Marian devotees eagerly await the feast of Nuestra Senora Santissimo Rosario (Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary) La Naval de Manila on Sunday, Oct. 9.
After a two-year break because of the pandemic, the much-awaited grand procession will once again be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Holy masses will be held at the Santo Domingo Church (National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary) on Quezon Avenue in Quezon City at 6 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 10: 30 a.m., 12 noon, 2:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 7 p.m.
A motorcade and enthronement rites were held on September 29. Novena prayers, the praying of the holy rosary, and holy masses were held from September 30 to October 8.
This year’s theme is “Journeying with Mary towards a Church of Communion, Participation, and Mission.”
Feast rites in honor of La Naval will also be observed in Fort San Felipe in Cavite City, as well as in other towns and parishes placed under her patronage.
The first celebration of the Feast of La Naval de Manila was held on Oct. 8, 1646 in Intramuros, Manila to mark the naval victory of the Spanish and Filipino Catholic forces against the invading Dutch fleet. Reminiscent of the victory of the greatly outnumbered Christian naval forces against the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, which was attributed to the intercession of the Blessed Mother, the joint Spanish and Filipino forces, upon the advice of the Dominican friars, prayed the Holy Rosary before each encounter with the invading forces between March 15 and Oct. 4. Finally, the Dutch fleet gave up and left the country.
In thanksgiving to God and the Holy Mother for the victory, Spanish church leaders initiated the celebration of the first feast of La Naval de Manila, which has since then been annually marked with holy masses and a grand procession of the sacred image.