Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage

Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage was the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary on the basis of the Spanish galleon's successful eight ocean crossings.
It was also believed that she saved the galleon by warning the people about an imminent catastrophe.


On March 25, 1626, the galleon trading ship "El Almirante" arrived from Acapulco, Mexico. On board was the Governor of the Philippines Don Juan Niño de Tabora, who brought with him the statue from Mexico. The statue was first taken to the Jesuit church in Intramuros called Saint Ignatius Church. When the Governor Tabora died in 1632, the statue was donated to the Jesuits for enshrinment in the present church of Antipolo.
In 1639, the Chinese rose in revolt, burning the Antipolo town and church. In fear that the statue would be destroyed, Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera ordered the statue be transferred back to Manila. Instead, a change of plans came and the statue was moved to Cavite where it was transiently venerated.
Don Sebastian ordered the statue removed in 1648, when it was transferred from its Cavite shrine and was shipped back to Mexico. At the time, having a statue of a saint on the ship served as a patroness or protector of the Acapulco trade.
The statue boarded several Acapulco trade ships, namely the following galleons:

• El Almirante — (1626)
• San Luis — (1648–1649)
• Encarnacion — (1650)
• San Diego — (1651–1653)
• San Francisco Javier — (1659–1662)
• Nuestra Señora del Pilar — (1663)
• San Jose — (1746–1748)

All routes taken by the statue were between Manila to Acapulco to Manila routes from 1648 to 1748.
A royal decree from the King of Spain in May 19, 1864 ordered that the curias of San Nicolas de Tolentino be turned over to the Jesuits and in exchange, the curias of Antipolo, Taytay and Morong were tuned over to the Agustinian Recollects. The statue, by virtue of being under the jurisdiction of Antipolo became owned by the Augustinian recollect priests.
On November 26, 1926, the statue was canonically crowned by the Archbishop of Manila, Rev. Michael J. O' Doherty.

The major shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage is the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Antipolo. The image is at the center of the altar.

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

"We firmly believe that the Blessed Virgin Mary in the first instant of her conception was, by a unique grace and privilege of the Almighty God in view of the merits of Jesus Christ the Savior of human race, preserved exempt from all stain of original sin." 

This dogma, based on the Bible and the Tradition of the Church, was solemnly defined by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854, during the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, by the papal bull Ineffabilis Deus. The incompatibility between Mary and Satan, which was anticipated in the Book of Genesis-
"I will put enmity between you and the woman." (Genesis 3:15)-was confirmed by Saint Gabriel the Archangel at the Annunciation. He said: "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" (St. Luke 1:42).
It was reaffirmed by the salutation of her kinswoman, Elizabeth: "Blessed are you among women." (St. Luke 1:42).

In the Middle Ages, the Immaculate Conception of Mary was at the center of a theological debate. The Dominicans and other illustrious theologians like Saint Bernard of Clairvaux and Saint Thomas Aquinas were of the opinion that Mary was conceived with the original sin. Their view was opposed by the Franciscans, like Duns Scoto, who maintained that the Mother of Jesus could not have been stained by any sin.

The discussion was closed by Pope Pius IX in 1854, when he declared that the universal redemption of Jesus was anticipated for Mary at the moment of her conception in view of her divine motherhood. The dogmatic definition received heavenly endorsement during the apparitions at Lourdes in 1858. When Saint Bernadette Soubirous asked the name of the Lady, the Lady answered: "I am the Immaculate Conception."

Mary, the Mirror of Justice

The various symbolic meanings of the mirror highlight:

1.-Purity of the soul

2.-Self-knowledge and moral integrity

3.-ability to reflect reality

Mary's soul is holy and pure. She reflects the Sun of Justice, meaning God's perfection and holiness. She is the mirror without blemish of God's majesty. (Wisdom 7:6) The Sun of Justice is reflected on the image of the Madonna and the Child. The angel with balance and sword, usually a symbol of justice, signifies God's perfection. There is a second and oval mirror whose surface is tainted and marred. In it three shadowy silhouettes can be barely perceived, featuring Adam or sinful humanity between Good and Evil, that is Satan, beckoning and tempting, and the guardian angel watching over his protege. This mirror does not reflect light and perfection, but darkness and sin, or at least the blurred and human vision of God and eternity.

Thus St. Paul reminds us that "at present we see indistinctly as in a mirror, but then face to face." (1 Corinthians 13:12) Under the image is a Latin inscription in which Saint Paul said to the Corinthians, in Latin, "Videmus nunc per ipeculum."

Our Lady of Sorrows

Memorial: September 15

The Virgin Mary is commemorated with the title of Our Lady of Sorrows to signify her spiritual martyrdom and her compassion with the sufferings of Jesus.

Tradition has identified seven times of special sorrow for the Virgin Mary.

The seven sorrows are:

1) The prophecy of Simeon in the Temple

2) The flight into Egypt

3)The disappearance of the Child Jesus in the Temple

4)The carrying of the cross on Calvary

5)The Crucifixion

6)The taking down of Jesus from the Cross

7)The burial of Jesus

The feast of the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary was initiated by the Servants of Mary in 1668, and extended by Pope Pius VII in 1814 to the whole Church. It is celebrated on the 15th of September to signify the participation of the Virgin Mary in the passion of Jesus, whose glorious cross is celebrated on the 14th of September. Closely connected with the seven sorrows is the Saturday celebration in honor of thee Virgin Mary, who was the only person to keep alive the flame of faith while Jesus was lying on the tomb.

Introduction of this blog

Mary is the Mother of God. I created this 3 days after the celebration of the Feast day of Mary as the Mother of God or New Year. This blog will help you to know who Mary is and what are the other titles called to her throughout the year. This will help you in studies together with my other blog entitled Lives of the Saints.

In the picture above left is the Coronation of Mary as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. She intercedes for us, and above her is the crown, the angels in the left and in the right hold the crown.

Why is she wearing blue?

Blue means Immaculate, and when her feast day is held, sometimes she is sung in the church the "Immaculate Mary".

Why Immaculate?

Immaculate because Mary is conceived without Original Sin.

Why on her feet a moon?

According to the book of Revelation chapter 12:1-9 says in the title of "The woman and the Dragon"

"A

great sign appeared in the sky, a woman

clothed with the sun, with the moon un-

der her feet, and on her head a crown

of twelve stars. Because she was with

child, she wailed aloud in pain as she

labored to give birth. Then another

sign appeared in the sky: it was a huge

dragon, flaming red, with seven heads

and ten horns; on his heads were seven

diadems. His tail swept a third of the

stars from the sky and hurled them

down to the earth. Then the dragon

stood before the woman about to give

birth, ready to devour her child when

it should be born. She gave birth to

a son-a boy destined to shepherd all the

nations with an iron rod. Her child was

caught up to God and to His throne.

The woman herself fled into the

desert, where a special place had been

prepared for her by God; there she was

taken care of for twelve hundred and

sixty days.

Then war broke out in heaven;

Michael and his angels battled against the

dragon. Although the dragon and his

angels fought back, they were over-

powered and lost their place in heaven.

The huge dragon, the ancient serpent known as the devil or Satan, the seducer

of the whole world, was driven out; he

was hurled down to earth and his min-

ions with him."

For another explanation,

The "woman" who is been said in the scripture is Mary

and the "child' is Our Savior Jesus Christ.

Now the huge dragon is being explained in the scripture, so it does not need to have another explanation.

Now, why is St. Michael the Archangel and the other angels have been in the Scripture?

St. Michael is known as the Chief of the Heavenly Hosts.

Above Mary are the Cherubs. Why are they happy?

Heaven is a place of happiness where you can find the true happiness of our life, Jesus Christ.

Mary will first welcome you to heaven then followed by Jesus, the Saints, the Archangels, and the Angels are in heaven waiting for you. They will comfort you, teach the way to the Father, and with the Holy Spirit guides you.