Our Lady of Good Success, also called as Our Lady of Good Events (Spanish: Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso; Filipino: Ina ng Mabubuting Pangyayari) is one of the titles of Blessed Virgin Mary. This title is shared among numerous images around the world — a number of images in Spain, one in Quito, Ecuador, and one in Parañaque, Philippines. It is claimed that Quito's image had produced an apparition - to Mother Mariana de Jésus Torres.
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Two Spanish friars, Brothers Gabriel de Fontaned and Guillermo de Rigosa traveled to Rome to meet the Pope for the approval of their order (The Order of Minims for the Service of the Sick or The Order of Saint Francis of Paola).[1] As they were passing through the town of Traigueras (under the jurisdiction of Tortosa in the Principate of Cataluña), a furious storm descended upon them. The brothers prayed for God's guidance and help. Immediately they saw a mysterious light coming from a cave in a cliff. Climbing up, they entered and found a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary holding the Baby Jesus in her arms. They reported being surrounded by shimmering lights and fragrant scents. As no one claimed the statue, the two carried it with them, hoping that the Blessed Mother would help in getting approval for their order.
On arriving in Rome, the brothers were worried that they might not obtain papal consent. However, Pope Paul V on hearing the story of their journey, knelt before the statue and placed his pectoral cross around the its neck. As he embraced and kissed the statue, he said:
| “ | “Look Brothers! She is smiling! Why does she smile so? What good success you have had on this journey! There is no doubt that Our Lady has deigned to protect and support you in your work. Therefore it will not be me that will go against Her. May all of your efforts obtain good success!” [2] | ” |
He then blessed it and christened her Our Lady of Good Success. The image was placed in the Royal Hospital of Madrid. Here, the image became famous "for the numerous favors granted by Heaven through her".[1] In 1641, Philip III ordered the construction of the Church of Our Lady of Good Success. This enshrines the image renowned among the churches of Madrid. Soon, as its popularity and devotion spread, the image is replicated and placed in different places in Spain: Orduña, La Puebla de Gordon, Tudela, Abla, and among others.
In 1577 five Conceptionist sisters traveled from Spain to Quito, Ecuador to start the first convent. Mariana de Jésus Torres, one of the young nuns, is said to have seen the Blessed Mother. On February 2, 1610, as Mariana was praying, the Blessed Mother appeared to her and commanded a statue to be made to her likeness.
“First so that men in the future might realize how powerful I am in placating Divine Justice and obtaining mercy and pardon for every sinner who comes to me with a contrite heart. For I am the Mother of Mercy and in me there is only goodness and love.” When tribulations of spirit and sufferings of the body oppress them and they seem to be drowning in this bottomless sea let them gaze at my holy image and I will always be there ready to listen to their cries and soothe their pain. Tell them that they should always run to their Mother with confidence and love...”
Over the course of ten years Mother Mariana struggled with the issue of completing the statue. Many obstacles prevented its sculpting. One obstacle was a fear of idolatry on the part of the native people in Quito. Another was Mother Mariana’s personal fear of not being believed and thus putting the convent in jeopardy. In the year 1610, she asked the permission of the Bishop to create the statue. The sculpting of the statue of Our Lady of Good Success was given to Francisco del Castillo. Castillo was chosen as he was a talented sculptor and a devotee of the Blessed Mother. The statue of Our Lady of Good Success was blessed on February 2, 1611. On that day, she was placed above the seat of the Abbess chair at her own specific request as a sign to all that she was the one who governed and watched over the convent. Her official title being that of “Mary of Good Success of the Purification”.
The history of Our Lady of Good Success in Parañaque was based on the writings of Father Nicolas de San Pedro, OSA, the vicar of St. Andrew's Parish (today Cathedral Parish of St. Andrew).
The Augustinian fathers brought the image from Spain as a gift from the King to the Filipinos converts. The Augustinians stayed in Palanyag (Parañaque) and built St. Andrew's Parish in 1580, the same year the image was delivered. Her image was left untouched and covered with dust. Catig, a poor native from Don Galo, saw this and asked the sacristan if he could take the statue home. This was granted and Catiq took the statue to his house, lighting votive candles to honor the Virgin.
As Catig lay dying on his bed, his neighbors called Fr. Juan de Guevarra to deliver last rites. Upon blessing Catig, Fr. Guevarra saw the statue standing near the bed. He asked Catig for the her in exchange of PHP 24 (Note that peso was costly during the Spanish era in the Philippines.) At first, Catiq refused but then changed his mind knowing that she should be revered by the people. Father Guevarra took the statue and placed it in his room after Catiq had died.[3]
In the room, according to Fr. Guevarra, a miracle happened: a mysterious light emanated from her image, and he heard glorious hymns. Fr. Guevarra concluded that the image was miraculous.[4]
Father Guevarra reported the miracle immediately to the superior of the Augustinians, Father Alonzo de Mentrida. Upon hearing the words of the friar, he ordered that the icon be transported to St. Andrew's Church. On August 10, 1625, a great procession was held, and the image was mounted over the altar.[4]
The people of Palanyag assembled and voted to give the icon a name. Each suggested a title on a piece of paper and dropped it into a box held by an eight-year-old boy. The title "Our Lady of Good Events" (Buen Suceso) was chosen by six people and the image thus obtained its name.[5]
Archbishop Miguel Garcia Serrano and some of the officials of Manila joined to venerate the Lady's image. It was said that Archbishop Serrano is the first one to create the novena and reconstructed the altar. After the reconstruction, another feast was celebrated on February 22, 1626. Many went to the celebration, not only the ones who live in Parañaque, but also the neighboring provinces.
The image of Our Lady of Good Success was canonically crowned as "The Patroness of the City of Parañaque" on September 8, 2000, the same day as the feast of the Virgin Mary's birth. Many joined in the celebration: parishioners, local government officials, and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, before she became president. After the Lady was crowned, people shouted, "Viva la Virgen!" (Long live the Virgin!) After the mass, a procession was held with the statue of Our Lady.[6] Our Lady of Good Success serves as the patroness of the Diocese of Parañaque; followed by St. Andrew the Apostle, the patron of the Cathedral.
In Ecuador and Spain, her feast day is celebrated on February 2, the day Our Lady of Good Success appeared to Mother Mariana along with the archangels and St. Francis of Assisi (thus coinciding with the Feast of the Purification). In Parañaque, the feast day was on August 10, the day when the our lady was enthroned.
Highlight of the procession will be the singing of the “Gozos dela Virgen del Buen Suceso” by the luna hermosa, who will serenade the Virgen from a balcony along the route of the procession.