Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia de Manila
In the year 1712, Don Miguel Robles de Covarrubias sent Fr. Domingo Sena from the Philippines to Pena de Francia with a gold chain and a handwritten letter. Don Miguel Robles de Covarrubias, was born of Spanish parents in Cavite, was the parish priest of Nueva Caceres, Provisor and Vicar General of the bishopric (office of the bishop). He studied in the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. His devotion started when he was awarded a book about the story of Pena de Francia with the holy picture of the Lady. He commenced to love her and made a vow that anytime he would have enough money, he would build a stone shrine on the bank of Pasig River in Manila and would make a picture of Our Lady.
There is another image of the Our Lady of Penafrancia in the Philippines. This is an easel painting done on thick canvas, which restorers date to the 1660s. At the upper register, an oval aureole surrounds the Madonna and Child who sit on a golden throne on top of a rocky peak. The Child, holding an azure globe, rests on the mother’s lap on a throne and raises the right hand in benediction. Much later, that image came to be known as Our Lady of the Poor and Our Lady of the Rosary, thus a large golden rosary was added to the image. To the Virgin right kneels Simon Vela, his arms outstretched in prayer, the brown robes of the Franciscan draped over his body. From the bottom to the top snakes a road marked with golden crosses. The road is filled with figures showing scenes from Simon Vela’s epic search for the Pena de Francia.
Presently kept in the Our Lady of Penafrancia Parish (then a chapel) in the district of Paco, Manila, it traces its roots to Don Miguel, who is said to have enshrined an image of the Virgin in a chapel made of wood in the year 1697. This image may be the same painting that Gainza refers to when he says “he promised that at any time he should come into some money, he would have a reproduction of the image of Our Lady of Penafrancia made, like that printed in the history book”
There is another image of the Our Lady of Penafrancia in the Philippines. This is an easel painting done on thick canvas, which restorers date to the 1660s. At the upper register, an oval aureole surrounds the Madonna and Child who sit on a golden throne on top of a rocky peak. The Child, holding an azure globe, rests on the mother’s lap on a throne and raises the right hand in benediction. Much later, that image came to be known as Our Lady of the Poor and Our Lady of the Rosary, thus a large golden rosary was added to the image. To the Virgin right kneels Simon Vela, his arms outstretched in prayer, the brown robes of the Franciscan draped over his body. From the bottom to the top snakes a road marked with golden crosses. The road is filled with figures showing scenes from Simon Vela’s epic search for the Pena de Francia.
Presently kept in the Our Lady of Penafrancia Parish (then a chapel) in the district of Paco, Manila, it traces its roots to Don Miguel, who is said to have enshrined an image of the Virgin in a chapel made of wood in the year 1697. This image may be the same painting that Gainza refers to when he says “he promised that at any time he should come into some money, he would have a reproduction of the image of Our Lady of Penafrancia made, like that printed in the history book”
It is believed that the painting reached the Philippines when the ship made by Fr. Miguel sank. Accidentally, the rolled painting of the image was washed away by waves until it got into a riverlet or sapa. Some old folks found it on May 14, 1651. It was rolled up and tucked among the branches of bakawan trees along the small river. It was raining hard at that time, but the painting wasn’t ruined. The people made a canopy made of pawid near the river and had it framed and decorated with several candles and flowers. The image was taken to San Fernando de Dilao where an altar was built for her. It disappeared more than three times so the residents of the “De la Pena” decided to keep her in the exact place where it was found. A chapel was built although the Japanese soldiers tried to destroy it. In August 11, 1951 the chapel became a parish.
Canonical Coronation
During the time of Fr. Alfredo Santos, he spearheaded a petition for a canonical coronation. Marian year November 10, 1985, Jaime Cardinal Sin instituted the canonical coronation of Our Lady of Penafrancia de Manila at the Independence Grandstand at Rizal Park where thousands of devotees from different places in the Philippines gathered together to make devotions to the Blessed Mother and Child. The so called Tatarin, street dancing in honor of the Mother of the Poor, is celebrated every second Sunday of November to commemorate the coronation of the Blessed Virgin. The procession is accompanied by bands to the tune of Filipiniana music wherein people are dressed elegantly in colorful Barong Tagalog and Baro’t Saya.
During the time of Fr. Alfredo Santos, he spearheaded a petition for a canonical coronation. Marian year November 10, 1985, Jaime Cardinal Sin instituted the canonical coronation of Our Lady of Penafrancia de Manila at the Independence Grandstand at Rizal Park where thousands of devotees from different places in the Philippines gathered together to make devotions to the Blessed Mother and Child. The so called Tatarin, street dancing in honor of the Mother of the Poor, is celebrated every second Sunday of November to commemorate the coronation of the Blessed Virgin. The procession is accompanied by bands to the tune of Filipiniana music wherein people are dressed elegantly in colorful Barong Tagalog and Baro’t Saya.
Panalangin sa Mahal na Birhen ng Penafrancia de Manila
Ama naming makapangyarihan, sa iyong umaapaw na pag-ibig, ibinigay mo si Hesus sa amin na isinilang ng Birheng Maria, gayundin naman ibinigay sya sa amin ni Hesus upang maging Ina namin. Katulad ni Maria, kami nawa ay maging bukas palad sa kapwa at may pagtalima sa iyong salitang nagbibigay buhay. Hanapin naming tuwina at tupdin ang iyong kalooban upang kaming sambayanan mo ay lumago't mamunga at maging tapat sa paglilingkod, magbigkis sa pananampalataya, pag-asa at pag-ibig. Kasama ni Maria, akayin mo kami sa landas na hahantong sa iyo, na kami ay sumapit sa tahanang tanging pangako ni Kristo sa bayan mong hinirang na nagmimithi sa iyo at kung matapos itong aming paglalakbay, kami ay matipon sa pagsamba at pagpupuri sa iyo na walang humpay. Hinihiling namin ito sa pamamagitan ni Hesukristong aming Panginoon, na nabubuhay at naghahari kasama mo at ng Espiritu Santo, ngayon at magpasawalang hanggan. Amen
Himno sa Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia de Manila
Penafrancia de Manila Parish Jubilee
"Biniyayaan upang maging biyaya"
Decree from the Apostolic Penitentiary by the mandate of Pope Francis granting Plenary Indulgence for the Our Lady of Penafrancia de Manila Parish Jubilee
325 Years of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Manila (1697)
70 Years of Our Lady of Peñafrancia de Manila Parish (1951)
DECREE
The APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY, in order to increase the devotion of the faithful and for the salvation of souls, by virtue of the faculties specially conferred to it by His Holiness, our noble father in Christ, the noble Francis who is Pope by Divine Providence, and heeding the request recently sent by His Excellency Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo, Apostolic Administrator of Manila, together with the pastor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia Parish in the same city of the archdiocese, graciously grants PLENARY INDULGENCE from the heavenly treasures of the Church.
This concession is in view of the seventieth anniversary of the said parish or on the occasion of the solemn celebrations in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary which will be held in the aforementioned parish.
The plenary indulgence is to be obtained by the Christian faithful who are truly penitent and urged by charity, from the 21st of August 2021 until the 14th of May 2022 under the customary conditions (sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff). They may also apply, by way of suffrage, the plenary indulgence they obtained for the souls of the faithful held in Purgatory.
The indulgence may be obtained if they visit the parish church of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in the manner of a pilgrimage and there devoutly attend the jubilee rites, or at least before an image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia that is displayed for public veneration. They shall conclude this with the Lord’s Prayer, the Profession of Faith, and an invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The elderly, the sick, and all who cannot leave the house due to some serious reason, will equally be able to obtain the plenary Indulgence. They must have the resolve of detaching from any sin and intending to fulfill the three customary conditions as soon as possible. They should also spiritually join themselves to the jubilee celebrations, and offer to God the merciful their own prayers and sufferings or the inconveniences in their life.
For the goal, therefore, of allowing easier access in obtaining divine forgiveness through the keys of the Church, in view of pastoral charity, this Penitentiary earnestly asks that the parish pastor and the priests endowed with the proper faculties for hearing Confessions would offer themselves, with ready and generous hearts, for the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance.
The present decree will be valid throughout the parish jubilee. Notwithstanding any acts to the contrary.
Given in Rome, from the office of the Apostolic Penitentiary, on the twenty third day of the month of August in the year of the Lord 2021.
(sgd) Cardinal Mauro Piacenza
Penitentiary Major
(sgd) Krzysztof Nykiel
Regent
325 Years of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Manila (1697)
70 Years of Our Lady of Peñafrancia de Manila Parish (1951)
DECREE
The APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY, in order to increase the devotion of the faithful and for the salvation of souls, by virtue of the faculties specially conferred to it by His Holiness, our noble father in Christ, the noble Francis who is Pope by Divine Providence, and heeding the request recently sent by His Excellency Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo, Apostolic Administrator of Manila, together with the pastor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia Parish in the same city of the archdiocese, graciously grants PLENARY INDULGENCE from the heavenly treasures of the Church.
This concession is in view of the seventieth anniversary of the said parish or on the occasion of the solemn celebrations in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary which will be held in the aforementioned parish.
The plenary indulgence is to be obtained by the Christian faithful who are truly penitent and urged by charity, from the 21st of August 2021 until the 14th of May 2022 under the customary conditions (sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff). They may also apply, by way of suffrage, the plenary indulgence they obtained for the souls of the faithful held in Purgatory.
The indulgence may be obtained if they visit the parish church of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in the manner of a pilgrimage and there devoutly attend the jubilee rites, or at least before an image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia that is displayed for public veneration. They shall conclude this with the Lord’s Prayer, the Profession of Faith, and an invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The elderly, the sick, and all who cannot leave the house due to some serious reason, will equally be able to obtain the plenary Indulgence. They must have the resolve of detaching from any sin and intending to fulfill the three customary conditions as soon as possible. They should also spiritually join themselves to the jubilee celebrations, and offer to God the merciful their own prayers and sufferings or the inconveniences in their life.
For the goal, therefore, of allowing easier access in obtaining divine forgiveness through the keys of the Church, in view of pastoral charity, this Penitentiary earnestly asks that the parish pastor and the priests endowed with the proper faculties for hearing Confessions would offer themselves, with ready and generous hearts, for the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance.
The present decree will be valid throughout the parish jubilee. Notwithstanding any acts to the contrary.
Given in Rome, from the office of the Apostolic Penitentiary, on the twenty third day of the month of August in the year of the Lord 2021.
(sgd) Cardinal Mauro Piacenza
Penitentiary Major
(sgd) Krzysztof Nykiel
Regent