Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church (Old Shrine) is a Roman Catholic shrine and parish located in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines. It is also called the Church of Nuestra Señora de Peña de Francia and Ina Shrine.
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History
The history of Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church is one that is inextricably linked with the devotion to its patron. It began with Miguel Robles de Covarrubias, a seminarian who was studying at University of Santo Tomas for priesthood. His parents were from San Martin de Castanar in Spain who moved to Cavite.
Growing up sickly, he turned to Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Spain whose image he kept close by. Because of the many favors he received, he made a promise to erect a church along Pasig River in her honor as expression of his deepest gratitude.
When he became a priest In 1697, he enshrined the image of the patron that was copied from the picture that he possessed in Paco, Manila. Yet he was called to serve in the Diocese of Nueva Caceres as parish priest of the cathedral. He was also appointed as vicar general of the diocese.
In 1710, he fulfilled his vow when he put up a small chapel not in Pasig River but along Bicol river at the foot of Mt Isarog, a site that was two kilometers away from the town center. The location was chosen so that it could also serve the people living in the mountains called cimarrones. It was made of bamboo and nipa roof. Thus, the shrine was born.
The present-day stone church was built in 1750 by Bishop Isidoro de Arevalo. Repairs were undertaken by Bishop Francisco Gainza between 1876 and 1877. In 1864, church authorities decided to move the image of the patron to Naga Metropolitan Cathedral. The shrine was small and it did not have sufficient space for the growing number of devotees. It became the first traslacion, a ritual that is observed to this day in the annual Peñafrancia Festival.
In 1940, the Philippine Historical Committee installed a historical marker that contained a brief historical account of the church. On October 30, 1973, Our Lady of Peñafrancia Shrine officially became a parish, and hence it is called Our Lady of Peñafrancia Parish. Its first parish priest was Fr. Concordio Sarte, the auxiliary bishop.
Our Lady of Peñafrancia
In the Philippines, the patron is called Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia de Naga (Our Lady of Peñafrancia of Naga) and Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de Penafrancia de Naga. It is regarded as the patroness of Bicol region that comprises the provinces of Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon.
Among her devotees she is lovingly referred to as Ina, which is translated to mother. It is one of the most popular images of the Blessed Mother in the Philippines. Many miracles are attributed to her throughout history.
The image is a replica of the Nuestra Señora de la Peña de Francia of Salamanca, Spain. It was discovered by French Simon Rolan in the mountain called Peña de Francia in the border between France and Spain in the 14th century. Simon was a scion of a wealthy family. Yet he denounced all richness and became a religious Franciscan brother. His discovery of the statue was inspired by the visions he saw of the Blessed Virgin that instructed him to seek her image west of France.
Our Lady of Peñafrancia of Naga City is a wooden statue that was carved by a native sculptor upon orders of Miguel Robles de Covarrubias in 1705. Its gaze is fixed upon the onlooker while she is holding the Holy Child who is looking up to her.
The statue measures up to four feet including her crown and is dressed in regal, intricately embroidered robes. Perhaps her most unmistakable features are her conical shape that includes her body and her gown and the absence of her hands. Only the Holy Child has one hand raised in an act of blessing.
The image became the Patroness of the City of Nueva Caceres (Naga City) as declared by Pope Leo XIII in 1895. It was also the same year that its feast day was originally set in July, but in 1905 it was moved to September as is observed presently.
On May 13, 1920, the image was given canonical coronation and declared the patroness of Bicol region. On September 20, 1924, it was canonically crowned in a religious rite led by Apostolic Delegate Guillermo Piani, becoming the second Marian image in the country to receive such honor after Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria in Jaro Cathedral.
In August 17, 1981, the whole Bicol region woke up to a shocking discovery that the patron was stolen and its manto was found discarded in a grave near the parish. Church and government officials mobilized resources for its recovery, and its search led to the death of policeman Reynaldo Neola. It was returned a year later on September 8, 1982.
The image is now kept in the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Peñafrancia.
Architecture
Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church is cruciform in shape and located in a gated parochial complex. It is connected to a building in its gospel side. Its facade is made of two-level church wall and a pediment. The pediment is ornamented with plain cornice and it contains a blind rose window. On the roof at its apex rises a pedestal with a four-cornered belfry pierced with arches and topped with a dome and cross.
The rest of the facade is made with an exterior of red bricks and four pilasters separated by horizontal molding. In the ground level, these pilasters flank three arch entryways each with simple archivolt. The base of the second pilaster from the gospel side contains the historical marker installed by Philippine Historical Committee. In its upper level, the middle section contains the niche of the patron and the flanking sections are rectilinear windows of the choir loft.
Outside the church has red gable roof along the main nave, but the interiors reveal a ceiling that is a barrel vault and contains beautiful religious painting. Along its edges are borders of images of foliage and fruits.
Celebration
The annual feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia is every third Sunday of September. On September 16, 1972, the festivity was struck with tragedy. During the fluvial procession, Colgante Bridge strained under the weight of many devotees anticipating the arrival of the patron and collapsed. A hundred were injured and 138 died.
In 2022, it drew about 450,000 visitors. It attracted millions during its annual festival in previous years.
Services
Confession schedule is 6:30 to 7:15 AM from Monday to Friday, and from 5:00 to 6:00 PM on Saturday.
The parish office is open 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon and from 2:00 to 5:00 PM Monday to Saturday. On Sunday, it is open 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon only.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church in Naga City, Camarines Sur from September 30, 2024 to October 6, 2024. Please reach out to the church for an updated schedule. Additionally, you may also want to view mass schedules of churches in Naga City.
Monday
- 5:00-6:00 AM (Bicolano)
- 6:00-7:00 AM (Bicolano)
- 7:00AM-8:00 AM (English)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (Bicolano)
Tuesday
- 5:00-6:00 AM (Bicolano)
- 6:00-7:00 AM (Bicolano)
- 7:00AM-8:00 AM (English)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (Bicolano)
Wednesday
- 5:00-6:00 AM (Bicolano)
- 6:00-7:00 AM (Bicolano)
- 7:00AM-8:00 AM (English)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (Bicolano)
Thursday
- 5:00-6:00 AM (Bicolano)
- 6:00-7:00 AM (Bicolano)
- 7:00AM-8:00 AM (English)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (Bicolano)
Friday
- 5:00-6:00 AM (Bicolano)
- 6:00-7:00 AM (Bicolano)
- 7:00AM-8:00 AM (English)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (Bicolano)
Saturday
- 5:00-6:00 AM (Bicolano)
- 6:00-7:00 AM (Bicolano)
- 7:00AM-8:00 AM (English)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (Bicolano - Anticipated Mass)
Sunday
- 5:00-6:00 AM (Bikol)
- 6:00-7:00 AM (Bikol - Misa Pro Populo)
- 7:30-8:30 AM (Bikol)
- 9:00-10:00 AM (English)
- 11:00-12:00 NN (English)
- 5:00-6:00 PM (Bikol)
- 6:00-7:00 PM (Bikol)
- 7:00-8:00 PM (Tagalog)
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church in Naga City, Camarines Sur |
| Other Names | Our Lady of Peñafrancia Shrine, Our Lady of Peñafrancia Parish |
| Address | Peñafrancia Ave., Brgy. Peñafrancia, Naga City 4400 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | (054) 884 2066 |
| olpparish310@gmail.com | |
| web.facebook.com | |
| Website | penafrancia.wordpress.com |
| YouTube | www.youtube.com |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Founder | Miguel Robles de Covarrubias |
| Established | 1710 |
| Age | 314 years |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caceres |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of St. John the Evangelist |
| Patron | Our Lady of Peñafrancia |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 1750 |
| Age since completed | 274 years |
| Builder | Bishop Isidoro de Arevalo |
Nearby Churches
- Naga City Metropolitan Cathedral in Naga City, Camarines Sur
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Carolina, Naga City, Camarines Sur
- San Francisco de Assisi Church in Peñafrancia Avenue, Naga City, Camarines Sur
- San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila Church in Naga City, Camarines Sur
- St. Anthony of Padua Church in Camaligan, Camarines Sur
- St. Therese of Calcutta Church in Marupit, Camaligan, Camarines Sur
References
- Historical Marker. Philippine Historical Committee. Retrieved October 20, 2022
- Alarcon, Rex Andrew C. Timeline of the History of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. Archdiocese of Caceres. September 17, 2019. Retrieved October 20, 2022
- Tiatco, Anril P. Performing Gender and Devotion in the Peñafrancia Festival in the Philippines. JATI-Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, Volume 25(2), December 2020, 130-152. https://doi.org/10.22452/jati.vol25no2.7. Retrieved October 20, 2022
- Gorospe, Vitaliano R. Peñafrancia Revisited. Philippine Studies , First Quarter 1994, Vol. 42, No. 1 (First Quarter 1994), pp. 63-79. Ateneo de Manila University. Retrieved October 20, 2022
- History of the Devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia. Archdiocese of Caceres. Retrieved October 20, 2022
- Nuestra Señora de la Peña de Francia Sanctuary. España: Spain’s official tourism website. Retrieved October 20, 2022
- Calipay, Connie. Bicol’s Peñafrancia Festival draws 450K devotees. Philippine News Agency. September 19, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022
- Bryan Zantua & Michael Real. FINDING INA: THE RECOVERY OF THE IMAGE. Bicolandia. October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2022
- “The bridge is now swaying:” The 1972 Colgante Bridge Tragedy. Bicol Mail. September 18, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2022