THE LA NAVAL grand procession was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but Marian devotees still flocked to Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City to mark the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval on Oct. 11.
The ivory image of La Naval de Manila, placed on its boat-shaped carroza, was instead brought to the portal of Santo Domingo Church for the solemn “dungaw,” as Dominican friars chanted the Litany in Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Latin.
The practice dates back to the 18th century, when the image was brought out of the old church in Intramuros to seek blessings for the galleons docked near the banks of the Pasig River before their voyage to Mexico. The dungaw also happened after the great earthquake of June 1863 in Manila.
The La Naval feast commemorates the victory of the severely outnumbered and ill-equipped Spanish and Filipino forces against Protestant Dutch invaders during a naval battle in 1646.
The image of Our Lady Of the Rosary of La Naval was canonically crowned in 1907 and was declared patroness of Quezon City in 1973.
’Sana all’
In the Sunday fiesta Mass, Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco exhorted devotees to keep their spirits up despite the pandemic and emulate the Blessed Mother’s unity with God’s plan.
Ongtioco used the slang expression “sana all” to the amusement of devotees.
“Sana all [tulad ni Maria] na maging tanda ng pag-asa, kagalingan, at daan ng pagkakaisa [ngayong pandemya]. Sana all sa Misang ito tumugon sa ating mahal na ina at humingi ng tulong sa Panginoon upang katulad ni Maria, tayo’y maging daluyan ng Diyos sa kanyang pagmamahal,” Ongtioco said in his homily.
(I hope everyone could be like Mary who is a sign of hope, healing and unity during the pandemic. I hope everyone in this Mass can respond to the Blessed Mother and asks for God’s help, for like Mary, we can be an instrument of God’s love.)
Echoing Pope Francis, the Cubao bishop urged the faithful to take on a new perspective amid the Covid-19 pandemic and constantly seek God’s help.
“Pitong buwan na tayong naka-lockdown […] parang nawawalan na tayo ng pag-asa pero mali ang ating pananaw, ang ating approach. [D]apat huwag tayong mapagod humingi na awa, ng tulong, at ng pagmamahal sa Diyos,” said Ongtioco.
(We are already on the seventh month of lockdown and it seems we are losing hope but we have a wrong perspective and approach. We should not be tired of asking for mercy, for help, and for love for the Lord.)
Dr. Carmina Fuentabella, a Covid-19 survivor and a resident physician at UST Hospital, led the traditional Act of Consecration to Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval.
Starting April, the replica of the image of La Naval is placed in front of Santo Domingo Church every morning for public veneration from 8:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m. Mariel Celine L. Serquiña
