#ourladyofpenafrnacia

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A Visit At Our Lady of Penafrancia Museum

Location: Corrner Penafrancia Avenue, Magsaysay Avenue, Naga City

Opening Hours: Tuesday-Saturday (9:00am-5:00pm)

Contact Person: Ms. Rosette -09082395191

The Our Lady of Penafrancia Museum has been here for a long time. In fact, it was said that the museum edifice was completed way back in 1993 (I wasn’t even born by that time). The Penafrancia Pilgrimage Foundation has collaborated with the Penafrancia Association and established a joint management board to supervise the affairs of the of the museum. Several donors and contributing artists was able to make this possible. I have been wanting to visit this since then because I had always been curious of what is inside it. I usually see it with closed gates back then and it was only today that I got the chance to finally be there because I saw that the gates were opened.

When I got there, I saw that there was a minor construction going on. I was able to meet the caretaker of the museum, Ms. Rosette. I asked her first if the museum was open to public and said yes. I paid an entrance fee of 15 pesos and was asked if I was the only one, I told her that I just happen to pass by and thought of featuring it here on my blog so she gladly led me to the exhibit. She let me be on my own as I started to roam around.

I have always been a Nagueno, I was born here but I spent half of my childhood in Manila. It was only when we moved back in Naga, when I was taught in school (in Religion classes mostly) about the Marian faith and devotion of Bicolanos to Our Lady of Penafrancia. I have been able to learn about it but I am not that knowledgeable about it by that time. As I grew up and took all those required Religion classes, I have that grown familiarity to the story of the devotion. I was able able to read several versions of the stories too which is why going here today seemed to have enlightened me with the right knowledge.

I first went to this gallery where they exhibited the mantos (capes/robes of Ina) as well the dioramas of the story on how the devotion to Our Lady of Penafrancia first started.

Here are some photos of the mantos. To define it as stated here, “Manto is the mantle, cape or robe that befits the Queenship of Mary signifying protection. A religious practice has evolved where devotees wish to be imposed with the mantle of Ina for healing with other personal petitions, an expression of fiducial trust under the protection of Ina. This meticulously knitted crochet captures a timeless effort and personal touch of specialness put into preparing the manto of Ina.”

Now, I’ll take you back in time and tell the story of how the Devotion to Our Lady of Penafrancia started through the dioramas. (Please bear with me, I will be brief on this but I will try to summarize and explain it as much as I can with accuracy based on what the description per diorama says).

1.       Invasion of Spain by the Moors (711-713)

During this time, there was a war between the Moors and the Christians in Spain. When the Christians got defeated, their homes and churches were burned so they fled and settled in the mountains along with their priced possessions including their sacred images. They may have been defeated but their faith and devotion has never faded. The place where they settled (between Salamaca and Caceres) was named Pena de Francia.

 2.       Simon Rolan “Vella” (Paris, 1428)

Simon Rolan “Vella” is a Franciscan lay brother. One night, a voice came to him in his dream telling him to look for the image of Our Lady of Penafrancia so upon waking up, he searched for it. He spent 6 years looking for it in the mountains of France.

 3.       Market Scene at Salamanca, Spain (1434)

There was a woman and a man caught in a fray who provided clues to Simon on where to find the mountain Pena de Francia. A churchgoer showed him the way.

 4.       Discovery of The Sacred Image of Penafrancia (May 19, 1434)

While on his search, Simon had a head wound for inflicting a falling rock and then had a dream again. In his dream, the Lady appeared and told him where he can find him. Simon followed what he saw in his dream, and together with his 4 friends, they found the image of Mother and Child.  They venerated the sacred image and they were cured of their ailments.

 5.       Spread of Devotion to Penafrancia in Nueva Caceres (1700)

Miguel de Robles Covarrubias is a sick UST seminar. Upon reading a book on the Virgin of Penafrancia, he became a devotee and vowed to build a stone chapel at the riverbanks of Pasig, Manila however, he wasn’t able to make it happen there because he was transferred to the Diocese of Nueva Caceres where he got ordained and later, got appointed to be the parish priest of Cathedral and Vicar General. When the Cimarrones of Isarog requested for a chapel, they slowly built it then a local artist carved an image of Our Lady of Penafrancia and painted it by a dog’s blood. Miraculously, the decapitated dog came back to life. The devotion spread during the tenure of Bishope Felipe de Molina (1723-1738) and the renovation of the stone chapel was completed during the time of Bishop Isidro de Arevalo (1742-1751).  

 6.       Devotion to Divino Rostro and the Cholera Epidemic (1882)

There was a time wherein the Cholera Epidemic in Manila reached Bicol. Because of this, Vicar-general Pedro de la Torre introduced the novena to Divino Rostro (which was also practiced in Spain) at the height of the epidemic.  The simultaneous novena to the Dib\vino Rostro and the Penafrancia took place to implore heavenly intervention. A procession of Divino Rostro was held and by then, the Divino Rostro and Penafrancia are to carried together during processions.

 7.       Penafrancia Celebration and The Filipino- Spanish Revlot (September 19, 1898)

The San Francisco Church became the last refuge of the fleeing prominent Spanish and Bicolano families on the night when the first revolt in Naga happened at midnight of September 18, 1898 during the Penafrancia Festivities led by Elias Angeles and Felix Plazo. When the Spaniards finally yielded, it marked the end of the Spanish Colonial rule in Bicol. The success in turnover of government was facilitated by Vicar-General Fr. Gonzales.

 8.       Traslacion Procession  (1853)

The widespread of devotion had caused increasing number of pilgrimage. It was in 1853 when Bishop Manuel Grivajalo decreed that the image of the Penafrancia be brought in procession from Penafrancia Church to Cathedral for novena from Saturday to Thursday and the transfer was called “traslacion” which means transfer. Bishop Francisco Gainza decreed on September 1, 1864 to extend the novena until Saturday to be followed by a fluvial procession back to Penafrancia Chruch. However, in 1905, Bishop Jorge Imperial Barlin be transferred from July to September (there was a time that the Penafrancia festival was celebrated on July).

 9.       Fluviual Procession of the Pagoda of Ina and the Colgante Bridge Tragedy (September 16, 1972)

It was on the afternoon of September 16, 1972 during the Fluvial Procession when the wooden Colgante Bridge collapsed just before the Pagoda reached it. There were a total of 138 casualties on that day. There were some stories that aside from the old wooden bridge can no longer support itself and there were many people in it, there was a divine work. Some stories say that there was a woman at the pagoda and it angered Ina. Only men were said to be allowed to join during the Fluvial procession. (I was able to ask the caretaker about this one if it is true. She said that it was just a rumor. Clarifying that, Ina was also a woman so why would she be angry? However, it has been a tradition that the men devotees are the ones who brings her home. She said that women devotees have a Fluvial procession too being held during May).

 10.    Sacred Image of Penafrancia Stolen (August 16, 1981) and Recovered (September 5, 1982)

The image of Penafrancia in Salamanca, Spain was once stolen way back in August 17, 1872. The Bicolanos has gone through it too when the image was also stolen on August 16, 1981 and was recovered on September 5, 1982 dismantled in 6 parts. Not knowing who stole it and for what reasons, the devotees without question braved the Typhoon Ruping and brought home the Image of Ina the next day after it was recovered.

 11.   Canonical Coronation of Our Lady of Penafrancia as Queen and Patroness of The Bicol Region (September 20, 1924), 1949 Silver, 1974 Golden and 199 Diamond Jubilees

June 10, 1895- Our Lady of Penafrancia was proclaimed Principal Patroness of the City of Caceres by Pope Leo XII.

May 13, 1920- Pope benedict XV decreed the official coronation of the Penafrancia as Queen and Patroness of the whole Bicol Region.

September 20, 1924- The coronation took place at the Cathedral grounds with Papal Legate Guillermo Piani and Bishop Manila Michael O’Doherty gracing the occasion. The award winning “Himno a la Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia” also known as “Resuene Vibrante” written by Maximo Heguera CM was sung on the occasion.

September 13, 1974- The Golden Jubillee of the Coronation was commemorated at Plaza Quezon of Naga City.

September 16, 1999- marked the Diamond Jubilee of the Coronation commemorated at the Quadricentennial Arch of the Naga Cathedral.

 12.   Virgin of Penafrancia, Ina of All Times

On May 22, 1982, The Basilica Minore at Balatas Road was inaugurated and blessed. It is Ina’s new home. Basilica became a beacon of hope for the down-trodden, solace for the suffering and a sanctuary for those yearning for physical and spiritual healing.

 After going through those dioramas, I went to the next gallery where the crowns and aureola were exhibited. These were those that were used in several occasions.

And lastly, the pagoda. This pagoda was the one being used every Traslacion procession. I was only allowed up to this point since they were cleaning it that time. This museum is its official residence. According to the caretaker, the pagoda has a carrying capacity for 200 passengers. Before the Fluvial Procession they have a list of people who can join and have access to it. They are the only ones allowed in the pagoda.

There were words spreading around saying that all the items exhibited here will be transferred to still being constructed museum beside the Basilica Minore however, it is still fully undecided yet by the archdiocese if they will be moving out. One of the reasons was the pagoda which can’t be moved there. No final decisions has been made yet. But the soon to open museum near the Basilica church will be another Ecclestiastical Museum dedicated to Bicolano Devotion to Our Lady of Penafrancia,

Might as well visit the Penafrancia Museum here in Naga City and learn more about the rich history of faith and devotion that has shaped us, Bicolanos as well as made Naga City, a Pilgrim City.