The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary (Sto. Domingo Church) in Quezon City has begun preparations for the much awaited feast of La Naval de Manila on Oct. 8.
The shrine has just released the official poster for the grand celebration which is traditionally attended by thousands of Marian devotees from around the country.
The fiesta celebration will be from Sept. 28 to Oct. 8. A motorcade at 8:30 a.m. will open the celebration on Sept. 28. Enthronement rites for the revered image will be held at 5 p.m.
Holy masses from Sept. 29 to Oct. 7 will be offered at 6 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12 noon, and at 6 p.m. with additional masses at 4 p.m. and at 7:15 p.m. on Oct. 1.
Novena will be held at 7:15 a.m. and at 11:45 a.m. and novena with holy rosary at 5:20 p.m. on Sept. 29 to Oct. 7.
On the actual feast day on Oct. 8, holy masses will be celebrated 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 at 7 p.m.
The grand procession of the image of La Naval will be held at 4 p.m.
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.