Affiliates
Contact Us
Century International Hotels
TravelSmart.NET

PHILIPPINES
HONG KONG
CANADA
EUROPE
USA
INDONESIA
SINGAPORE
THAILAND


THE WEBSITE
Philippines

Top 10 Marian festivals in the Philippines
Source: Manila Bulletin
Author: Jaser A. Marasigan
Date: 2007-09-21
 
Through the years, the Virgin Mary remains a powerful symbol, attracting people from different cultural and religious backgrounds.

And despite being conventionally regarded as secularist, the Catholic nature of Filipinos comes to the fore in the predominance of Marian festivals. Apart from festivals in honor of a town’s patron saint, each also has their own claim to the Virgin Mary with a festivity in Her honor and vigorously celebrated throughout the year.

1. Feast of Our Lady of Candles in Jaro, Iloilo City is considered the biggest and most opulent religious pageanty in Western Visayas. The blessing of candles and the yearly procession of the patroness, the Nuestra Senora de Candelaria is followed by the fiesta queen and her court, which highlights the celebration.

2. Manaoag Pilgrimage in Pangasinan has become a fiesta in itself because of the thousands of pilgrims and devotees flocking to the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag in April. They have made this place an exciting yet religious tradition for decades now. The miraculous image of the Virgin has become one of the province’s attractions. The church has actually lured more tourists than its beaches.

3. Obando Fertility Rites in Bulacan is a three-day fiesta honoring Nuestra Senora de Salambao, San Pascual Baylon and Sta. Clara. Every year, childless couples, thankful parents, grateful farmers and fishermen dance along the streets together with colorfully customed women praying for children and a good harvest.

4. Turumba in Pakil, Laguna is held seven times each year between the months of April and May. The first is held on the Friday before Palm Sunday and the last falls on Pentecost Sunday. The Turumba Festival commemorates the seven sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A procession of the centuriesold image of the Virgin Mary highlights the event.

5. Tapusan in Kawit, Cavite is a procession of gaily decorated floats decked with flowers honoring Mary. The participation of the town’s most beautiful young ladies symbolizes the purity and innocence of the Blessed Virgin.

6. Antipolo Pilgrimage in Rizal is a month-long celebration that brings devotees and pilgrims to venerate the Lady of Peace and Good Voyage enshrined in Antipolo Church. A picnic to the nearby Hinulugang Taktak is held afterwards.

7. Feast of the Immaculate Concepcion in Intramuros, Manila kicks off with a Mass in

honor of the La Immaculada, patroness of Intramuros, followed by a grand procession of more than 50 Marian images from all over the country and participated in by thousands of devotees.

8. La Naval de Manila in Quezon City is a festival revolving around the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary of La Naval carved in 1533 and given as a gift to the Dominican Fathers. Borne on an elaborately decorated and welllit carriage in the form of a ship, the venerated image is brought out of the church preceded by a dozen or so images of Dominican saints in a procession around the main streets of Sto. Domingo parish.

9. Feast of Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia in Naga City, Camarines Sur is a religious festival held in honor of Bicol’s most revered patroness. The week-long-celebration includes cultural shows, a street dancing competition and the fluvial procession of the image of Our Lady of Penafrancia down the Bicol river.

10. Flores de Mayo is the only Marian festival that is held everywhere in the country. May is considered to be the month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Children, with cut flowers and baskets of petals in hand, march down the church center aisle sprinkling the fragrant petals for Mama Mary. Devotees congregate in the afternoons to pray the rosary and then share homemade delicacies and snacks.




[ Hinulugang Taktak Falls Wiki | Jaro Wiki | Obando Church Wiki | Our Lady of Antipolo Shrine Wiki ]
 

Indonesia Thailand USA Europe Canada Hong Kong Philippines