The vast complex comes alive as early as 5 a.m. up
to late nights, brimming with hundreds of people
flocking this place from Monday to Sunday.
Big vehicles bring visitors to the place, who can enter free
of charge, for a whole day of various activities.
Stores and stalls abound in every corner, selling
everything from food to souvenir items.
But this is no amusement park; in fact, it’s a religious venue
that has managed to lure more travelers than other beach
resorts combined.
In Manaoag town in Pangasinan, the biggest attraction,
no contest, is the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag.
The devotees of the Virgin of Manaoag have made this
place an exciting, albeit, religious, pilgrimage site for
decades now.
Manaoag is one of the famous towns of Pangasinan,
aside from Lingayen and Dagupan. The town is located
some 33 kilometers from Lingayen.
Devotees visit the Manaoag shrine throughout the year,
but most often during April and May.
People from all walks of life and almost all parts of the
country flock to the shrine either to thank the Virgin for
favors received through her intercession or to petition
her once more for more favors or graces, or simply to
honor her.
This shrine which shelters the image of Our Lady of the
Rosary has stood for centuries, enduring degradation
brought about by time. The parish though, has
maintained the structure by restoring it once in a while.
For its Diamond Anniversary, the church underwent
repainting.
The walls of the shrine,meanwhile, bear giant murals,
about the more famous miracles attributed to the Lady
of Manaoag.
At the center of the altar is the image of the Virgin of
Manaoag herself, elevated in full view of the congregation.
Behind the altar is a mini-chapel where visitors go
to touch the image’s mantle.
This is where hundreds flock everyday, even lining up for
hours just to get slight contact with the famed
“miraculous robes”. Her mantle is visible and can be
touched only through a small partition, small enough for
hands to fit.
The Cruising staff chanced upon a family from Ilocos Sur,
who brought to Manaoag their 11-year-old son afflicted
with polio. The grandmother knelt down behind the
Manaoag image, uttered a short prayer, then touched her
cloak. After this, she massaged her grandson’s legs with
the hands she used to touch the image.
“If you have faith, you will travel all the way to ask the
Lady of Manaoag for favors,” said Sis. Pauline Cabe, a
third order nun who has been with the parish for 31 years.
Sis. Pauline said that she has seen the Lady’s devotees
coming from all walks of life and requesting for all types
of favors. Often, they are granted, and the devotees
return to personally thank the Virgin for her help.
She also said that the line queueing by the Virgin’s image
can go very long that the tailend often reaches the
streets outside the church complex, most often during
weekend and feast days.
Aside from touching the virgin’s cloak, the devotees also
light a candle for their wishes, an act called “pagtutulos”
in the vernacular.
Beside the church entrance is an area where several
candle holders are situated. A prayer is posted on the
wall, to be recited as people light their candles.
Candles are sold for minimal fees, from R2, R6, R7, to
R35, R50, and up, depending on the candle size and
shape.
Enterprising residents have made Manaoag Shrine into a
tourist destination. Rows of stalls selling all kinds of
souvenir items, native products, food, religious articles,
and other mementos are found all around the church
complex.
An adorable doll-like Sto. Niño image, made of
paper-glass, costs R350 and R550, depending on the
size. The figures are sold side by side tambo brooms from
Baguio, rattan baskets and hampers from other parts of
the province, and popular foodstuffs like tupig and other
sweets.
The church itself has also started a shop of its own in a
building beside the church, selling religious articles like
scapulars, rosaries, novena books, and Manaoag souvenir
items.
And like a typical tourist destination, guests posing by
cameras and video cams have become a familiar sight. Other
photographers in the area even offer picture services
with the image of Manaoag Lady as backdrop.
Masses are held from five to 11 in the morning, so visitors
who come from far provinces usually travel overnight to
get to the place by dawn. This also makes them ahead of
the line queueing up for the Virgin.
On weekends, the masses start from five to twelve in the
afternoon. Afterwards, the church accommodates
weddings.
A blessing of religious articles and vehicles are conducted
after every mass, in a separate area beside the parish
office, by one of the church gates. There, the church
staff also gives out holy water for free. Visitors obtain
the blessed water for various uses, but its efficacy — like
acts of lighting candles and touching cloaks — will always
depend largely on the user’s faith.
|
