Our Lady of Arantzazu

Our Lady of Aranzazu
Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu

The image taken during its canonical coronation
Location San Mateo, Rizal
Philippines Philippines
Date 1716
Witness Rodrigo de Baltzategui
Type Marian devotion from Oñate, Spain
Holy See approval Pope Francis
Shrine Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu
Patronage Against natural disaster and calamities

Our Lady of Aranzazu (Spanish: Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu) is a Roman Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated in San Mateo, Rizal, Philippines. The image is widely known due to claims of miraculous healing and flood safety. Pope Francis granted the image a Canonical coronation on 31 May 2017.

History

The church where the current image is enshrined.

The history of the Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu (also known as Birhen ng Bayang San Mateo Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu) in San Mateo, Rizal dates back to the early Spanish era of 1596, when the Augustinians friars built the first settlements in the place. On 29 August 1596, the first parish was built under and in honor of the patron Saint Matthew. On 6 December 1696, the Jesuits came and gained control of the town. In 1705, a Jesuit priest, Father Juan de Echazabal, started the devotion to Our Lady of Aranzazu from Spain and changed the patron of the town from St. Matthew to Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu.[1]

A new church was constructed on the site of the current church and placed the church of San Mateo under the patronage of the Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu. The first image of the Virgin of Aranzazu was brought to the Philippines by a Spanish captain from the Basque region. In 1732, the Dominicans of Letran in Intramuros made effort in spreading the devotion to the Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu among Filipinos during the Spanish era. Thousand of devotees offer testimonials of miracles through the intercession of the Virgin of Aranzazu. The church was proclaimed as Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu on 16 July 2004.

Description

The venerated Marian image wears an imperial regalia holding an apple which symbolizes Mary as the New eve (La Nueva Eva) and the Child Jesus. The image depicts the apparition in 1469 as she stands in a thorn-tree with a small quadrilateral bell hanging on it . It includes the statue of Rodrigo de Balzategui in a kneeling position. The image is known for its controversial artistic posture, as the original image in Sanctuary of Arantzazu, in Oñate, Spain is a seated Madonna, yet stylized as standing posture when its devotion was first introduced to the Philippine islands.[2] A similar reconstructed once more in 1990, when its controversy was officially settled by the Diocese of Antipolo in 2012 by the decision of Bishop Gabriel Reyes. The image retained its standing posture, per local custom and wishes of its devotees.

Veneration

The image granted an Episcopal Coronation on 9 November 2013 by the Bishop of Antipolo, Gabriel V. Reyes, while the coronation ceremony was officiated by Reverend Francisco M. De Leon, D.D.

Canonical Coronation of Our Lady of Aranzazu. Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo Crowing the Image
Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, crowning the image on behalf of Pope Francis.

The canonical crowning of the image was granted in response to the petition made by the community through the parish priest Reverend Lawrence C. Paz with documents prepared by the Cofradia de Nuestra Señora de Aranzau (now Association of Our Lady of Aranzazu). The decree was promulgated on 17 June 2016 by Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the sacraments, Cardinal Robert Sarah. The coronation was held on 31 May 2017.

Devotion

The feast day of the image is celebrated every September 9 and is known for holding annually the parade of rice cakes with singing and dancing In honor of the image.

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://sanmateo2016.wordpress.com/2016/02/24/church-of-nuestra-senora-de-aranzazu/
  2. ↑ https://traveleronfoot.wordpress.com/tag/national-shrine-of-the-nuestra-senora-de-aranzazu/

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