Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, O.P., led the fiesta Mass for the centennial of the canonical coronation of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag on Wednesday, April 22.
In his homily, Villegas reflected on the Virgin Mary’s “yes” to the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), saying Mary understood God’s plan because she allowed her heart to listen.
“Ganito po ang ating buhay. Maraming nangyayari na hindi natin maintindihan dahil sa ating kakulangan at kakitiran sa isip. Subalit kung bubuksan lang natin ang ating puso, tunay tayong makauunawa,” Villegas said at the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Manaoag in Pangasinan.
After the Annunciation, the angel departed from Mary and never returned, Villegas recalled, adding that this is a common experience among devotees.
“Madalas, pagkatapos nating magdasal, tumanggap ng pagbabasbas, magbigay ng ating sarili nang buong-buo sa Birhen at kaniyang anak, dumarating ang pagkakataong hirap na hirap [tayong] labanan ang tukso,” he said.
A grand procession of the Manaoag image followed the Mass, joined by over a million devotees, according to the local government.
A drone show and fireworks display concluded the centennial celebrations.
Devotion to action
Amid the economic crises and social injustices facing the world, Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula urged the faithful to turn their devotion into action by becoming instruments to lift others up, during the Mass for the reenactment of the 1926 coronation of Our Lady.
As Mary was obedient to every call God made to her, Advincula said the faithful “ought to imitate” her willful reverence.
“Let our love for Mary lead us to be more just, holy and loving. In a world torn by war, poverty and indifference, let our Marian devotion bear fruit in Marian action. A concrete care for the poor, a tender attentiveness to the vulnerable, and a steadfast commitment to justice and peace,” Advincula said.
“We are sure that whenever we come to Manaoag, we will find not only a mother who calls, but also a mother who listens. Let us never grow weary of calling upon Mary,” he added.
Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles John Brown and Villegas crowned the centuries-old Manaoag image.
Advincula and Fr. Filemon de la Cruz, O.P., prior provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines, crowned the image of the child Jesus.
The Blessed Mother’s aureole was placed by Fr. Felix Legaspi III, O.P., rector of the Dominican basilica, and Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and first lady Liza Marcos took part in the morning rites.
The miraculous 17th-century ivory image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag was canonically crowned on April 21, 1926, by Msgr. Guglielmo Piani, apostolic delegate to the Philippines, by the authority of Pope Pius XI.
She became the third Marian image in the country to be recognized pontifically, after Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary – La Naval de Manila, also under the Dominicans, and Our Lady of Peñafrancia of Naga.
The centennial coronation anniversary carried the theme “Inán Mariá: Crowned in Grace, Calling Us to Jesus.” Alexandra Gabrielle C. Mansineros and Yuvshenka Andrea R. Osea
