Cofradia de la Inmaculada Concepcion Foundation and the Intramuros Administration will hold its 35th Grand Marian Procession today, Dec. 7, 4 p.m., after the 2 p.m. Hermanas Mayores Mass at the Manila Cathedral Basilica. The Mass will be officiated by Bishop Bernardino Cortes, DD.
Triduum Masses in honor of the Immaculate Conception were held Dec. 2-4 at the Manila Cathedral.
More than 100 Marian images, parish- and privately owned, from various parts of the country participate yearly.
Some of the venerated and canonically crowned images include: Nuestra Señora de Visitacion de Piat, Piat, Cagayan; Virgen Milagrosa del Rosario del Pueblo de Orani, Orani, Bataan; La Divina Pastora, Gapan, Nueva Ecija; Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba, Pakil, Laguna; Nuestra Señora de Salambao, Obando, Bulacan; Mary Mediatrix of all Grace, Antipolo del Norte, Lipa City; and Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion Y Correa, Intramuros, Manila.
Hermanas mayores for this year’s procession are Malou Unson, Belen Hidalgo and Nene Leonor.
History of the Cofradia
The Intramuros Administration and Cofradia have organized the annual festivity since 1980 with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), replicating the full-force military participation during the processions of old. The event is a revival of the tradition that originated in Intramuros in 1619. Then a national celebration which ran for 15 days, the event was launched also at the Manila Cathedral.
The Cofradia de la Inmaculada Concepcion was declared a Canonical Association in the Archdiocese of Manila by the late Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, DD.
A private association for purposes of fostering a more perfect life, or of promoting public worship of Christian teaching, or of exercising other apostolic works, namely: to engage in efforts of evangelization, in particular Marian devotion in the entire Archdiocese of Manila; to exercise works of piety or charity; and to animate the temporal order with the Christian spirit.
The group, along with the San Agustin Parish, headed by Rev. Fr. Asis Bajao, OSA, is also responsible for the catechismal instruction and the organization of the first Holy Communion of some 500 street children from depressed areas in Tondo and Binondo. This year’s group included 150 children from Alay ng Puso Home for the Sick and Malnourished Children (Sisters of Charity) and 350 children from Baseco Elementary School. The gathering took place Dec. 5 at San Agustin Church in Intramuros. The event was officiated by Bishop Teodoro Bacani Jr., DD.
The foundation is composed of Imelda Cojuangco, chairperson; Danny Dolor, vice chair; Aurora Eizmendi, president; Lulu Tesoro Castañeda, vice president; Ma. Victoria Tengco-Burgos, treasurer; Fe Rodriguez, assistant treasurer; and Jaime C. Laya, Rosita Lesaca, Zita Feliciano, Conrado Escudero, Helen Ong, Ofelia Recto, Marietta Santos, Jorge Allan Tengco and Nenuca Blardony.
The Comite de Festejos is headed by Conrado Escudero, chairperson; with Allan Tengco, Danny Dolor, Clifford Chua and Armando Arionday.
Intramuros administrator Marco Antonio Luisito Villanueva Sardillo III invites the public to witness one of the biggest and most-awaited Marian events in the country.