MANILA, Dec. 15, 2014 — Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario-La Naval de Manila. Our Lady of Fatima. Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Many Filipinos know the Blessed Virgin under these titles, but she made a rare appearance under the little known title Virgen de las Islas Filipinas at a recent Marian exhibit in Laguna.
Virgen de las Islas Filipinas is called the "One Mother of 7, 107 islands." (Photo: Miggy Alonde)
Devotees saw the unique Virgen de las Islas Filipinas at a Marian exhibit organized by Dr. Rosauro A. Sta. Maria, Jr. at SM Sta. Rosa, which ran from Dec. 8 to 12, 2014.
“[We want] to spread the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary to people from all walks of life by showing to them different Marian images of our country and of the world, thereby ensuring to the coming generations a continuation of our traditional Filipino religious heritage,” said Mark Samuel Cerezo, one of the camareros (owners/caretakers of religious images) in a recent interview.
The young teacher called her the “one Mother of 7,107 islands.”
He explained that the Virgen de las Islas Filipinas, one of the 15 images featured in the said exhibit, wore gold and white in allusion to the Scripture passage in Revelations that talked about “a woman clothed with the sun.”
According to Cerezo, the image also wore blue and a crown with twelve stars to represent her queenship over the entire universe, not just the Philippines.
“Because she is the Mother of God and Our Mother, therefore, she is worthy to be praised. Without her “yes”, there would be no salvation. And having a deep devotion to Mary is the same thing as having a great devotion to the Holy Spirit, our God. She is the most beautiful and perfect Creation of God,” he added, emphasizing the importance of Marian devotion to the faithful. (Nirva’ana Ella Delacruz/CBCP News)
