Marian devotees and parishioners at the Antipolo Cathedral, now known as the International Shrine of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo City, are celebrating and commemorating on September 8 the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the 370th anniversary of the declaration of the title given to the city’s Marian image.
Holy masses will be offered at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on September 8, Friday, at the Cathedral to mark these events for the parishioners and devotees of the ‘Virgin of Antipolo’.
Morning masses were also celebrated in the Antipolo’s international shrine earlier today, Sept. 8.
In his homily at the Cathedral, Fr. Reynante Tolentino, the shrine rector and administrator underscored the significance of the two events that the faithful are celebrating today, in the devotion to the Virgin of Antipolo, whom he referred to as the patroness of the Filipinos.
Fr. Nante also highlighted the importance of giving reverence to the Blessed Virgin Mary during her natal day as she was conceived pure without original sin as she was later to bear her child, Jesus, the Emmanuel.
Religious records revealed that the title, Nuestra Seńora Dela Paz Y Buenviaje, (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage) was given to the Virgin of Antipolo by virtue of a public decree on September 8, 1653 during then Governor General Sabiniano Manrique after being attributed to the safe travel of at least eight successful voyages of the galleon trades from Acapulco in Mexico to the Philippines and vice versa.
The Virgin of Antipolo, enshrined in the Cathedral, is wearing an over-all white gown with two toned-violet and pink garment and a white veil with light silver embroidery on it, for the second Friday of September occasion.