Linggo, Enero 12, 2014

Nuestra Senora del Carmen de San Sebastian, the Queen of Quiapo

Nuestra Senora del Carmen de San Sebastian
 During the Black Nazarene feast last January 9, an almost-forgotten-now-resurrected tradition of "Dungaw" was once again made for it was later discovered in the archives of San Sebastian Church that the said tradition was part of the now iconic Traslacion of the Black Nazarene feast every January 9. 

When the said tradition was commenced, a resounding jubilation was seen in the crowds for the Miraculous images of the Black Nazarene and the Nuestra Senora del Carmen met once again after so many years.
The Newly encarna-ed image

With this in mind,it's about time to introduce and re-introduce Nuestra Senora del Carmen to the people.

The image of Our Lady of Carmel housed at the San Sebastian Church on Plaza del Carmen, depicts the classical theme of the Mother and Child with the signature Carmel scapular in their hands. The title of "Our Lady of Mount Carmel" was given to the Blessed Virgin in honor of the brown scapular given to St. Simon Stock, who organized the Carmelite Order in England. The members were required to wear the brown habit as well as the scapular which became a symbol of Mary's love and protection

The revered statue of the Virgen del Carmen was brought to the Philippines in 1617, by Spanish Recoletos, on their 3rd mission to the country, led by Fray Rodrigo de San Miguel. The sacred statue was  a gift presented by the Discalced Carmelite Sisters of Mexico while their ship was anchored there, en route to Manila. The crew elected the Virgen del Carmen the ‘capitana’ of their ship in their voyage to the Pacific. 


The original image before the theft of mid 1970's
It is interesting to note that the Augustinian Recollects and the Discalced Carmelites were the offspring of the Reformed orders from their parent religious orders, hence this image is a sign of the special bond between these reformed orders who adopted more strict discipline to follow the rules of their perspective parent orders.  

When the Agustinos Recoletos safely arrived, the image was enthroned in a makeshift church that was built in an area called Calumpang, the same place where San Sebastian now stands.


Dungaw



The Cofradia of the Virgen del Carmen was established in 1625, and quickly gained popularity, attracting members not only from Manila but also from nearby provinces like Laguna, Pampanga, Bulacan and Batangas. They were primarily responsible for spreading the devotion to the Virgen del Carmen, with Her feast initially celebrated every January 21. Rome later moved her feast day to July 16 for the universal church.

In 1964, the Mt. Carmel Shrine and the Monastery was built in New Manila, becoming only the second shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel .

The head and hands of the Virgin and the Child Jesus are of ivory, and both wear heavily embroidered vestments in traditional gold and brown colors. Unfortunately, the heads of the Virgin and Jesus were stolen in the mid 1970s, and has not been recovered since. The head of the sacristans, Felipe Dy, head of the sacristan mayores, offered to restore the statue from the generous donations of parishioners. The well-known religious sculptor of Maximo Vicente re-created the missing parts of the original images.
The image before the encarna

The devotion to her was still evidently strong and miracles continued to happen that in 1991, under the Papal Decree issued by Pope Blessed John Paul II, the image was canonically crowned making her the 25th Marian Image in the Philippines to be given such honor. The coronation coincided with the church's Centennial Celebration in 1991.

Through a Presidential Decree in January 14, 1974, the San Sebastian Church was declared a National Historical Landmark and it was later declared a National Treasure by the National Museum on August 20, 2011. In 2018, she will celebrate her Quadricentennial anniversary (400th anniversary) of her arrival to the Philippine shores in 1618.




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