Hundreds of thousands honor Our Lady of Manaoag at coronation centennial, blending faith, history, and personal testimonies of miracles
Newsroom (28/04/2026 Gaudium Press ) Thousands of Filipino devotees gathered in Pangasinan on April 22 to mark the 100th anniversary of the canonical coronation of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag, one of the country’s most venerated Marian images.
An estimated 700,000 pilgrims attended the celebration at the Manaoag Basilica, braving intense heat and humidity in a powerful display of enduring faith. The event also drew national attention with the presence of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, who joined the commemorative Mass and reenactment of the image’s 1926 crowning.
A canonical coronation, granted by papal authority, recognizes deep and widespread devotion to a Marian image. Our Lady of Manaoag became the third such image in the Philippines to receive this honor. Today, the country counts 64 canonically crowned Marian icons.
A devotion spanning four centuries
Devotion to the “Lady who calls” dates back over 400 years, rooted in a story of a middle-aged farmer who reportedly encountered the Virgin Mary on a hilltop in 1610. According to tradition, the Virgin instructed that a church be built on the site.
Though the apparition has never been officially recognized by the Vatican, it profoundly shaped the town’s identity. Originally named Santa Monica, the town was later renamed Manaoag—derived from a local word meaning “to call”—in reference to the Virgin’s call.
Church leadership in the area transitioned from the Augustinians to the Dominicans in the early 17th century. The Dominicans eventually relocated the church to its current site, reinforcing the significance of the apparition narrative.
Miracles attributed to Our Lady of Manaoag helped solidify devotion, including a reported 1627 account of a child returning to life. Over time, the image came to be regarded as one of the most powerful Marian figures in Asia’s largest Catholic-majority nation.
Faith expressed in personal stories
For many devotees, the celebration was deeply personal. Dr. Bunny Bonales, an obstetrician-gynecologist, traced her connection to the shrine back three decades, when she visited as a medical student to have pencils blessed before her board exams.
“I joined thousands of students with similar wishes,” she said. After passing her exams in 1994, she went on to build a successful medical career.
Bonales continues to attribute significance to the Virgin’s intercession, particularly in her work helping couples conceive. Reflecting on the image of Mary carrying the child Jesus, locally known as Apo Baket, she said, “We are just instruments… so that healing can happen.”
Other pilgrims shared similar expressions of faith. Sixty-four-year-old Marilou Fajardo joined a two-hour evening procession, saying her participation was an act of strengthening herself. Her sister, Bernadette, a single mother, attended to give thanks and pray for her youngest child’s education.
“Have faith, and all that you pray for will be granted,” Bernadette said, pointing to the Virgin’s “spirit of complete surrender.”
A blend of faith and national presence
The centennial celebration took on added significance with the involvement of the country’s highest officials. During the reenactment ceremony, President Marcos carried the crown of the Virgin to the basilica sanctuary and presented it for blessing by Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown.
In a symbolic moment reflecting the relationship between church and state, the nuncio crowned the image as Marcos stood behind him as witness. The president later led a post-communion prayer.
Pilgrimage in the modern age
Amid the sea of devotees, expressions of faith also adapted to modern realities. Twenty-five-year-old Oning Fanio joined the procession while on a video call with his 71-year-old sick grandmother, allowing her to witness the event remotely.
“I called her so she could see Mother Mary… Maybe, in some way, a miracle might happen,” he said.
As night fell and processions filled the streets, the enduring devotion to Our Lady of Manaoag—rooted in centuries-old tradition yet alive in contemporary lives—remained the defining force of the celebration.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Asianews.it
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