'La Naval' and a medallion from a Thai[? Cambodian] king
10/12/2007
By Ambeth Ocampo
Inquirer (Manila, The Philippines)
MANILA, Philippines -- Last Oct. 4, I was privileged to witness the reenactment of the canonical coronation of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, better known as "La Naval de Manila." This year being the 100th anniversary of the canonical coronation, I thought it would just be the act of putting yet more precious crowns on the images of the Infant Jesus and His mother, not realizing that "canonical" coronations are a distinct honor bestowed by the pope on venerated images around the world.
On Oct. 5, 1907, La Naval de Manila was the first image to be canonically crowned by the Apostolic Delegate Ambrose Agius, who is buried (and forgotten) in the gospel side of the Abbey Church of Our Lady of Montserrat along Mendiola (better known as the San Beda College Chapel). Since the crowning of La Naval, 23 other images of the Blessed Virgin have been crowned in the Philippines, among them the venerated virgins of Peñafrancia (Bicol), Manaoag (Pangasinan) and Antipolo (Rizal). I'm a bit jaded, but seeing the image of La Naval up close, without the glass that I was told is bullet-proof, was--to use a current expression--an "awesome" experience.
The reenactment of the canonical coronation was done by the bishop of Cubao who stood on a makeshift stage on the epistle side of the altar. After this, the image was borne on the shoulders of devotees a short distance to another stage in the center of the altar. The image was placed inside what appeared like an ornate cabinet with red doors and a hidden elevator; thus the image rose to the applause of the public amid, music, lights and even theater smoke. It was a grand production, indeed.
A few days later, I received a nice e-mail from Rev. Louie Coronel, OP, who is in charge of the celebrations, to gently correct a mistake. I had been told, wrongly, that the original image of La Naval is not allowed out of the church anymore, and that a copy known as "La Callejera" (The Streetwalker) was made to substitute for the venerated image. Well, the Streetwalker is that which goes round the country spreading the devotion to the original image that is enshrined in Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City. Well, it is the original 16th century image of La Naval de Manila that goes out of Sto. Domingo Church during the annual procession.
Anyway, speaking of copies and reproductions, I remember reading an obscure article by Felix Roxas, former mayor of Manila and a devotee of La Naval, whose research revealed that:
"The community of Dominican friars arrived from Mexico prior to the arrival of the Augustinians, the Franciscans, and the Jesuits in the Philippines. About the last years of the 16th century, on the same site where the church of Santo Domingo is actually located in Intramuros, they erected a chapel where the Virgin of the Rosary, the image about two feet high, was venerated, the same image still conserved in an urn lying between the two towers of the belfries at the outer facade of the church. This original image was replaced by the present one which we owe to the chisel of a Chinese carver who executed the work without the intention of becoming a great artist, and completed it as if he were guided by a divine inspiration, something he himself did not take into account."
Any Filipino schoolboy knows that the Augustinians were the first in the country, not the Dominicans; that the navigator of the Legaspi expedition of 1565 was the Augustinian, Andres de Urdaneta. Yet the idea that there was an earlier image before that which was canonically crowned in 1907 is something we have to look into, even if it was probably destroyed with the church during the Battle for Manila in 1945. What did this "original" image look like? Is it still extant somewhere? And speaking of other things I was looking for during the festivities in Sto. Domingo last week, I was disappointed that Nick Joaquin's National Artist chain and medallion was not part of the ornaments La Naval wore that night. There is a small museum in the cloister of Sto. Domingo Church that I have yet to visit because it may just yield the historical curiosities I have been searching for.
More engaging is a small brooch that came from Norodom I, king of Cambodia, who visited the Philippines in 1872, the same year the Cavite Mutiny broke out and the Gomburza fathers were executed. He visited Manila, attended fiestas in Pampanga, and even made a trip to Taal volcano. This king is the grandfather of the more famous Norodom Sihanouk who visited Sto. Domingo Church in 1969 not to pay homage to the Virgin, but to see a medallion that Norodom I had gifted a certain young lady from Bulacan. It is said that the king had proposed to Josefa Roxas y Manio and was turned down. She died a spinster in 1883. Her younger sister Ana was also given a piece of jewelry that reportedly has this inscription on the back: "A la Srta Da. Ana Roxas y Manio Recuredo de SM Norodom I, Rey de Cambodja" (To Miss Ana Roxas y Manio, a souvenir from His Majesty Norodom I, King of Cambodia). This jewel was offered by Ana Roxas to the image of La Naval in October 1892 and was said to adorn the image of the Infant Jesus.
This was last seen by Norodom Sihanouk in 1969. This brooch may be trivial to most people but as part of a story of love and faith, it is very interesting indeed.
On Oct. 5, 1907, La Naval de Manila was the first image to be canonically crowned by the Apostolic Delegate Ambrose Agius, who is buried (and forgotten) in the gospel side of the Abbey Church of Our Lady of Montserrat along Mendiola (better known as the San Beda College Chapel). Since the crowning of La Naval, 23 other images of the Blessed Virgin have been crowned in the Philippines, among them the venerated virgins of Peñafrancia (Bicol), Manaoag (Pangasinan) and Antipolo (Rizal). I'm a bit jaded, but seeing the image of La Naval up close, without the glass that I was told is bullet-proof, was--to use a current expression--an "awesome" experience.
The reenactment of the canonical coronation was done by the bishop of Cubao who stood on a makeshift stage on the epistle side of the altar. After this, the image was borne on the shoulders of devotees a short distance to another stage in the center of the altar. The image was placed inside what appeared like an ornate cabinet with red doors and a hidden elevator; thus the image rose to the applause of the public amid, music, lights and even theater smoke. It was a grand production, indeed.
A few days later, I received a nice e-mail from Rev. Louie Coronel, OP, who is in charge of the celebrations, to gently correct a mistake. I had been told, wrongly, that the original image of La Naval is not allowed out of the church anymore, and that a copy known as "La Callejera" (The Streetwalker) was made to substitute for the venerated image. Well, the Streetwalker is that which goes round the country spreading the devotion to the original image that is enshrined in Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City. Well, it is the original 16th century image of La Naval de Manila that goes out of Sto. Domingo Church during the annual procession.
Anyway, speaking of copies and reproductions, I remember reading an obscure article by Felix Roxas, former mayor of Manila and a devotee of La Naval, whose research revealed that:
"The community of Dominican friars arrived from Mexico prior to the arrival of the Augustinians, the Franciscans, and the Jesuits in the Philippines. About the last years of the 16th century, on the same site where the church of Santo Domingo is actually located in Intramuros, they erected a chapel where the Virgin of the Rosary, the image about two feet high, was venerated, the same image still conserved in an urn lying between the two towers of the belfries at the outer facade of the church. This original image was replaced by the present one which we owe to the chisel of a Chinese carver who executed the work without the intention of becoming a great artist, and completed it as if he were guided by a divine inspiration, something he himself did not take into account."
Any Filipino schoolboy knows that the Augustinians were the first in the country, not the Dominicans; that the navigator of the Legaspi expedition of 1565 was the Augustinian, Andres de Urdaneta. Yet the idea that there was an earlier image before that which was canonically crowned in 1907 is something we have to look into, even if it was probably destroyed with the church during the Battle for Manila in 1945. What did this "original" image look like? Is it still extant somewhere? And speaking of other things I was looking for during the festivities in Sto. Domingo last week, I was disappointed that Nick Joaquin's National Artist chain and medallion was not part of the ornaments La Naval wore that night. There is a small museum in the cloister of Sto. Domingo Church that I have yet to visit because it may just yield the historical curiosities I have been searching for.
More engaging is a small brooch that came from Norodom I, king of Cambodia, who visited the Philippines in 1872, the same year the Cavite Mutiny broke out and the Gomburza fathers were executed. He visited Manila, attended fiestas in Pampanga, and even made a trip to Taal volcano. This king is the grandfather of the more famous Norodom Sihanouk who visited Sto. Domingo Church in 1969 not to pay homage to the Virgin, but to see a medallion that Norodom I had gifted a certain young lady from Bulacan. It is said that the king had proposed to Josefa Roxas y Manio and was turned down. She died a spinster in 1883. Her younger sister Ana was also given a piece of jewelry that reportedly has this inscription on the back: "A la Srta Da. Ana Roxas y Manio Recuredo de SM Norodom I, Rey de Cambodja" (To Miss Ana Roxas y Manio, a souvenir from His Majesty Norodom I, King of Cambodia). This jewel was offered by Ana Roxas to the image of La Naval in October 1892 and was said to adorn the image of the Infant Jesus.
This was last seen by Norodom Sihanouk in 1969. This brooch may be trivial to most people but as part of a story of love and faith, it is very interesting indeed.
4 comments:
This may be explianed as to how Cambodian got the name " Sustain as our General ". General Sustain Fernandes? It didn't seem that all the Philipinos were with the Norodom. In Fact, General Sustain was with President Lon Nol. How did that happen? Can someone please explain?
Thanks god the love didn't happen, otherwise, Cambodia might lose part of her territory to the Flip immigrants, just like the Viet immigrants taking over Khmer territory because of a Khmer King's love affair with a Vietnamese stinky pussy. Khmer ancestral territory must be protected at all cost.
1:41AM I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAR HAPENNED TO YOUR MOTHER IF YOU NOT REMEMBER OF YOUR GRAND MOTHER?
ARE YOU AND OPHENAGE?
Close Friend-Enemies: Uncle Ho, Le Tuan Phan Van Dong are/were they suceessful or not ????
PM Hun Sen who was always anti-SHN in 1980s and 1990s and up to now(indirectly) to gain power.. How was/is/will be he ??????
From-Excellency Dr. Prof. Phd. General 7 Diamond stars Oknha Achar Knoy- Phd in Banditism from Chea Chamreoun University,PP, Cambodge
(NB: Dear Compatriots, who produces the Titles uncountable Samdach, Oknha, Excellencies, SahaChivins, Multi-ministers...Top General of Many stars(Gold Diamond Iron, wooden coal-Charcoal etc..????)I have no more Ideas about that Flip Flop Hero King..."
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