298. ANTIPOLO, by Ileana Maramag

People make yearly pilgrimage to this Rizal town to pay homage to centuries-old Brown Madonna.

By Ileana Maramagpublished in The Sunday Times Magazine, 20 May 1962.

Still drawing a steady stream of pilgrims at this time of year is Antipolo, the small hilly town in Rizal province made famous as the shrine of the centuries-old brown Madonna as Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.

Antipolo, however, is not what it used to be. In the olden days, old folks like to recall, the place was no more than an isolated hamlet that could only be reached by carretela or cascos, via one of the Pasig River’s tributaries that wends its way to several Rizal towns. Thus, pilgrimages to the Virgin of Antipolo in those days were more hazardous and involved no small amount of sacrifice.Often enough, the pilgrims had ti hike the slippery trails of the region or cross the difficult terrain in man-borne hammocks. Aisde from this, the pilgrimages were made more festive by the bright parasols, colorful balintawaks and camisas de chino worn by the pilgrims, Today, the practice has all but disappeared; Antipolo is easy to reach via paved highways and modern-day pilgrims make the Maytime trek in buses or drive down the 28 km. road to Antipolo in snazzy cars,

Source: Sunday Times Magazine, May 1962

From Manila, it takes no more than 45 minutes to reach the town proper, and once ed there, pilgrims converge at the modern church which is easily Antipolo’s biggest landmark. Once inside, one discovers that the age-old image of Our Lady of peace and Good Voyage is enshrined in a special niche atop the main altar.

Source: Sunday Times Magazine, May 1962

Annually, on May 1^st, by tradition, the Virgin is borne in solemn procession to an improvised altar atop Pinagmisahan Hill, where a mass is said to commemorate the first Mass celebrate by the early Spanish missionaries on the same hill. Devotees also mark the feast of Antipolo Virgin every first Tuesday of May.

Early historians report that the image was first brought to Manila from Mexico on June 29, 1626 by the then newly-appointed Governor General Juan Niño de Tabora to isnure the safe voyage of the galleons against pirates and typhoons.

No one can tell exactly how the Virgin became enshrined in the town of Antipolo. There are two versions. One reports the image was taken to the Rizal town by the Governor general and Archbishop and crowned as Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje. Another account says the statue disappeared and was found perched atop an antipolo tree, on the same spot where the Antipolo church now stands.

Another legend tells of how the Virgin of Antipolo acquired its dark color. The story goes that during the 1639 Chinese Rebellion (which include Rizal and  Laguna towns), the Chinese burned the statue but somehow the image miraculously remained unscathed. Instead, the carving turned black and has retained its dark hue through the centuries.

When the Japanese commandeered the old Antipolo church and used it as their garrison during the last war, devotees smuggled the image, buried it in a drum, and later transported it to the Quiapo Church where it was enshrined until after the Liberation.

106. BUENVIAJE: Our Lady's Restoration Voyage

The Antiques section of the local ebay Philippines is a misnomer, because 90 percent of the items listed there are not really antiques; in fact, a lot are reproductions purporting to be old and valuable. Most items featured are horrid house décor and trashy second-hand discards—books, bottles, paper documents, old records. The remaining 10 percent are real antiques alright, but the quality is often suspect—you have defective santos, broken house parts and collectibles in poor condition.

So it was a pleasant surprise that I saw this tabletop bastidor santo of the Buenviaje Virgin (complete title: Nstra. Snra. de la Paz y Buenviaje, Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage of Antipolo) for sale by an ebay dealer based in Parañaque. You can see from the quality of the carving that it is a fairly good piece, despite the loss of a base. 

Although a bit scruffy in some parts, the two-foot santo bears its original paint as well as its silver-plated metal accessories: crown, halo, scepter. The bidding hours came to an end and this santo went unsold. I lost no time in contacting the dealer who agreed to let go of the santo to me at a discounted price. 

After securing a photo of a similar image posted on a friend’s online album, I hied off to my restorer to begin work on my Buenviaje. The only major re-work was the addition of a base, the design of which was worked on by Raffy’s carver, using the photo as a reference.

The face of the morena Virgin was easily retouched, but the bastidor body was left, as is, as it was still in good condition. After a wig of long, dark, wavy hair was placed on the image’s head, the Virgin was ready to be redressed. 

When it comes to vestment designs, I really leave everything to the experts. Raffy showed me the design inspiration for the embroidery, from an antique cape.

The pattern showed interlocking gothic designs that were then filled with leaves and flowers. The Virgin’s tunic was to be in light pink while the cape, in blue. 

A few weeks after, it was time to bring the Virgin home. And here is the beautiful result of that journey that began with the discovery of our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage on ebay and ended with Her enthronement in our home altar.

49. Santo Stories: VIRGEN NG CALIUANAGAN OF CAINTA

by Michael P. delos Reyes

MADRE SANTISSIMA DEL LUME

Fr. Giovanni Antonio Genovesi, SJ was born in Sicily on 4 March 1684, and became a novice of the Compania de Jesus (Society of Jesus/ Jesuits) on 2 March 1703. As a missionary, he went around Sicily for twenty years. Through his preaching, he was able to bring people to Jesus through the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom he would always call upon for guidance in his missionary work. The last part of his life served as a fitting culmination of his life of service. Fr. Genovesi was then the Superior of the Novices and the Rector of the college in Messina when a fatal plague broke out in 1743. The college was turned into a hospital where the Jesuits untiringly served those who were stricken by the plague. As time went on, the novices were inflicted by the plague one by one. On 6 July 1743, Fr. Genovesi died after being struck by the plague.


During the first quarter of the 18th century (1722), Fr. Genovesi desired to have a representation of the Virgin Mary painted to take with him and display as he preached missions throughout the island of Sicily. He asked the help of a devout lady in a neighboring village who had the reputation of having frequent visitations from the Virgin Mary and asked her to request guidance. The Virgin Mary granted the request and she described exactly how she wished to be represented. She showed herself to the lady in the Church of S. Stanislao al Noviziato.



The Virgin appeared in a glorious light, surrounded by a troop of seraphims and was extremely beautiful. She wore an imperial crown and had a girdle adorned with jewels that surpassed the beauty of the stars. On her shoulders was a blue mantle. On her left arm, she carried the Child Jesus. With her right hand, she lifted a sinful soul from the horrible throat of Hell, keeping him from falling back in. On the other side, a kneeling angel held up a basket filled with hearts, which he presented to the Divine Child in His mother’s arms. He took the hearts one at a time and enflamed them with his love. The Virgin Mary said she wished to be called Maria Madre Santissima del Lume (Mary Most Holy Mother of Light), and repeated it three times, and said not to forget that.


The pious lady returned to Fr. Genovesi and recounted all that the Virgin had said, and he quickly found a painter and gave him the instructions. The lady did not go to the painter’s studio out of modesty, and the priest did not supervise the work, and the result was not satisfactory. The choir of angels was lacking, there was a crescent moon beneath her feet, and her robe was red rather than white. As a result, the Virgin Mary did not give a promised sign of approval.

Fr. Genovesi asked the woman to go to the painter, but she was extremely busy with family matters in Bagheria, which is some distance from Palermo, and couldn’t get away. The Virgin, however, appeared to her again and said she needed her in Palermo. The woman, in turn, protested that since the Virgin had all the resources of Paradise, how could such a vile worm as she carry out such an important task, and, anyway, there was no way she could get away. The Virgin responded that whether or not she felt she could go to Palermo she would, in no uncertain terms. As a result, the woman was hit with a terrible pain in her chest and lost her voice. There seemed to be no cure, and she was taken to Palermo where the air was more temperate and healthy. In fact, after she arrived she was soon healed.


Once the woman was in Palermo, and healed, she was visited again by the Virgin. The lady said both she and the priest were very disappointed that the painting didn’t turn out right and asked if a new one should be made. The Virgin responded positively, and this notice was taken to Fr. Genovesi who arranged for a new painting to be done. It was the custom of the Virgin to send a guardian angel to her “servant” the evening before to warn that she would appear after the woman had received communion. The woman, following instructions, then went to the painter’s studio where she found him ready to begin work. The Virgin had said that she would meet her there, but only she would have the vision. The woman was to instruct the painter, but the Virgin would guide his brush. This in fact, happened, and the work was accomplished to the satisfaction of the Virgin. Although numerous copies were subsequently made, none approached the perfection of the original. Even the painter himself could not duplicate exactly his first work.

The picture of the Madre Santissima del Lume was always carried by Fr. Genovesi in his mission. Each time the people of a certain place would know that he and the picture were coming, they would wholeheartedly prepare their chapel or church, and the altar on which the holy picture will be enshrined. The arrival of the priest and the picture was always met by many people holding flowers or lighted candles. According to tradition, the visitation of the picture would always result to great love and devotion to the Virgin, thereby making it very difficult for the people to part with the picture. This started the practice of leaving a faithful copy of the picture in the chapel or church of the place visited by Fr. Genovesi.

The devotion to Our Lady rapidly spread to the community of the faithful in Noviziato al Capo, where in 1736 a group was formed which became the Confraternita della Madonna del Lume al Noviziato. On 6 February 1736, Pope Clement XXII authorized through an apostolic letter the veneration of the Virgin Mary under this title. Moreover, through the same document, the feast of the Virgin was established on the Second Sunday of September, and granted plenary indulgence to those who will participate in the Mass on the feast day. In Palermo, the Virgin is the patroness of carpenters, while in Porticello, also in Sicily, she is the patroness of fishermen. It is unfortunate that the original picture painted in 1722 got destroyed with the church of Casa Professa when it suffered bombardment during the war in 1943.

KABANAL-BANALANG INA NG KALIWANAGAN

A few years after the birth of the devotion to the Mother of Light in Palermo, the devotion was introduced in Cainta by the Jesuits in 1727. The Jesuit missionary ministering in Cainta during that time, Fr. Bartolommeo Cavanti (al Gavanti), SJ, may have been instrumental in introducing the devotion, since he comes from Ferrara, Italy. The devotion to Our Lady in Cainta preceded by some years the same devotion introduced by the Jesuits in Guanajuato, Mexico (1732); Loon, Bohol (1753); and to the Nuestra Señora de Salvacion introduced by the Franciscans in Horoan, Tiwi, Albay (1776). The devotion also spread in Italy, Equador, Venezuela, and Peru. Since then, Our Lady has been called by various titles, e.g. Nuestra Señora de la Luz/ Lumen, Our Lady of Light, Kabanal-banalang Ina ng Kaliwanagan, or Inang Santisima ng Kaliwanagan.

The holy picture of the Our Lady of Light brought by the Jesuits has a gilded frame and crest, and was enshrined in one of the colaterales (side altars) of the church of Cainta. Before 1853, the holy picture was transferred to the retablo mayor (main altar). Above it was the image of St. Andrew the Apostle, the patron principal, and on both sides were the images of St. Anthony of Padua, and St. Aloysius Gonzaga. Unfortunately, the original picture of Our Lady was burned with the church in March 1899. Nevertheless, there are two existing faithful copies of the original picture.

The first is an 1801 print that has a description at the bottom which would read like this when written fully: “Verdadero retrato de Nuestra Señora Reina del Universo Maria Santisima Madre de Lumen que se venera en la Iglesia de Cainta en su propria capilla a solicitud y expensa de ciertos devotos de esta gran Señora en el año de 1801” (Real image of Our Lady Queen of the Universe Mary Most Holy Mother of Light, which is venerated in the church of Cainta in her own chapel, upon the commission and expense of certain devotees of this great Lady, in the year 1801). Copies of this print were usually given to those who would give donations to Our Lady, and until the present, there are a few homes in Cainta where such a copy is enshrined. The second faithful copy of the original picture is a charcoal painting by Mariano Javier of Cainta, which he did in 1857. The picture has certain similarities to the 1801 print. Its care has been handed down to the descendants of Mariano, from Pablo Javier to Guadalupe Javier. At present, it is under the care of Mrs. Flora Javier Buenviaje. In this painting, Our Lady was identified as “Ma. Sma. Madre de la Luz.”


The devotion to Our Lady has also been manifested in two of the three antique bells of the church which are still used at present. A small campana de vuelo or esquila was named after “Nuestra Señora de la Luz” in 1835. A huge bell recasted in 15 November 1883 by Fundicion de Hilario Sunico was named after the “Nuestra Señora de la Lumen.” As the devotion to Our Lady became widespread, she became the segunda patrona of Cainta.


The first Tagalog novena to Our Lady of Light, entitled Casantasantahang Virgen ng Caliuanagan, was prepared by Don Luis Remedios, secretary of the Archbishop of Manila, Fray Pedro Payo, O.P., upon the request of the parish priest of Cainta during that time, Don Mariano (de) San Juan. The permission to publish it was given by the Archbishop in 16 September 1884. By this time, Our Lady was considered as titular of the Church of Cainta. It was explained in the same novena booklet why the title “Ina nang Caliuanagan” is more appropriate than Pag dedevocion at Pag sisiam sa“Ina nang Ilao.” It says that, “bucal sa tila di wastong pangungusap ay wala tayong naririnig na nagsasalita nang gayon.”



Inasmuch as the original picture of Our Lady of Light perished with the church in 1899, it was deemed proper to have a new picture commissioned in 1950 from no less than Mr. Fernando Amorsolo, a National Artist. The parish priest of Cainta during this time was Fr. Joseph Flameygh, C.I.C.M.


This painting of Our Lady is noteworthy in some aspects. The faces of the Virgin and the Child Jesus have Filipino features. The Holy Child, which appears to be holding only one heart with his left hand, is actually holding another one with his left hand. It did not become noticeable since the color of the heart seems to blend with the red tunic of the Holy Child. A closer look, however, reveals that the Christ Child is really holding close to his heart a soul that has not yet been inflamed by his love. It is flesh in color with traces of vein-like lines. The painting was initially enshrined in the semi-concrete chapel that served as a temporary church. After the reconstruction and solemn blessing of the church of Cainta in 1968, the Virgin was enshrined in her own chapel inside the church, together with a smaller version of the painting of the Madonna and Child, and an image of St. Andrew.


The feast of Our Lady of Light is celebrated in Cainta since 1853 or even earlier, on December 1, after the feast of St. Andrew. The Virgin has a secondary feast which is observed on Thursday after Pentecost Sunday. For her primary feast, the novena begins on November 21, while for the secondary feast, the novena commences on Tuesday before Pentecost Sunday. There are also other forms of devotion to Our Lady such as the daily prayer to her in the morning and before going to bed, the prayer to the Holy Spirit and to Our Lady, and the Siete Sabados or Seven Saturdays preceding her feast day. All of these can be found in the revised prayerbook entitled Pagdedebosyon at Pagsisiyam sa Kabanal-banalang Ina ng Kaliwanagan: Patrona ng Cainta (1727-2007). In Cainta, the Virgin is recognized as the patroness of reconciliation and those seeking conversion.

May the devotion to Our Lady of Light lead to Jesus who said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cassidy, Joseph L. Mexico: Land of Mary’s Wonders. Paterson: St. Anthony Guild Press, 1958.
delos Reyes, Michael P. Virgen ng Caliuanagan: Patron ng Cainta. 2006.
Neuerburg, Norman. “La Madre Santisima de la Luz,” The Journal of San Diego History vol. 41 (Spring 1995), no. 2: 74-86.
Remedios, Luis. Pagdedevocion at Pagsisiyam sa Cabanal-banalang Virgen nang Caliuanagan. Manila: J. Martinez, 1927.
Vengco, Sabino. “La Madre de la Luz, Our Lady of Salvation,” Avenues, vol. 13, no. 2 (Second Semester 2006): 1-16. Ympresion en tagalo – titulado Pagdedevocion at Pagsisiam sa Casantasantahang Virgen Caliuanagan, 1884.

34. RETRO-SANTO: Nstra. Sñra. De la Paz y Buen Viaje

One of the most popular and ancient images of the Blessed Virgin venerated in the Philippines resides in Antipolo and is known as Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage. For some, the image is simply called Birhen ng Antipolo or Buenviaje.


The santo is of Mexican origin, brought to the Philippines on 25 March 1625 (another date is 29 June 1626) by the then newly-appointed Governor General Juan Nino de Tabora to insure the safe voyage of the galleons against pirates and typhoons. Hence, the Virgin’s title.


The carved image itself is of dark hard wood and was a creation of unidentified Mexican artists. Crowned and haloed, the dark-skinned Virgin holds a scepter and with hands on her chest, the tips of her middle fingers almost touching. Her long, black wavy hair fall loosely on her back.


With Juan Nino’s demise in 1632, the image was turned over to the Jesuits for their church in Antipolo, once an isolated village accessible only by cascos or boats via the Pasig River. Seven years later, the Chinese rebelled against Spain and stormed the church, seized the image and threw it into a fire. The image remained unscathed and thus acquired its dark color. Noticeable is a shallow gash on her cheek, caused by the desecration.


The Buenviaje Virgin stayed in Cavite for 14 years and in the years between 1648 to 1748, the Virgin made a total of ten successful Pacific crossings, thus remaining true to her name. Pilgrimages to the Virgin of Antipolo became very popular as devotion increased.


In those days, the journeys to Antipolo were very hazardous--pilgrims had to hike the slippery trails of the region or cross the difficult terrain in man-borne hammocks. In the years to come, the pilgrimages were made more festive by the bright parasols, colorful balintawaks and camisas de chino worn by the pilgrims.


Today, the practice has all but disappeared; Antipolo is easy to reach via paved highways and modern-day pilgrims make the Maytime trek in buses or drive down the 28 km. road to Antipolo in snazzy cars.


In 1926, she was canonically crowned and the honored at the 1937 International Eucharistic Congress held in Manila.


At the height of World War II, when the Japanese took over the old Antipolo Church to be used as their garrison, devotees spirited the image away (local lore says that it was concealed in a drum, but the image was actually too large to fit) and, with 500 people accompanying her, began a journey through perilous mountain trails. In Pasig, she was kept in the home of the Ocampo family, and then transported to the Quiapo Church where it was enshrined.


When the country was liberated, the Virgin was returned to Antipolo on 15 October 1945. A national drive was begun in 1948 to construct a church which was successfully completed and which has since become her home .


Every May 1st, by tradition, the Virgin is borne in a solemn procession to an improvised altar atop Pinagmisahan where a Mass is said to commemorate the 1st Mass celebrated by the early Spanish missionaries on the same hill.


Devotees also mark the feast of the Antipolo Virgin every 1st Tuesday of May. Today, Antipolo is easy to reach via paved highways and modern-day pilgrims make the Maytime trek in buses or drive down the 28 km. road to Antipolo in their SUVs and fast cars.