2023 Enthronement Of Our Lady Of La Naval

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 3):

October 1, 2023

The 2023 Enthronement of Our Lady of La Naval is celebrated on October 1, 2023 at the main church at 7:30 AM. 

The Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary — La Naval de Manila (Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila) is a venerated title of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Philippines. 

In 1593 Spanish Governor-General Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas commissioned a statue of Our Lady of the Rosary for public veneration in memory of his deceased father. 

Captain Hernando de los Rios Coronel was tasked to oversee the making of the image. A Chinese immigrant did the sculpture. It was later given to the Dominican friars, who then installed it at the Santo Domingo Church. 

In 1646, the naval forces of the Protestant Dutch Republic tried repeated attempts to conquer the Philippines. The Spanish and Filipino forces asked the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. They placed themselves under the protection of Our Lady of the Rosary and prayed the rosary repeatedly. 

The Spanish navy engaged the superior Dutch fleet in five major battles at sea and losing only fifteen men. They attributed to the Blessed Virgin Mary the victory and walked barefoot to the shrine in gratitude to the Virgin. 

The Archdiocese of Manila declared on April 9, 1662 that the naval victory was a miraculous event that was attributed through the intercession of the Virgin Mary. Pope Pius X granted the image a decree of Canonical Coronation on April 4, 1906 and the rite of coronation was executed by the Apostolic Delegate to the Philippines, The Most Rev. Ambrose Agius, O.S.B. on October 5, 1907. 

On October 4, 2012, the National Museum of the Philippines declared the image, its church and convent, and other objects stored in the complex as "National Cultural Treasure." The declaration is in accordance with Republic Act 10066 or The National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on March 26, 2010. 

The 2023 festivities for the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of La Naval de Manila with the theme, “Mahal na Birhen ng La Naval: Pintakasi ng Sambayanang Kristiyano,” highlights the 50th anniversary when she was declared the patroness of Quezon City. The La Naval festivities started on Sept. 28, 2023 with the traditional enthronement of the canonically crowned Marian image.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

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