Devotees of Antipolo City’s Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage or the Nuestra Señora Dela Paz Y Buenviaje, most popularly referred to as the ‘Virgin of Antipolo’, will once again be able to join the traditional procession of the venerated Marian image on Tuesday, July 5.
The National Shrine of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, which was recently declared by the Vatican as an international shrine, announced that the grand procession will resume on Tuesday in time for closing of the pilgrimage season 2022.
Fr. Reynante ‘Nante’ Tolentino, shrine rector, told Manila Bulletin that the original 17th century image of the Virgin of Antipolo, which was brought to the Philippines from Mexico onboard the galleon El Almirante on July 18, 1626, will be brought down from its altar for the procession, along with some 30 replicas of the Virgin’s image owned by private individuals coming from various places in Rizal and elsewhere.
The original image of the Virgin is only brought down from the altar to be paraded on the streets of the city proper on special occasions.
The procession of the replicas of the statue of the brown-skinned Madonna was started by Fr. Nante in 2017.
The last grand procession happened in July 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country.
Hundreds of devotees and pilgrims are expected to join the procession which will pass by the streets within the vicinity of the Antipolo Cathedral.
Recently, the Vatican has declared the Antipolo Church as an international shrine, making it the first international shrine in the Philippines. It is the third Marian shrine in Asia and the 11th in the world.
Prior to the procession, there will be a rosary and novena-praying at 3 p.m. to be followed by a Holy Mass at 4 p.m.