lack of awareness to our detailed ecclesiastical history, or maybe some of the heirarcy are ignoring our female saints for the longest time because if one might notice the prayers issued by the CBCP, you may find no female saints mentioned at all. Maybe its about time to review our history and start invoking female saints to their prayers because our Church history proves how powerful female saints are for their intercession, especially St.Rose of Lima - one of the greatest mystics of the Americas and she is known for protecting her home country Peru from all dangers. That way, it encourages devotion to our female saints, most especially to our Segunda Patronas.
A Take away
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| A satire periodical depicting the controversy over "Patronato de Filipinas" |
So what do we make of this topic? In my humble opinion (based on my own observations on documenting numerous patrons of different parts of our country in this blog for years now), what we make out of this is that our Patrons represents us as they have become part of the cultural fabric, an integral part of our faith and played important roles in our history. Take for example, if we think of the Virgin of Peñafrancia of Naga, we know that she is the Queen of Bicolandia and we know how the Bicolanos loved their patroness that she became part of the identity of the region and its people and this is also the case for Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga for Caviteños, Santa Marta de Pateros for the people of Pateros, Nuestra Señora del Pilar for Zamboangueños among others. This same reciprocation and adaptation also applies to our countries patrons, despite of different images and titles it is accorded to them that they have became part of who we are as a nation.
References:
Alarcon, Norma, Philippine architecture during the pre-Spanish and Spanish periods. UST Publishing House, Sampaloc, Manila, 2008.
Alvarez, Prieto, Fernando. La Virgen del Tepeyac: historia, leyendas y tradiciones referentes a la maravillossa aparicion de la Virgen de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe de Mexico. Barcelona: Mexico: J.F. Parres, 1883.
Cheney, David M, "Pudentiana". The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Retrieved July 23,2020.
Clement X, "Sacrosancti apostolatus cura", 1670, Retreived from https://deipraesidiofultus.blogspot.com/2013/05/protectresses-of-philippines.html?m=0 on July 5, 2020.
Dagohoy, Herminio, OP, The Saga of La Naval, Triumph of the People's Faith, Dominican Province of the Philippines, Quezon Avenue, Quezon City, 2007.
"Holy Mary of Guadalupe: Patroness of the Philippine Islands as Declared by Pope Pius XI on 16 July 1935", Retreived from https://monkshobbit.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/holy-mary-of-guadalupe-patroness-of-the-philippine-islands-as-declared-by-pope-pius-xi-on-16-july-1935/ on December 11, 2017.
Insularum Philippinarum Beatissima Virgo Maria Titulo Immaculata Conceptio Primaria Universalisque Patrona et Sanctae Virgines Pudentiana ac Rosa Limana Patronae Secundarias Declarantur - Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 1942.
Joaquin, Nick, Almanac for Manilenos, Mr. & Mrs., Manila, 1979.
Jose, Salvador R., Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pro-Life Patroness especailly of the Unborn, Sick, Aging, Disabled and others, Paulines Publishing House, Makati City, 2011.
Protectresses of the Philippines, 2013, Retreived from https://deipraesidiofultus.blogspot.com/2013/05/protectresses-of-philippines.html?m=0.
Ren, Lili, Rose, The flower of Latin America, Translated by Leticia Deriada, Paulinian Publications, St. Paul Road, Makati City, 1993.
Saint Pudentiana of Rome. CatholicSaints.Info. February 24 2017. Web. Retrieved on July 29, 2020. <http://catholicsaints.info/saint-pudentiana-of-rome/>.
Interview:
Cobangbang, Paolo Miguel
Photo:
Capilla de Santa Potenciana
Aquino, Christoffer Denzell, SHMI
Special thanks to Mr. Paolo Miguel Cobangbang for the insights on this topic and to Bro. Christoffer Denzell Aquino, SHMI for the digital artwork used for this blogpost.
+AM+DG+
I THINK ITS THE TIME TO DECLARED MIRACULOUS IMAGES TO BE PATRONESS OF EVERY REGION IN THE PHILIPPINES..
ReplyDeleteESPECIALLY OUR LADY OF LA NAVAL AS THE PATRONESS OF N.C.R. 💚