By Leslie Ann Aquino
The Blessed Virgin Mary has different titles and we see these during Marian processions.
Father Melvin Castro (screengrabbed from video posted on Fr. Melvin Castro's Facebook account / MANILA BULLETIN)
But a Catholic priest said her most important title is she is the Mother of the Son of God.
Father Melvin Castro of the Diocese of Tarlac also explained why Mary has different titles.
"The different titles of Our Lady reflect the different roles She had and different aspects of Her holiness and the graces bestowed on Her by God," he said in an interview.
"Certainly there is only one Mother Mary, and in Her role as Mother of God and Mother of us all, it is multifaceted but complementary to one another," added Castro.
"Like a prism that has many sides to look at, but remains one prism only. Many distinct titles of Our Lady but all in reference to the one unique Virgin Mary," he said.
On Sunday, different Marian images were paraded around Intramuros, Manila for the annual Grand Marian Procession.
Organized by the Cofradia de la Immaculada Concepcion Foundation and the Intramuros Administration (IA) every first Sunday of December, the event is a revival of the tradition that originated in Intramuros on December 8, 1619. Then a national celebration which ran for 15 days, the event was launched at the Manila Cathedral.
IA and the Cofradia have organized the annual festivity since 1980, with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) replicating the full-force military participation during the processions of old.