President Marcos, Bishop Villegas join devotees in Lady of Manaoag centennial

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas joined devotees in Pangasinan on Wednesday (April 22) to commemorate the centennial of the coronation of Our Lady of Manaoag.

The celebration was held at the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag, one of the country’s most prominent pilgrimage sites and a long-standing center of Marian devotion.

Villegas and Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula presided over the Holy Mass together with other priests. 

During the Mass, Marcos and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos presented ceremonial crowns to Apostolic Nuncio Charles John Brown, who represented the Holy See. Villegas and Brown then installed the crown on the image of Our Lady of Manaoag.

During the Mass, Marcos read a prayer. “May this celebration be with our moment as a people whom you have called in this blessed place and renew our commitment to serve you and our neighbors with love and compassion through the intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag, the beloved protectress and patroness of the province of Pangasinan.”

“May our lives be filled with your blessings and may we always glorify you in our words and actions,” he said.

The celebration included a dramatization of the crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Child Jesus, followed by a grand procession of the image through the streets of Manaoag.

Themed “Inán Mariá: Crowned in Grace, Calling Us to Jesus,” the celebration highlighted the deep and enduring Marian devotion among Filipino Catholics. 

The event marked the 100th anniversary of the canonical coronation of the image in 1926, a rare recognition granted by the Vatican. 

Also present during the event were Pangasinan Governor Ramon V. Guico III and Manaoag Mayor Jeremy Agerico Rosario.

The town of Manaoag, whose name comes from a local word meaning “to call,” is linked to accounts of Marian apparitions and has long been a destination for pilgrims seeking healing, guidance, and spiritual solace.

The two-hour Mass that drew a massive crowd, with attendees overflowing beyond the grounds. 

Health responders attended to at least 10 elderly devotees and two teenagers. Several other individuals have reportedly collapsed due to the extreme heat and crowded conditions. Despite the intense heat, many of the faithful remained to witness the ceremony.

-Paraluman News