The Queen Enthroned and UST's Fiesta

Yesterday, the image of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, La Naval de Manila was enthroned at her altar at Sto. Domingo Church, QC, marking the start of this year's fiesta celebrations. I wanted to visit the church yesterday but plans didn't go through since it rained hard, but just passed by and saw what was going on there from the jeepney on the way home from school. Today, the first day of the novena in honor of Our Lady, I got the chance to go to Sto. Domingo since I've got no classes and I have all the time to do so. I attended the 10 AM novena mass kanina. Few people attended, mostly because it's a weekday and more people attend the evening novena to Our Lady.

The altar was very beautiful as it has always been for La Naval de Manila. Even looking at the sanctuary, with the image of Our Lady enthroned in her baldachino, commands reverence and devotion to Our Lady's devotees. Seeing the altar of the church like that makes me happy.

Pics (Sto. Domingo):

Sanctuary of Sto. Domingo Church, La Naval de Manila 2014

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, La Naval de Manila

The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, Sto. Domingo Church, QC

Bas relief at the church facade

As a devotee of Our Lady of La Naval, it's great that it's that time of the year again... In all the years I've been attending La Naval de Manila, this is the first time that I'm blogging about this event. :)

Along with the celebration of La Naval de Manila, UST's parish, Santissimo Rosario Parish is currently celebrating it's fiesta. The celebrations there started last week with the enthronement of the image of Our Lady and today is one of the novena days. UST's feast day will be this Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014.

Here's some pics of UST's fiesta celebrations:

Nuestra Senora del Santissimo Rosario, UST

Singing the "Despedida a la  Virgen"

VIVA LA VIRGEN! VIVA NUESTRA SENORA DE LA NAVAL! REGINA SACRATISSIMI ROSARII, ORA PRO NOBIS! 

You can check more pics et al. at my Flickr account

Edit (10/7/14): Let me add better pics of Our Lady, from last Sunday and yesterday during the Besamanto.

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, La Naval de Manila. Taken 10-5-14

 Taken yesterday, during the Besamanto.

As October Begins (La Naval de Manila 2014)

Cover photo of the La Naval de Manila official facebook page

For Catholics, the month of October is dedicated to the Rosary. In connection to this is one of the biggest and most historical fiestas in the Philippines; the feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of La Naval de Manila or simply, La Naval de Manila.

This fiesta commemorates the Battles of La Naval in 1646, where the Spanish and Filipino forces fought against the far more powerful Dutch armada, and miraculously won through the intercession of Our Lady.

Our Lady of La Naval. La Naval de Manila procession 2013

At that time, the Dutch wanted to conquer our nation and the only line of defense for our country back then were two old Galleons that were armed for the battle. Compared to the opposing navy, our forces would have no chance of winning. In those moments, our forces turned to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary for her intercession and for victory over the Dutch forces. And after 5 naval battles at different parts of the nation, the Spanish and Filipino forces triumphed through the intercession of Our Lady and this miraculous victory is still remembered in the celebration of La Naval de Manila every second Sunday of the month of October (this year, October 12, 2014). This is why the devotion is known as La Naval, referring to the events of 1646.

You can read a history of Our Lady of La Naval at http://www.lanavaldemanila.com/about_la_naval/

Thousands attending the procession along Quezon Ave. La Naval de Manila 2013

Tomorrow, the celebrations begin with the enthronement of the image of Our Lady of La Naval at the altar of her church, Sto. Domingo Church, QC, where it will all take place. Starting this Friday October 3 until Oct 11, Saturday will be the days of the novena. On October 4, 6, 8 and 10 will be the Besamanto at 7 PM after the novena mass, in which the image will be lowered from the baldachino for devotees to venerate. The feast is on October 12th, the 2nd Sunday of the month which is when her feast is annually celebrated and it will be highlighted by the grand procession that starts at 4 PM on that day.

 

Baldachino of Our Lady of La Naval prepared for the fiesta. Sto. Domingo Church, Quezon City

Banner of Our Lady hanging at the footbridge in front of Sto. Domingo Church, carrying this year's fiesta theme.

This fiesta has been one that I've been looking forward to every year whenever it's October. I've been attending these celebrations for years and for sure, I will be attending it again, especially the feast day itself.
Viva la Virgen! Viva Nuestra Senora de La Naval! Regina Sacratissimi Rosarii, Ora Pro Nobis!

Official Facebook Page of La Naval de Manila

edit: Did a few edits to this post and added the besomanto to the activities

A Walk in History @ Intramuros

It's July. Half the year's passed. Time flies, doesn't it? Especially when a lot of things happen to one. Until now, it's  feels weird when I think about the fact that the holidays were finished months ago. And when I started blogging, it was during the holidays. It seems like that every year passes by faster than the last (for me at least) and not to mention this coming school year, I'll be graduating since it's my last year in school. Now that I think about it, it's somewhat hard to believe that a lot has happened since I entered my college years... :/ Time sure flies... Lumalapit na naman ang mga "ber months"...

Well, again, as we know, it's July and on my case, still vacation time (though only for a few more days DX) because my school, UST, has adopted a new calendar due to an academic shift fyi. And while I'm still out of school, I may as well have fun pa rin, no? Better to do something than to be bored at home, doing nothing, walang magawa, nakahiga lang at kumain... For 3 times in the span of a week, including yesterday, I've been going to Intramuros and everytime I go, it's like a walk in history since this was the center of our country in the Spanish times and many historic events have happened here. Sure, it's not the same as it was in it's more glorious past, when before World War II, seven churches stood within it's walls or when it was a center of education where students from all over came (though still is, since many schools are in there to this day), or when it was the time where heroes were walking in the streets or a place of fiestas but it still has traces of history and a lot of interesting sites. Still, imagine being there though in the old days. :D

Yesterday though was different from the last two because after doing school stuff (not class because of vaca...), I stayed longer and I visited Fort Santiago. Originally, I was gonna go the day before but I didn't because I wasn't well (though still went to UST). Like the last two times I was there, I went to the Manila Cathedral. I may have been here a few times already but it still amazes me.

Note: the 1st three pictures were not from yesterday but from last June 25th, last week. First of my 3 visits to Intramuros (the other June 28th). I also have more photos of the Cathedral in a post from my Visita Iglesia last Holy Week,

 Stained glass windows designed by noted artist Galo Ocampo

 The rest were taken yesterday

 Statue of St. Peter and some details of the stone carvings

Sanctuary and high altar

 The Cathedral baptistry and one of the side chapels respectively

Official website of Manila Cathedral here.

What was once the residence of the Governor General.

Plaza de Roma

After the Cathedral, I went to Fort Santiago. Good thing I brought my ID so I'd have a discount on the entrance. :) (Normally the entrance is 75 pesos but for students and kids, it's 50 pesos) Last time I paid to enter an Intramuros landmark was a year ago at San Agustin Museum. Maybe I should go there again. ^_^ Anyways, walking there (in Fort Santiago) was a good experience. I was able to see some things related to the national hero, Jose Rizal, such as some of the things he used. I even got to see where his prison cell where he wrote the "Mi Ultimo Adios". While photography is allowed inside Rizal Shrine (as long as there's no flash), I'm not gonna post here some pictures from inside the Shrine. I also saw some of the furniture the Rizal  family used in another building (which I had to pay an extra 10 pesos more).

The gardens inside Fort Santiago complex.

Fuerza de Santiago, Ciudad de Manila

The moat.

Facade. Where Jose Rizal spent his last days.

New meets old. The high rise buildings contrast with the antiquity of Intramuros.

An old gate leading to the entrance of the shrine museum.

Rizal Shrine, Manila. Inside are things you could learn about Rizal and even the site of his prison cell. Maybe I should've went here while I was still studying about the man.

Pasig River, taken from one of the baluartes.

Turret at Fort Santiago, overlooking the Pasig River. The breeze was nice but the smell... >-<

A flower at Fort Santiago. Parang wallpaper ang dating. :)

In the footsteps of Rizal.

Marking Rizal's last footsteps towards his death that day of December 30th, 1896

Fort Santago gardens, with the cathedral towering in the back.

With the statues of friars in the background, this pidgeon wanders around.

After Fort Santiago, I went back to the cathedral and headed to the former site of the Ateneo before it moved to QC (then it was known as Ateneo de Municipal). Right there, one could see the old San Ignacio church being rebuilt, although as a museum. Hope to see it eventually when it's done. :) Didn't go to San Agustin this time though (but the last two times, I went).

Anda street. Where the old Ateneo de Municipal and San Ignacio was.

The old San Ignacio church is being rebuilt.

After that, I thought of going to the place where the old UST and the old Sto. Domingo Church once stood. But later I decided not to go. Oh well... (Santo Domingo in Intramuros is considered one of the grandest churches in the old days. VERY beautiful church. You gotta search for it in the net :)) Now I wonder what would've happened if old UST was standing today, as a Thomasian myself... :| At least I had fun and I was able to pass the time, as well as having a learning experience. :D Maybe I should go again to Intramuros, when I can.