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| SAINT OF GOOD FORTUNE. San Buenaventura |
These photos were sent to me by a santo aficionado who
chanced upon a group of devotees preparing this antique ivory santo for
procession in a church and in a place that he could not even recall. He hastily snapped these pictures
then only remembered being told that the santo’s name was San Buenaventura, a
saint that is rarely heard of or even seen in the Philippines. It turned out that the place was in Mauban, Quezon, with San Buenaventura as the town's patron saint.
San Buenaventura (St. Bonaventure), born in Tuscany in 1221,
was a Franciscan cardinal, theologian and Doctor of the Church. He got his name
when, as a sickly boy, he was cured of his illness through the prayers of St. Francis of Assisi, who exclaimed “O Buona
Ventura!” (Oh, good fortune!) upon seeing him recover.
Inspired by St. Francis, he became a Franciscan at age 22
and taught theology. He became a Minister General of the order in 1257 and in
the course of his life, he was known for his spiritual writings that earned him
the name “the Seraphic Doctor”. He
received the degree of Doctor, together with his friend St. Thomas Aquinas, in
Paris.
Named as Cardinal by Pope Gregory X one year before his
death, he was also appointed as Bishop of Albano. He died while he was
assisting at the Second Council of Lyons, on 15 July 1274.
ICONOGRAPHY:
St. Bonaventure is often
depicted in statues and drawings wearing a Cardinal's hat and the bishop's
crosier (shepherd's staff), a miter, and sometimes a crucifix. In some, he
wears a mezclado—his cardinal’s red pellegrina worn over his Franciscan habit.
His other attributes include the Church, in reference to his being a Doctor,
and a quill—for his writings. His feast day is July 15th.
The image is currently enshrined at the Parish of San Buenaventura in Mauban, Quezon. A similar church dedicated to San Buenaventura is located in Balangkayan, Eastern Samar. If any of you, dear readers, know more information about this particular San Buenaventura, please send me a message through this blog.
PICTURES COURTESY OF MR. BONIE MERCADO.
Tito Alex, this image is from the Parish of San Buenaventura in Mauban, Quezon.
ReplyDeleteYes, Jayson. Thanks for the positive ID. Also confirmed by another friend. Natutulog kasi si Bonny nang magising na lang siya at natambad sa paningin itong santo. Sa ganda, nadis-orient siya, he didn't know where he was.
ReplyDeleteHello. We also have a venerated image in Liliw, Laguna. Tradition says that the image wept blood in 1664, witnessed by Fr. Juan Pastor and 120 other. We saw two Franciscan archives connected to this miracle.
ReplyDeleteNapakaraming himala na ang ginawa ni san Buenaventura sa Mauban,, simula noong 1583 ng ang aming bayan ay itatagag sa sa ilalim ng kanyang auspicio at pagkakandili.. Sinaunang Imahe na iyan na pag-mamayari ng pamilya Taino-Pastrana. Ang Maubaan laang noon ang tanging bayan sa Pilipinas na nasa ilalim ng kanyang Pagpapatron bago itatag ang nasa Balangkayan.
ReplyDeleteYou are lucky to have such wonderful patron.
ReplyDelete