The History of the devotion to the Blessed Lady- Our Lady of Katipanan is a manifestation of her unending and infinite compassion and love to her children. She is our intercessor that always connects us to her Son-Jesus. This three century old devotion is a continuous love story of the Mother to her children, a singular story that has infinite plot and will forever be cherish in the heart of not just by the Nabueṅos but also by Her devotees. The devotion started in Nabua, a humble town in Camarines Sur province, Island of Luzon, Philippines. It was July 28, 1711 when the town was under the leadership of Don Domingo Pagtimbangan as the town capitan and Fr. Vicente Bastillo was the Parish Priest when a strong earthquake shook the town and the earth yawned sending shivers to the people who trembled at the thought then this was the final cataclysm that would erase the town from the face of the earth. The fissure on the ground ran from the door of the church up to the foot of Mount Sumagang (Mt. Asog) in Iriga. It had a depth of 40 arms-lengths. Witnessing all these, the parish priest Fr. Vicente Bastillo, invited his parishioners to prostrate themselves before the altar, to ask for forgiveness, and seek the protection of Nuestra Señora de la Limpia Concepcion (Immaculate Conception in eng./ La Purisima). The people followed the instructions of the priest and placed the image of the Virgin Mother facing the Blessed Sacrament. The priest and his parishioners made a three-point covenant (tipan in Bicol) with Virgin in consideration of her protection. The pledges are: (1) they shall relay to their children the events that took the place in 1711 when they made this covenant before the presence of the Virgin Mary; (2) every July 28 they shall celebrate the festivity of Inang Katipanan with a thanksgiving Mass; (3) they shall offer alms and gifts (tagba in Rinconada/Bicol) willingly and without reservation, just as their forefather did a long time ago. Included in this covenant are the coming generations.” The celebration is now made on Sunday close to July 28 for greater participation among the faithful. With these pledges, the tremors stopped and the parish was spared. Since that time, the Nuestra Señora de la Limpia Concepcion was called with the new title by the people. For them, she was Inang Katipanan (Nuestra Seňora de Katipanan). She is the constant refuge of Nabuaeños in times of calamities, and in times of difficulties The special love of Inang Katipanan to her children didn’t stop there but continue to experience on the successive years. Testimonials of the faithful and the history itself witnessed this special love of Inang Katipanan to her children. In the year 1756, the Parish Priest was Fr. Miguel Ruezo and the Capitan was Don Pablo Bagapangpang, when multitude of pests and grasshopper infected the town. Crops and rice plants were destroyed causing massive starvation to the town’s folks. On that time there only hope was to prostrate once again to Ina and they did. They plead to Our Lady of Katipanan and ask her to cease the danger. Through there heartfelt prayers, the nuisance eventually ceased. The nuisance happened again on 1778, when the Parish Priest was Fr. Geronimo de San Vicente Ferrer, and the Town Capitan was Don Crisanto Pagdato, aphids (doron) dominated the crops so they beseech the protection of Our Lady of Katipanan and again the pest eventually ceased. In years 1758, 1777, 1811, 1844, 1856, 1929, and 1970 the town was submerged with great flood and likewise the people were saved due to the grace of God through the merits of Mary, Our lady of Katipanan. The town was spared from destruction caused by strong typhoons on the years 1781, 1915, 1947, 1970, 1972; through to their tough devotion to Mary no one was killed nor harmed. In years 1792, 1811, 1817, and 1849, houses in different barrios of the town were burnt. Alas, through the clemency of God Almighty and the maternal protection of Our Lady of Katipanan, no individuals recorded to burnt nor hurts and the fire was ceased in just a short period due to the heartfelt plea of the people to God and to the Blessed Virgin Mary- Our Lady of Katipanan. On 1791, 1846, 1857, 1917, 1918, and1919, great number of people suffered hunger and poverty caused by the scarcity of the supply of foods due to the drought experienced in Nabua and the neighboring towns. This caused the crops to dry and produced no harvest. People once again implored God through Our Lady of Katipanan to save them from that suffering and their petition immediately granted. Heavy rain fell on successive days that helped the crops to recover. On the year 1814, Fr. Domingo Vega was then the Parish Priest, and Don Santiago Manlanat was the town head, dimness was experienced through the Rinconada towns, in Iraya or in Albay, and to Camarines Provinces (Ambos Camarines) up to Manila. Volcanic Ashes, pebbles, sands and fire descended heavily like rain. Many churches and homes were burnt in Albay. It starts at 7 o’clock in the morning, February 1, the day before the feast of the Candles (candelaria). The darkness felt the whole day; people were become disorderly spread and as the result some reached the part of Anayan, Baklayon, part of Naga City, in Partido Area and many more. The towns of Bulusan, Cagsawa and Bodiao of Albay Province were buried. The populace experienced too much trepidation that made them prostrate and plead to God and to Mary Immaculate- Our Lady of Katipanan. Alas all were saved from that terrifying scourge. On the years 1761, 1714, 1723, and 1903, there were plague; and on 1767, and 1902, there’s a Cholera outbreak felt; influenza flare-up disturbed the populace in 1943. On 1917 up to 1919 influenza outburst occurred in Nabua that caused many casualties. It happened that the remains of the casualties were just wrapped with mat and rode them on the sleigh from the barrio to the town cemetery, on that time there were neither coffins nor coffin makers available for almost all were infected of the epidemic and that those who joined the interment upon arriving were also infected by the disease. Again, the people implored God and the Blessed Virgin-Our Lady of Katipanan, and the epidemic ceased. In the Second World War, within four years from December 8, 1941 up to April 1945, through the mercy of God and the protection of Our Lady of Katipanan, the Japanese Soldiers failed to invade Nabua. When they arrived from Legaspi, they planned to camp in Central School but through the Divine intervention, they were instructed to proceed to Iriga. That was the reason why they made their headquarters on the hill where the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes is presently situated. When the populace evacuated to the farmlands and to several barrios, the Japanese invaders got mad for there were no people in the down town area. They want to burn the church, the schools and the houses around. As they entered the church, they saw the Blessed Virgin of Katipanan and her beloved Son. They were instructed to leave the church and go back to Iriga. For this reason, the town was spared. For their tough faith and devotion to God and to Nuestra Seňora de Katipanan, their prayers were granted. On July 28, 1963 the Blessed Virgin of Katipanan was crowned in front of Nabua National High School after the Pontifical Mass celebrated by the Archbishop Msgr. Pedro Santos with his Coadjutor Bishop Msgr. Teopisto Alberto. This event was attended by multitudes coming from different Barangays of Nabua and by the Marian devotees. Rev. Fr. Alfonso Grageda and Rev. Fr. Francisco Begornia was then the administrator of Nabua parish. On August 10, 2010 a year before the Tercentenary year of the devotion to Our Lady of Katipanan, the Parish and Shrine dedicated in Her honor was canonically erected at Paloyon, Nabua, Camarines Sur by Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legazpi the then Archbishop of Caceres. Rev. Fr. Vicente Yee Concepcion was assigned as the first Parish Priest of the Shrine.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 09:43:38 +0000
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