Tomorrow, 16th of July, the Catholic Church will celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. It is the title of the Blessed Virgin Mary given to her as the patron of the Carmelite Order. Catholic tradition believes that Mary is said to have given the Scapular to St. Simon Stock, promising "whosoever dies wearing it shall not suffer eternal fire. It shall be a
sign of salvation, a protection in danger and pledge of peace." Devotion to her reached the Philippine soil during the 17th century.
Mt. Carmel image of San Sebastian
In 1617, the image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was brought to the Philippines by the Spanish Recollects. She was enshrined in a makeshift church in Calumpang, where the present steel basilica of San Sebastian in Plaza del Carmen, San Sebastian, Quiapo District now stands. A cofradia dedicated to her was founded in 1625 which later grew in numbers. The image withstood all the earthquakes and fires which had destroyed old church, but the Virgin's ivory head and hands as well as the solid ivory Holy Child, were stolen in 1975. The Santo Niño and the Virgin's hand were returned later. However, the Virgin's head has not been recovered. Replacement for the stolen head was made by the famous taller of Maximo Vicente. The image was canonically crowned on Aug. 18, 1991 by the bull issued by the great pope, Blessed John Paul II on the occasion of the basilica's centenary.
Shrine of Independence, Shrine to Mary
Barasoain Church in Malolos City, the cradle of Asia's first republic is also dedicated to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Its first church was built by the Augustinians in 1630. It was used to be an independent town separated from Malolos during the Spanish era. It had its first stone edifice in 1871 to replace a temporary one but was
burned later. In 1885, the current structure was started while the
belltower was constructed in 1889. The church is the home of three historical events in the history of Philippine Independence: the first Philippine Congress, the Drafting of the Malolos Constitution and the Proclamation of the First Philippine Republic. As a parish dedicated to Mary, one could find an image of the Lady of the Brown Scapular enthroned at the central niche of its retablo.
Celebration in Meycauayan
At around 6 am and 7 am, masses in her honor will be offered at the Parish of St. Francis of Assisi in Meycauayan City, Bulacan. Distribution of holy scapulars will be done after each mass.
