Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de Binondo - The Mother of Binondo, Manila

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de Binondo

In the historic Filipino - Chinese community of Binondo, Manila - the oldest existing Chinatown in the world, the Catholic faith is very much alive and became the birthplace of two important figures of our Church history: St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the First Filipino Canonized Saint and Venerable Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo - Foundress of the First Beaterio for the natives. Binondo is also the home of some notable venerated images in Manila: Señor Santo Cristo de Longos, Nuestra Señora del Pronto Soccoro, Our Lady of the Rosary of Chinese Parish and the titular Patroness of the centuries old Binondo Church and Basilica - Nuestra Señora del Santitmo Rosario de Binondo. The devotion to the Santo Rosario of Binondo played a cultural role in the history of Old Manila which is sadly faded in our time.

The altar image of Nuestra Señora del
Santisimo Rosario de Binondo

The images

There were two known images of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de Binondo kept and venerated in the Binondo Parish-Basilica, the altar image and the one kept in the Adoration Chapel. The images of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de Binondo is presented in a typical iconography of the Virgin of the Rosary in the Philippines: Stands on a base, wears a richly embroidered robes and capes, a manto, rostrillo and doce estrellas for the Virgin, and a set of crowns for both Mother and Child

A look on Binondo

When Don Luis Perez Dasmarinas founded the Arrabal de Binondo in in 1594 as the location allocated for the Chinese mestizos of Manila - the oldest Chinatown in the world. Soon afterwards, after two centuries, Binondo would become the richest arrabal of old Manila due to the fact that Binondo became a hub of Chinese commerce and later as one of the centers of trade in Manila, where all types of businesses run by Filipino - Chinese thrive. Its influence extends beyond to the places of Quiapo, Santa Cruz and San Nicolas.

The Dominicans took over the missionary efforts to evangelize the Sangleys of the community and established the Parish of the Holy Rosary in Binondo. The converted Chinese later intermarried with the natives and had children that led to rise of the mestizo community. The Binondo Church was established in 1596 and was dedicated under the patronage of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario.

The image and its cultus

The original image of Nuestra Senora del
Santisimo Rosario de Binondo

The focal point of devotion of the community is the centuries old image of the Virgin of the Rosary. The origins of the image were unknown, probably  due to the fact that some important documents and inventories of Binondo Church were destroyed during the Second World War.

As the community prospered, the celebration of the Fiesta of the Virgen del Rosario of Binondo was celebrated with much pomp and grandeur that would rival the La Naval festivities in Intramuros. The Gala procession of the Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de Binondo is held every Fourth Sunday of October and it serves as the closing fiesta for the Rosary month of Old Manila.

The Binondo festivities was well attended by the wealthy natives and the noveau riche Chinese and mestizos, particularly the ones residing in Calle Rosario. The festivities of the Virgen del Rosario de Binondo was immortalized in Jose Rizal's "Noli Me Tangere" where he opens the epic yet controversial novel with a banquet that was set "towards the end of October," which was very probably took place during the Binondo Fiesta.

The grandeur of the devotion to Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de Binondo suddenly came to a halt with the destruction of the Second World War that almost destroyed Binondo Church and sadly the whereabouts of the original image of Rosary Virgin is unknown for some believed it was destroyed or it was lost due to theft or in safekeeping yet its location is forgotten.

The image of  Nuestra Señora del Santsimo
Rosario de Binondo kept in the Adoration Chapel

Another factor that contributed to the loss of grandeur of the devotion is the transfer of the feast of the Virgin from Fourth Sunday of October to Second Sunday of October which most of us know, that day is the Grand Feast day of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila which overshadows that of Binondo.

The devotion at present

Although the devotion went into oblivion in popular consciousness, her cultural impact cannot be denied and she still watches over her old arrabal as its silent witness in the developing history and culture of Binondo.

The Blessed Mother is always there in our midst to be our Mother, our guide, our refuge and even though things have changed in modern times, we still see people from all ages and life stages coming to her aid for they know she will comfort them.

Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de Binondo , pray for us!

References:

Dagohoy, Herminio, (2007), The Saga of La Naval, Triumph of the People's Faith, Dominican Province of the Philippines, Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.
Joaquin, Nick (1979), Almanac for Manilenos, Mr. & Mrs., Manila.