January 24-25 was a day of celebration for the "soldiers of Christ" in Manila. Our Lady of Fatima's pilgrim image arrived at the Manila Cathedral for veneration. It was an open invitation for Manilenos to come and visit our Lady of Fatima and re-connect, as it were, with her gentle love and grace.
I was fortunate to have made it ti the noon Mass at the Cathedral. Extra monobloc chairs have been placed to accommodate the public who were there for the same reason. Whatever their petitions were, it was obvious that each and every individual there had been touched by a palpable energy that the image manifested. It's as if the image was alive.
I was given a small pamphlet that included prayers for Her and the pledge to spread the veneration to her Immaculate heart. I was moved by the eyes of the image. On the base of her foot, a sign read: "Do not touch the image. Let her touch you." standing in front of her after Mass, the pilgrim image was surrounded by the flock who whipped out the camera phones to take a gazillion photos of her. I came prepared... I had my trusty digicam with me. I hope you enjoy the photos!
Actually, I wasn't surprised that the cathedral was packed with devotees. We Filipinos, after all, are Marian folllowers at heart. Each and every macho Pinoy guy is really attached to his mother. The women of the other hand, look up to her for strength and inspiration.
The image itself is so simply garbed. It's difficult to understand that there is tremendous amount of funding for the image's travels and upkeep. And yet, the pilgrim image of Our Lady of Fatima is simply draped in a white embroidered mantle. And when you look into the image's eyes, it's a if you were looking at the eyes of a live woman who's vision could pierce through your own soul.
The international pilgrim image of Our Lady of Fatima came into being after the Vatican acknowledged its veracity. The Lady of Fatima appeared to three peasant children in Portugal in the summer of 1917. Fernando, Jacinta and Lucia were busy tending their flock when they heard a woman calling to them. She gave them a message for them to spread to the world. Pray! for conversion of sinners and for peace. Noone believed them!
Eventually the Lady told them that on October 13, 1917, She will give them a sign so that all may believe. When the day had arrived, it had been raining profusely the night before and the morning of the appointed date. Skeptics and cynics, as well as agnostics were chiding the children for spreading lies. It was then that the miracle of the dancing sun occurred. All the skeptics were floored! The mud had dried, the rain had stopped and the healing started. Fernando and Jacinta died early as prophesied by the Lady. Lucia became a Carmelite nun and eventually passed on. Her secret revealed at Fatima but kept under wraps was eventually revealed by Pope Joh Paul II. Since then, Fatima had become a site for pilgrims to converge and pray for petitions to our Lady.
The image that arrived in Manila is the same one that had been sent out to tour the world since 1947. She has since gone around the world spreading her message of praying the rosary for peace in the world and for the conversion of souls. She also asks that the faithful pray for sinners. Only then can mankind be saved from self-destruction. It has been recorded that the image had shed human tears at least thirty times. For fifty seven years, the image has gone around the world non-stop. We have been greatly favored by her presence this year. Let's hope we keep our pledge to pray the rosary everyday.
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