Sto. Niño de Batangan - The Holy Child of Batangas

Sto. Niño de Batangan

Venerated in the Basilica Minor of Batangas City

Photo courtesy of Randy Caponpon del Mundo

In this Santo Feature, I present you the beloved Sto. Niño de Batangan. This image made of a dark hard wood said to have originated in Spain. The Image was on boarded in a galleon going to Cebu. when it encountered storm near Batangas and decide to take refuge in the bay of Batangas until the storm passed, the Spaniards brought the Niño to the church of "Batangan", now Batangas City. According to one story, the Spaniards and the native decided to sing the "Te Deum" after which the storm finally stop. The Spaniards then continue their journey to Cebu along with the Image.

Months later, the galleon finally landed in Cebu,when they discovered that the Niño was lost, they figured that they must have left it in Batangas or lost it along the voyage. They sent a letter to the Church of Batangan to inform them if they have the lost image. Back in Batangas, a deaf-mute child was playing in the side of Calumpang River discovered a Niño on top of a log floating in the river. It was later brought to the church and was venerated.

The letter from Cebu then came referring them about the lost image, the parish of Batangan later replied stating that the Niño was in Batangas. The Spaniards in Cebu decide to head back to Batangas to retrieve the image but when they were about to for Cebu strong winds came and terrible waves prevented them from sailing back. Knowing that the Niño wants to stay in Batangan, the Spaniards decided to let the image stay, with this the weather became calm.

Possibly a cover of a prayer book, the picture above is the original Nino before the tragic fire.

Photo courtesy of the Parish of the Immaculate Conception-Batangas City

The Original Sto. Niño de Batangan, taken from an estandarte

 from the Basilica. 

The image is venerated in the Church of Batangas, later Basilica de Immaculate Conception, dress in a silver frontal and a embroidered cape fit for the small king. It has a Corona place in its head, a Setro place in its right while a Simborio on its left hand and has a pair of golden boots place in a simple silver peana.

Sadly tragedy struck the beloved Niño, on February of 1999, few weeks after its festivities. The "Bahay Pari" at the back of the Basilica went into flames, at that time the Niño was kept inside the in room of the Msgr. Rafael "Boy" Oriondo then parish priest of the Basilica  for safe keeping. Unfortunately the image was not saved as the fire had consume the entire edifice. As the fire went down, the parishioners tried to look for the remains of the Niño. They discovered the peana with the pair of boots containing the ashes of image, they gather all the remains and place it in the base of the original image that survive the fire. It is sad to note that the image had no replica, seeing that the image will not be destroyed. A well known devotee later commissioned a replica to replace the said image which now used as the official Niño up to now.

Today the replica takes part of the annual festivities wearing some of the regalia that the Original use to have. Viva Sto. Niño de Batangan.

The Sto. Niño de Batangan, after the Fluvial procession last January 7, 2013

Santa Maria Magdalena

As part of the celebrating the feast day of Mary Magdalen, here I present you a "Santo Feature" giving you Sta. Maria Magdalena of Cuenca, Batangas. Magdalena as we local calls her is a wooden debulto image, meaning hollowed inside, making the image lightweight compared to solid ones. She is also part of the original "Tres Maria's" namely Veronica, Salome and Magdalena later Quatro Maria's as Maria Jacobe(Cleofe) was added in 2009. She is well known to us the most beautiful of all, having no angel to seek for, with those emotion of the eyes, more of a Dolorosa, one will try to seek her more. What's also interesting about her is how she and the Marias survived the War, other images in the did not, Entierro on the other hand did along with Paciencia, Sto. Cristo and San Isidro. According to my friend Jay-Ar Cabasaan(chunchiness), Magdalena was used as safe for jewels, and this was probably used for the repairs of the recamadero's house. At present the image is in the home of its owner thou not having a urna, we make monthly inspection for her. For now she needs repairs, an encarna and new accessories.

Photos courtesy of Jay-Ar Cabasaan(chunchiness) via Flickr

The Ever Wondering Virgin - The Our Lady of Caysasay

Nuestra Señora de Caysasay
Taal, Batangas

Of all the Marian images I know the Virgin of Caysasay, locally as Birhen ng Caysasay is the most mysterious and one of the most fascinating. Her story endure many that she is know for being "Mapaghimala", yours truly is also one of those whom had got en touch to her making her as my Patroness in time of need.But what is the story behind this image and how it became one of the most popular rendition of the Immaculate Conception and She being known as the smallest Marian Image in the Philippines.

The discovery of Juan Maningcad in 1603

According to my research, in the year 1603, a pious fisherman named Juan Manigcad went fishing in the Pansipit River, while casting his net he felt some weight he them lifted the net and was  amaze to discover a wooden image of the Virgin Mary. According to him the image twinkle like star even after its long immersion in the  water. Not knowing where did it come from he then carried it to the village. Juan  then ask whom have lost the it, one of the elder then say the image might have been carried by the Spaniards in one of there expedition some years ago, possibly thrown overboard to pacify the ravages of the ocean and was carried by the waves to the river. Soon the news of the discovery reach the Parish Priest of Taal, the priest decided to see the image itself. There they saw the beautiful image they knelt down and venerated it. They decided to take the it to the Capital where a fest was celebrated.

The Image as looks when it was discovered in 1603 and rediscovery in 1611

The priest entrusted the image to Doña Maria Espiritu, where she placed the Virgin in an urn. But one night she saw the urn empty and the image was gone yet at the break of dawn it was again in its usual place. Worried about the disappearance, the Lady contacted the priest. Upon hearing he ordered to stay on vigil on the Virgin along with others. In their guard they found the urn empty yet in the morning the image was found inside not knowing where did it go, this manifestation continue for days not knowing the Virgins desire.

Then one night they heard a mysterious music that caused them great joy, they followed the music and found themselves in rocky hillside now known as "Barrio Caysasay". After some time the Priest decided to take the image and bring it to the church(now in ruins after the 1754 eruption) for safe keeping. But the image continue to leave until one day it completely disappeared and was nowhere to be found.

After several years, in the place where the image used to be found, two women gathering firewood namely; Maria Bagohin and Maria Talain got thirsty and found a well. While looking at the water they saw a reflection of an image, they looked up and saw the lost image on a tall Sampaguita bush surrounded by Kasay-kasay birds along with two lighted candles on each side. They immediately reported the what they saw to the priest, whom at first did not believe. The two women plead asking to accompany them. Upon hearing  the priest took his hat and followed them. Upon their arrival the priest saw the lost Virgin, knowing its intention the priest and the people decided the image to stay in what they soon called as "Barrio Caysasay", they later constructed a small chapel made of bamboo and nipa afterwards.

The site where the chapel they erected was rocky spot, forested and inundated by salt water, which made it hard for the people to live. They invoked the help of the Virgin, until one day fresh water sprang from the rock near the chapel. Sometime later the chapel of light materials was torn down to make way for a stone edifice, a stone church made of Coral stone was built with the aid of some Chinese masons, one of which was a in the name "Haybing", the structure was made in a span of two years only disturb by the by the Chinese uprising in Manila in 1639, which later ordered all Chinese be decapitated in the town of Taal. The church was finish in 1640.Today Church remained the same as it did for almost four centuries ago with some repairs after some damages cause by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

 The Our Lady of Caysasay, as it appears today.

A close-up of the Virgin's face

An estampita of the Virgin of Caysasay

The Virgin continue to become popular among Batangeños, wherein they flock to her sanctuary to honor or thank her for protecting them from sickness and tragedies. They also fetch water from the "Balon ng Sta. Lucia" believing to be miraculous. The image was later crowned in 1954 by Papal Nuncio Fernando Palacios and was later declared as Queen of the Archdiocese of Lipa.

The reciting of the novena

Today Her Camarera is Madam Violy Loyola

Photo credits to Randy Caponpon del Mundo and Joel de Leon via Flickr

Hello World

After a long hours of creating and editing finally the goal has been reach so welcome to the new blog site I call the "Traveling Camarero". The purpose of this blog is to share information not only in the Catholic world but also in the ordinary life of a teenager like me plus there will be some post relating the stories and news here in Batangas . I hope that this will become an intrument of teaching as a source of information to all of us. God bless!