Our Lady of Manaoag (Spanish: Nuestra Señora del Santissimo Rosario de Manaoag) formally known as Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, associated with a statue in Manaoag, Pangasinan from the 16th century. She is the patroness of the sick, the helpless and the needy. [1] The church is one of the Philippines most widely visited Roman Catholic Pilgrimage sites. Many people from across the Philippine archipelago come and visit the town of Manaoag, where the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary is enshrined in a church dedicated to this name. The church is administered by the Dominican Order in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan. Tradition holds the towns name itself was born from The Virgin Mary’s call or taoag to the young man. The term manaoag was derived from Pangasinan Language word mantaoag which means to Call. The title Our Lady of The Rosary of Manaoag is the same title of Our Lady of the Rosary used universally just like the other titles of Mary or labels of reverence. All of these names really refer to the same polyonymous Mary, The Mother of Christ. The “of Manaoag” epithet is an appendage to that title to merely associate her to the host town and to the parish. The statue of Our Lady of The Rosary of Manaoag is a 17th-century Roman Catholic ivory image of The Blessed Virgin Mary with The Child Jesus enshrined at the high altar of the Basilica. It was brought from Spain via Acapulco in the early 17th century to the Philippines by Padre Juan De San Jacinto. A closer look at the image of Our Lady of Manaoag Documents dating back to 1610 attest that a middle-aged farmer walking home heard a mysterious female voice. He looked around and saw on a cloud-veiled treetop an apparition of The Blessed Virgin Mary, holding a Rosary in her right hand with The Child Jesus on her left arm amidst a heavenly glow. Mary told the farmer where she wanted her church to be built. A chapel was built on the spot where Mary appeared to the man and the town quickly grew around it. Worldwide, Our Lady of The Rosary is depicted by the same images of The Blessed Virgin Mary holding a rosary, with The Child Jesus on her left arm. These figures vary basically in the material used, the rendition by the respective artists, the regalia, and the style of the vestments according to the native culture. Thus Our Lady of The Rosary of Manaoag can be distinguished from the other statues by its distinctive sculpture and regalia, and most especially by her crown. It should be understood that The Real Mary, The Mother of Jesus Christ, is the one being addressed as Our Lady of The Rosary of Manaoag. She is the one actually performing the miracles, granting the requests, or formidably interceding for those that implore her miracles or intercessions and not the inanimate icon with all its majestic royal and opulent grandeur. The veneration, devotion, and prayers should be directed to the Blessed Virgin Mary and not to the statue depicting her or in any of her various titles. It would not be just a fallacy but a sin of idolatry.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 12:16:11 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015