Pope Francis has granted the canonical coronation of the revered image of Our Lady of Loreto, the patroness of Sampaloc in Manila.
“The approval came more than two months after Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula requested the Vatican for the special crowning of the Marian image, which is enshrined at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto in Sampaloc,” said the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines in a news post Monday, June 24.
The Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments relayed the message in a letter dated May 6, but was only made public during Mass on Sunday, June 23.
Shrine rector Fr. Enrico Martin Adoviso said the canonical coronation of the image will be held on Dec. 10 to coincide with her feast day.
“The Pontifical coronation will be led by Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles John Brown and Cardinal Advincula,” he added.
On Dec. 1, the four centuries-old Marian statue received episcopal coronation from Cardinal Advincula.
In March 2023, the Manila City government declared Our Lady of Loreto as the official “Patroness of Sampaloc” because of her long-standing cultural and religious significance to the community.
Our Lady of Loreto is a Marian title that refers to the Holy House of Loreto (Santa Casa di Loreto) in Loreto, Italy, where the Blessed Virgin Mary was born and where the Annunciation took place. The title also refers to an ancient statue of the Blessed Mother that was found inside the house.
The Holy House of Loreto is considered as the first shrine dedicated to the Blessed Mother. It has been visited by Marian devotees, pilgrims, and tourists for centuries. The house is under the direct authority and protection of the Holy Father.
Saint John Paul II had always carried with him a signage of Our Lady of Loreto for protection against air disasters whenever he travelled during his pontificate.