“Pagdadamit: The Filipino Tradition of Clothing Religious Images” exhibit of the Museo ng Arkidiyosesis ng Maynila (Museum of the Archdiocese of Manila) is ongoing at the third floor of the Arzobispado de Manila in Intramuros.
This exhibition presents some aspects of the practice of pagdadamit in the Archdiocese of Manila, a tradition which has continued in some communities for more than 300 years.
Here, one sees the Filipinos’ deep religiosity and artistic talent, the marriage of spirituality and creativity. Here, one discovers the story and the people behind those long gowns and gold threads and silver crowns, and encounters the pagdadamit ng santo (dressing up the icon).
The Philippines is home to many historic churches built during the Spanish colonial era. Within these churches one finds religious images or santo which were either brought into or crafted in the country. These images reached not only the sacred sanctuaries but also found their way into many Filipino Catholic households.
These images show, among others, the role of faith in Filipino life. Art can help faith to flourish. Art leads one’s senses and mind to the transcendent, somehow bridging the gap between the infinite and finite. In a sense, these images connect Christ and the faithful, saints and sinners.
The images have also given rise to many devotional practices that, in turn, have nourished the faith.
One such popular devotion is the pagdadamit ng santo. A commitment that can be personal or communal, pagdadamit is a pious practice of some devout Catholics, camarera and cofradia.
The exhibit is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The director of the Archdiocesan Museum is Fr. Albert Flores.
Origins of Inapoon Bato
Sonia Atabug of the San Lorenzo Ruiz and Inapoon Bato Global Ministries continues her account of the late Rosellyn Magsaysay and how she propagated the Marian devotion to Inapoon Bato:
“The origin of Ina dates back to the 15th century, even before the Spanish colonization. History tells that Djanig, an Ayta chieftain, and his three children, while resting by the Pastac River in Botolan, heard the lovely voice of a lady coming from a rock saying, ‘Come and take me home with you.’
“Djanig saw the image of the lady carved in wood and brought it home. The wife, instead of welcoming the lady, threw it into the fire which flared and burned the house down.
“The image was found in the ashes preserved, unscorched and untouched by the flames. The miracle was made known among the tribes, and they soon venerated the lady.
“When the Augustinian Recoleto Missionaries arrived in 1607 in Zambales, they heard the story and, to their amazement, the wooden image the Aytas venerated was that of the Blessed Mother. The Recoletos believed the Lady paved the way for their coming.
“After being kept in the church by the friars, the image was taken and stayed with the Philippine Independent Church.
“A replica of the Inapoon image was made by the famous religious sculptor Maximo Vicente in 1976 upon the orders of Columban Fr. Patrick Duggan.”
La Leche
Reader Remedios Ticson Gonzales has been promoting the devotion to Our Lady of La Leche since 1999, and the center of the devotion is in the chapel of Harrison Plaza in Malate, Manila.
Gonzales writes: “According to its history, the breastfeeding statue of the blessed Mother was rescued from irreverent hands and brought to the home of a devout couple in Madrid. The wife, being pregnant at the time, was in danger of dying. Her husband deeply prayed before the statue, soon to be known as Nuestra Sra. de la Leche. Miraculously, his wife and child survived.
“Years later, Spanish settlers brought a replica to the United States and enshrined it at the Mission of Nombre de Dios, in Florida and, thereafter, it was called Our Lady of La Leche.
“In the Philippines, devotion to La Leche has yielded good results for petitions ranging from plea to conceive a child, to safe delivery amid difficult pregnancy.
“The late Sr. Pilar Verzosa, founder of Prolife Philippines, supported the devotion to La Leche.
“In the chapel of Harrison Plaza on M. Adriatico Street, Manila, La Leche is venerated. Novena leaflets are available for free at the chapel office.
Visit Our Lady of La Leche Movement Ph on Facebook; tel. 9757415.
Teresa de Avila ‘komiks’
The Carmel of St. Teresa of Jesus (of Avila), Mati, Davao Oriental, headed by the prioress, Reverend Maria Mother Lourdes, has produced a 30-page comic book on the life and writings of St. Teresa of Jesus (of Avila), in celebration of her feast day on Oct. 15 in commemoration of the fifth centenary of her birth in 1515.
The comics was illustrated in full color by artist Dr. Ton Raymundo, who also created the sculptural characters of the Luminous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary Garden of the Carmelite Monastery in Mati, Davao.
St. Teresa of Avila, Spain, was a religious reformer, and writer, mystic and a pioneer in spiritual theology.
Several years after her death in 1582, her body was exhumed and found to be preserved and incorrupt with a wonderful, sweet fragrance. Her heart showed the marks of “transverberation,” said to have been the result of a wound pierced with a golden dart by an angel during a supernatural experience. The heart is now exposed for veneration.
In 1614, she was proclaimed Patroness of Spain. She was canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622. She was named “Doctor of the Church” in 1970.
Call 0916-5724062; e-mail [email protected]; or call Mother Maria Lourdes at 0917-7024095.
E-mail announcements to [email protected] or [email protected].
