3324 Don Bosco's Madonna Debuts in Grand Marian Procession, Manila
austraLasia #3324
Don
Bosco's
Madonna Debuts in Grand Marian Procession, Manila
MANILA: 4
December
2013
-- Mary
Help of Christians joined the Grand Marian Procession in
Manila on
December 1, 2013 for the very first time. The annual festivity
which
began on December 8, 1619 is held in Intramuros, the historic
centuries-old walled city of Manila. The activity was
suspended during
World War II and was later revived in 1980 every first Sunday
of
Advent. It is organized by the Cofradia de la Immaculada
Concepcion
Foundation and the Intramuros Administration:
More than one hundred titles of Mary
were part of the procession. Many of
these were
centuries-old and come from important Marian centres in the
Philippines, which use this opportunity to promote and express
their
devotion to one or other title of Our Lady.
The National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in
Parañaque, headed by
Fr. Vitaliano Dimaranan, SDB, Rector and Head of Marian
Promotions,
actively promoted the devotion by participating in the
procession for
the first time. The devotees of the Diocesan Shrine of Mary
Help of
Christians in Canlubang (south of Manila) were also present.
It was a
big blessing for the Salesian Family when they joined the
procession
because more than 400 Salesians, members of the Salesian
Family,
alumni, students from different Salesian Schools, Salesian
aspirants
and prenovices, students, youth organizations and parishioners
were
present to express their devotion to Mary Help of Christians.
They followed the Mary Help of Christians float during the
long
procession, in support of her ‘debut’ to this yearly
‘extravaganza’ of
Marian faith. Banners of St John Bosco also followed, along
with a
marching band from the City of Mandaluyong where the owner of
the
statue, Mr. Nolan Angeles, is an alumnus of the Salesian
school there.
The statue of Mary Help of Christians was singled out among
the other
statues when it stopped in front of the Manila Cathedral where
dignitaries and guests were seated. Our Lady was given a
special
garland made from the national flower, the ‘sampaguita’, by
His Grace
Archbishop Charles Bo, Salesian Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar,
who was
the guest of honor for the occasion.
Devotion to Mary Help of Christians came to the Philippines
even before
the formal opening of the first Salesian works in 1951. It was
propagated by the late Salesian Apostolic Nuncio to the
Philippines,
Archbishop Guillermo Piani. We can also say that the
Archconfraternity
of MHC, ADMA, came before the SDBs.
