Canonical coronation

An Example of a Papal Bull. This is a bull from Pope Urban VIII, 1637, sealed with a leaden bulla.

A Canonical Coronation is an act of the Pope, duly expressed through a Papal Bull, wherein the Roman Catholic Church recognizes an image of the Virgin Mary under a specific name being venerated in a certain locality. The venerated image should be historically old, acclaimed, and in times of need serves as a beacon of faith and hope among the people. Coronation is one form of reverence frequently shown to images of the Virgin Mary. Canonical Coronation also manifests recognition of the fervent devotion of the faithful of a locality to the Virgin Mary.

The Catholic custom of crowning images is a very ancient practice. It originated in 1640 when Alejandro Sfortia, Marquis of Placencia died, leaving in his will a provision in which a large sum of money was to be invested and the proceeds to form a fund for the purchase of crowns of precious metals for the coronation of the most celebrated images in the world. It is especially from the end of the 16th century that in the West, the practice became widespread for the faithful, both religious and laity, to crown images of the Blessed Virgin. The popes not only endorsed this custom but on many occasions, either personally or through bishop-delegates, carried out the coronation of specific images of the Virgin Mary.

The growth of the custom led to the composition of a special rite for crowning images of Mary, and in the 19th century this was incorporated into the Roman liturgy. By means of this rite the Church proclaims that the Virgin Mary is rightly regarded and invoked as Queen of Heaven and Earth.

Canonically Crowned Images in the Philippines

Title of the Image	Date of Coronation	Place of Devotion	Papal Bull
Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario (Since 1593)	Oct. 5, 1907	Intramuros, Manila	Pope St. Pius X
Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia (Since 1710)	Sept. 19,1924	Naga, Bicol	Pope Pius XI
Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario (1605 Arrival)	April 12, 1926	Manaoag, Pangasinan	Pope Pius XI
Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje (1626 Arrival)	Nov. 25, 1926	Antipolo, Rizal	Pope Pius XI
Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario (1604 arrival)	June 20, 1954	Piat, Cagayan	Pope Pius XII
Nuestra Señora de la Regla (Since 1735)	Nov. 27, 1954	Opon, Cebu	Pope Pius XII
Nuestra Señora de Caysasay (1611 Discovery)	Dec. 8, 1954	Taal, Batangas	Pope Pius XII
Nuestra Señora de Guía (1571 Discovery)	Dec. 30, 1955	Ermita, Manila	Pope Pius XII
Nuestra Señora de Caridad (Since 1700's)	Jan. 12, 1956	Bantay, Ilocos Sur	Pope Pius XII
Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Since 1955)	Sept. 8, 1956	San Fernando, Pampanga	Pope Pius XII
Nuestra Señora del Pronto Socorro (Since 1700's)	1958	Boac, Marinduque	Pope Pius XII
Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario (1718 Discovery)	April 18, 1959	Orani, Bataan	Pope John XXIII
1Nuestra Señora de Namacpacan (1822 Arrival)	Nov. 25, 1959	Luna, La Union	Pope John XXIII
Nuestra Señora de la Divina Pastora (Since 1802)	April 26, 1964	Gapan, Nueva Ecija	Pope Paul VI
Nuestra Señora de Caridad (Since 1578)	May 1, 1971	Agoo, La Union	Pope Paul VI
Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Since 1630's)	Feb. 20, 1981	Jaro, Iloilo	Pope John Paul II
Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia (Since 1660's)	1985	Paco, Manila	Pope John Paul II
Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción (Since 1700)	1987	Concepción, Malabon	Pope John Paul II
Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados (1719 Arrival)	May 12, 1991	Santa Ana, Manila	Pope John Paul II
Nuestra Señora del Carmen (1617 Arrival)	Aug. 18, 1991	Quiapo, Manila	Pope John Paul II
Nuestra Señora de la Consolación y Correa (Since 1677)	Sept. 5, 2000	Intramuros, Manila	Pope John Paul II
Nuestra Señora de Buensuceso (1625 Discovery)	Sept. 8, 2000	La Huerta, Parañaque	Pope John Paul II
Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados (Since 1902)	Oct. 23, 2005	Marikina City	Pope Benedict XVI

LA NAVAL DE MANILA: THE BATTLE OF FAITH Rev. Louie R. Coronel, OP chubiop@yahoo.com

Two galleons, an ounce of courage and a mustard seed of faith led the combined Filipino-Spanish forces to the victory of the five naval battles known in history as the “Battles of La Naval” in 1646. It was not just an ordinary naval battle but of confirmed Divine and Marian intervention. The timing itself for the Dutch invasion of the Philippines was a strategic move following a number of destabilizing events. It was an offshoot of the Spanish-Dutch War (1568-1648) which reached even the colonies in Southeast Asia. The Protestant Dutch took possession of the adjacent island of Formosa (now Taiwan) in 1642. Then, the Dutch prepared their attack and built a number of warships in Indonesia. The opportune time for the Dutch invasion came in 1646 after Manila was devastated by an earthquake on November 30, 1645. Furthermore, the Mindanao conflict was heightened when the Muslim army and the Spanish government crossed the battle lines which took massive human casualties. Likewise, the Chinese Rebellion (1639-1640) destabilized the government. And to top it all, the death of the Archbishop-elect of Manila, Don Fernando Montero de Espinosa, did not only leave a vacant seat but also challenged the faith of the people who deeply needed a visible head to unite them in times of chaos.

Furthermore, the Philippines had no naval force at that time other than two merchant galleons: The Encarnacion (the first in command) and the Rosario which were providentially named in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They were hurriedly converted into battleships despite the fact that an armada of two galleons would have been ridiculous against the Dutch armada of eighteen warships plus a number of galleys and other small vessels. Many Filipinos were enlisted to take charge of the two galleons. The fleet was under the command of Gen. Lorenzo de Orella y Ugalde with Admiral Sebastian Lopez as second in command. Four Dominican chaplains, two in each galleon, were tasked to attend to the spiritual needs of the soldiers. The highly-skilled commander realized the greatness of the mission he was about to undertake so he surrendered himself completely to God. He made a vow to the Blessed Mother enshrined at Sto. Domingo Church in Intramuros that if they would come out triumphant, all the crew will go barefooted to Sto. Domingo and pay homage to her. It was also arranged that replicas of her image be placed in each galleon and the rosary recited unceasingly. Without his knowledge, Admiral Lopez, likewise, made the same vow. The Blessed Sacrament was exposed in all churches and chapels which were still under repair due to the ravages of the earthquake.

The two galleons left Cavite for Mariveles on March 3, 1646 with the assurance of the prayers of the entire country. But upon arrival in Mariveles, the Dutch were nowhere in sight. News came that there was a fleet of five Dutch ships off the coast of Pangasinan, and another one of seven in San Bernardino Strait near Sorsogon. The commander decided for Lingayen Gulf first. As battle becomes imminent, the crew prayed the rosary as they had never prayed before in front of the image of Our Lady of the Rosary.

The First Battle (March 15, 1646)

In the morning of March, an enemy ship was sighted but quickly disappeared from sight. It must have been a spy-ship to assess the strength of the Filipino-Spanish armada. The coast of Bolinao, Pangasinan became the initial battlefield at about 1:00 PM of March 15.Four Dutch warships with another vessel with oars engaged the two Spanish galleons for more than five hours. The shots from the cannon blended with shouts of “¡Viva la Virgen!” as it echoed through the waters. The soldiers firing the artillery had a rosary on one hand and a torch on the other to fire the cannon. At twilight, the unexpected happened when the Dutch retreated. At the first shot of the Ëncarnacion, a 15-kilo cannon ball hit badly one of the main Dutch ships. On the side of the Spanish fleet, nobody was killed and only few were wounded. Of the wounded, two got sick later and died in the hospital, but not due to their wounds from the battle. Day after day and night after night, battle or no battle, the choral recitation of the rosary continued, pleading for divine assistance and thanking Him for every triumph in each passing day.

The Second Battle (July 29, 1646) The two galleons and their two sampan escorts stayed at the port of Bolinao for repairs. From there, they received an order from Manila that they had to secure the safety of the galleon San Luis which was due to arrive from Mexico. However, it was sunk by a typhoon in the north of Luzon. On June 1, they left for Ticao island in Masbate. For more than a month, 7 Dutch ships and 16 smaller vessels barricaded the two Spanish ships blockading Ticao passage. But the Filipino-Spanish crew was spiritually reinforced by the Dominican chaplains and the continuous recitation of the rosary by the people. Suddenly, Dutch ships left on July 25, probably bound for Manila. Against all odds, the two Spanish galleons gave chase knowing that Manila had no defense. On July 29, they sighted the 7 Dutch warships near Marinduque. The Dutch preferred to fight at night perhaps relying on their fire-ships. The Dutch flagship was aglow with lights accompanied with a band playing. The naval battle continued until daybreak but during the battle, one Dutch fire-ship capsized, drowning all the crew except one who was rescued. On the Spanish side, five were killed with few wounded.

The Third Battle (July 31, 1646) The third battle took place on July 31 in the waters of Mindoro. With six ships remaining on the enemy side, the bombardment enraged. Surprisingly, all the cannons of the Encarnacion and Rosario worked very well. In the declaration of one of the cannoneers to the Commission of the Cathedral Chapter, he was able to fire 19 cannon shots one after the other without interruption. When darkness fell, the Dutch broke away towards the land abetted by thunderstorm which hindered the pursuit by the Spanish galleons. By August, the Dutch fleet had disappeared. Two of their fire-ships sank and their flagship heavily damaged. The Governor-General, Don Diego Fajardo y Chacón, ordered the victorious fleet to return to Cavite. In Manila, the members of the crew were acclaimed as heroes and their first act was to fulfill their promise and went barefoot to Sto. Domingo Church as a manifestation of unending gratitude.

The Fourth Battle (September 15, 1646) The two galleons were harnessed for the fourth La Naval battle on September 15 and were now joined by a newly-built San Diego which supposed to sail for Mexico until it was engaged with the Dutch ships on Nasugbu Bay. The San Diego stood by as reinforcement. Don Sebastian Lopez took the command from Gen. de Orella who had retired with honors while Don Agustin de Cepeda was designated as second in command. In the battle that was fought near Calavite and Lubang islands, the wind was not favorable to the Spanish galleons and it was fought for five hours with long range artillery. But about 9:00 PM, the Rosario, probably carried by the current, got near the 3 Dutch ships and challenged them to a fierce fight which lasted for several hours. When the light of dawn was enough to scan the horizon, the Encarnacion was able to go near the Rosario and offer help but the enemy ships had already retreated. Definitely a battle of one galleon against three decided the outcome and the one got the better of the three.

The Fifth Battle (October 4, 1646) On October 4, three Dutch ships attacked from Calavite point. This time, the Rosario was carried by the current and had difficulty in approaching the flagship. Now, only the Encarnacion engaged against the three Dutch warships for four long hours of bombardment. The casualties on the Dutch side were considerable, prompting them to make again a cowardly retreat. While retreating, the wind suddenly stopped and the oared vessel took the advantage since without the wind, sails would be no match for oars. They approached the nearest Dutch ship. Although they only had one cannon and the rest were smaller firearms, they inflicted so much damage that the Dutch ship was in danger of sinking and some men were seen jumping into the water. There was no casualty on the side of the Filipino-Spanish ship who with every sweep of the oar, accompanied the movement with a Hail Mary.

The victorious defenders petitioned for an official Church recognition and declaration of the naval victories of 1646 as miracles worked by the Mother of God. The Ecclesiastical Council in Cavite, with the help of doctors of Theology, canonical experts, and prominent religious, deliberated and examined written and oral testimonies from all eye-witnesses. Finally, on April 9, 1662, the Council ordered that the five naval victories of 1646 be declared as miraculous, "granted by the Sovereign Lord through the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin and devotion to her Rosary, that the miracles be celebrated, preached and held in festivities and to be recounted among the miracles wrought by the Lady of the Rosary for the greater devotion of the faithful to Our Most Blessed Virgin Mary and Her Holy Rosary." This decree was signed by all eight members of the Church Council. As ordered, these miracles have been preached and celebrated in solemn festivities for over three centuries. Through the centuries, there have been a number of political upheavals in Catholic Philippines. Still, the people have retained the tradition of the solemn feast of La Naval de Manila.

After the 1896 Revolution, the large processions in her honor were toned down, but never suspended. In 1907, La Naval was crowned canonically by Rome's Apostolic Legate. In l941, her shrine in the old Sto. Domingo Church in Manila was bombed. La Naval was safely hidden for a time in the old church's vault, and later transferred to the chapel of the University of Sto. Tomas. Here, thousands of her devotees flocked to honor her in her third Centennial in l946. In l952, the cornerstone was laid for a new shrine at the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City.

During the Marian year of l954, La Naval was led in solemn procession by the Philippine hierarchy, public officials, priests, nuns, and thousands of devotees in a boat-shaped carriage to her new home, the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City. This shrine was declared by the Philippine Conference of Bishops as the National Shrine of the Queen of the Holy Rosary of the Philippines.

During her feast in October of 1973, La Naval was acknowledged as the Patroness of the Quezon City. In l974, she was enshrined in a safer vault-altar because of recent sacrilegious robberies of churches and sacred images in the area.

In l985, a yearlong celebration was held in the Philippines for the Marian year. Shortly thereafter, in February of l986, Cardinal Jaime Sin, archbishop of Manila, called for "people power" in a pastoral act designed to avoid bloodshed. The phenomenon surfaced, and people armed only with the weapons of love — rosaries, icons of Jesus and Mary, flowers and food —were able to stop tanks and troops in battle gear. Rosary vigils and nightly processions of a replica of the antique image of La Naval were led by the Filipino Dominicans outside the gates of the Presidential palace. Many Filipinos attribute the victory in the peaceful revolution to divine and marian intervention as well.

This year in October, as we give honor once again to Mary, we shall also be celebrating the Centennial of her Canonical Coronation under the title La Naval de Manila. This year shall witness not only another grand celebration but a high point in the renowned La Naval tradition. The re-enactment of the coronation will happen on October 4, 2007 at Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City. Novena masses from October 5 to 13 will be preceded by a serenata of seasoned artists and it shall culminate in a grand procession on October 14, the feast day itself. Let us relive the saga of La Naval and the triumph of a people’s faith.

Crowning Rites

Hereunder is the list of cardinals, bishops and archbishops who held the crowning rites:

• Most Rev. Ambrosio Aguis, OSB
  

- Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario (La Naval de Manila)

• Most Rev. Guglielmo Piani, SDB
  

- Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia de Naga
- Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de Manaoag

• Most Rev. Michael O'Doherty
  

- Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaj de Antipolo

• Most Rev. Egidio Vagnozzi
  

- Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de Piat
- Nuestra Señora de la Regla de Opon
- Nuestra Señora de Guía de Ermita
- Nuestra Señora de Caridad de Bantay
- Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de San Fernando

• Most Rev. Alfredo Ma. Obviar
  

- Nuestra Señora del Pronto Socorro de Boac

• His Eminence Fernando Cardinal Palacios
  

- Nuestra Señora de Caysasay de Taal

• Most. Rev. Salvatore Siino
  

- Nuestra Señora de Namacpacan de Luna

• Most. Rev. Mariano Gaviola
  

- Nuestra Señora de la Divina Pastora de Gapan

• Most Rev. Carmine Rocco
  

- Nuestra Señora de Caridad de Agoo

• Most Rev. Gian Vincenzo Moreni
  

- Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Manila

• His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin, DD
  

- Nuestra Señora del Carmen de Manila
- Nuestra Señora de la Consolación y Correa de Manila
- Nuestra Señora de Buensuceso de Parañaque

• Most Rev. Gaudencio Rosales, DD
  

- Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Marikina

• Records are not Available.
  

- Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de Orani
- Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Jaro
- Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia de Manila
- Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción

External Links

• All set for 50th Anniversary of Canonical Coronation of Virgen delos Remedios
• The 39th Anniversay Coronation of La Divina Pastora
  
• The Centennial of the Canonical Coronation of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary - La Naval de Manila