Naga City was not declared the Pilgrim City of the Philippines for nothing. It is my first time here in Naga, and for that matter, in the Bicolandia, and I have felt the deep religiosity of the Bicolanos.
The plane which I took from Manila landed at the domestic
airport in Pili, the capital of Camarines Sur. It rests near the foot of the
imposing Mount Isarog, a natural greeting to any guest arriving in this part of
the country.
The trip went well and despite the last minute reservation I made with Naga Land Hotel, I was pretty
surprised I was offered a nice accommodation and free shuttle from the Airport!
The front desk provided me with the only room available, a Deluxe suite, which
can accommodate three people. It is spacious and clean. The hotel staff were
very friendly. I made special requests many times over but they never hesitate to
provide me with what I needed. The bed was comfortable and they offer three pillows, more than the usual most hotels offer. Breakfast
is available for an additional P50.00.
Camarines Sur is known for its pili nuts
and spicy delicacies! The hotel is located at the heart of
the city center and a short walk is 1st Colonial, the restaurant that offers
authentic and innovative Bicolano cuisine. Worth trying is its famous Sili Ice
Cream. You can opt for varying intensity of the ice cream’s spiciness, depending on how much
you can tolerate!
The town was established in 1575 upon the order of Spanish
Governor-General Francisco de Sande, the city, then named Ciudad de Nueva
Cáceres (New Cáceres City), earned its status as the third Spanish Royal City
in the Spanish East Indies after Iloilo and Manila.
Tourists can go on a Naga history and culture tour to visit many
of its centuries-old structures. At Plaza Quince Martires, you can marvel at
the memorial established in honor of the Fifteen Martyrs of Bicol. Eleven of
the 15 were executed at the Luneta in Manila five days after the execution of
Dr. Jose Rizal, while the rest were
either exiled or died in prison. Their heroism, though, was not as
celebrated as the GomBurZa, although Naguenos would commemorate their
martyrdom. The monument at Plaza Quince Martires was formally dedicated on
November 30, 1923.
The Bicolanos are deeply religious and their fervent faith
an interesting phenomenon. Which is why I am not surprised that the churches
are teeming with parishioners, especially every Sunday. The San Francisco
Church is one of the many churches the faithful devoted flock to pray,
especially during Sundays. Established in 1575, the church was a witness to
centuries of Bicolano religiosity that continues into the present.
Another must visit religious destination is the Naga
Metropolitan Cathedral, which is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of
Caceres. The first church was established after the creation of the archdiocese
as the Diocese of Cáceres in 1595. The present cathedral was built in 1808, and
was completed and consecrated in 1843. Its Romanesque ornamentation adds to its
imposing appeal, while the noticeably huge arcades and columns inside the
cathedral ensures that the church would stand earthquakes that usually rock
this part of the Philippines.
The most identifiable proof of the Bicolanos’ depth of faith
is their devotion to the Lady of Peñafrancia, which they affectionately call
"Ina." The Blessed Virgin of Peñafrancia has long been venerated in
Salamanca, Spain, and a priest brought a replica of her image to Naga from
Spain over 300 years ago after he was miraculously healed by the image. Attestations of the Virgin’s many miracles have
attraction millions of faithful who travel to venerate the shrine every year.
By 1655, the annual festival celebrated in the Virgin’s honor was attracting
more devotees than the shrine could handle, so it was decided to take the image
to the bigger Naga Cathedral for her feast day.
This annual ritual of transfer is known as the Translacion. The route begins at the
shrine to the cathedral every second Saturday of September. The Virgin is
accorded pomp and enthusiasm with all-male
retinues escorting the image. Legend has it that bad luck comes when women are
let to join the Translacion. The
festival, though, has seen its share of tragedy. Twice, in the 1650s and again
in 1973, too much spectators caused the overloaded bridge collapse. The 1973
tragedy claimed 138 lives.
A novena is held every day nine days before the feast day.
On the first day of the novena, the image of the Virgin, a replica of the
Madonna in Peñafrancia, Spain, is taken from the shrine to the Naga Cathedral after
which the novena commences. The image is returned to her shrine following the
Naga River route on the ninth day. The procession is illuminated by the thousands
of candles held by the followers riding boats as they escort the image. When
they finally reached the destination, the faithful would shout "Viva la
Virgen" (Long live the Virgin!) and the image is carried back in a
procession to the cathedral. Millions of Bicolanos will once again show to the
whole Christian world their strong faith and loyalty to their Heavenly Mother.
A multicolored pagoda which bears the images of the Virgin
of Peñafrancia and the Divino Rostro traverses the Bicol River. The male
devotees, already sunburnt by the this time, would join the images in the huge
pagoda in their most devoted way they can to send her off back to her home
shrine at the Basilica. Upon her arrival, a throng of religious devotees would
welcome her, together with the Roman Catholic dignitaries of the Bicol Region.
The Bicolanos’ religiosity best explains their temperance
despite the calamities that strike it year by year. Faith has seen them through
and as disasters hit them time and again, the Bicolanos have their subtle way
of suffering and enduring in silence knowing that the Virgin of the Penafrancia
will make them live for another day.
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