Our Lady of Peñafrancia Devotion Depicted in Mural Arts

INA Mural Project in Naga City located at Danlugan Area of the historic Naga River where Fluvial Procession of Ina and Divino Rostro happens bi-annually in May and September near Tabuco Bridge, depict the devotion from Salamanca Spain down to the Christianization of Bicolanos, conceptualized & designed by Bicolano International Artist Mr Pancho Piano and features the Salingoy Art Group with the following talented artists : Kim Real, Warren Balane, Martin Albert Paulite, Sedes Cea, Marvin Del Valle, Jojit Cano, Keisha Carmela Arceo , Nelson Darilay, Carlo Buendia and Darwin Villaralvo. Art works will never come into fruition without the generosity of Spouses Judge Alfredo Diaz and Angie Agawa and their family for giving the permission to do the art works of Ina at the back of their building , likewise, the Bayanihan para ki Ina group were indebted to Mons Noe Pastor Badiola- Rector, Basilica Minore, Rev Fr. Juan Pablo Z. Carpio, Vice- Rector, Basilica Minore, Rev Fr Wilmer Joseph Tria-Parish Priest, St Raphael the Archangel Parish, Hon, Alexander Pajarillo Lo-Mayor Mercedes, Daet, Camarines Norte/ Administrator EPL Construction and Supply Miss Marilyn Co, Proprietress of Naga La Suerte who selflessly lend their scaffoldings for the use of the muralist.

On May 19, 1434, Simón Vela, after removing a huge rock in the mountains of Peña de Francia, found an image of the Blessed Mother carrying on her arms, the child Jesus. It was hidden together with other images and church bells to prevent them from falling into the hands of Moors/Saracens who were invading the south of Spain in the 12th Century.Born in France on September 4, 1384 and christened Simón by his parents Rolan and Barbara, he heard a voice one night telling him to wake up: “Simón, vela y no duermas” (Vela, eventually, was attached to his name) and to go West in Peña de Francia to look for an image of the glorious Virgin Mary.When miracles of healing happened immediately after the finding of the image, People started coming over to pay homage and pray to the Blessed Mother whom people began to address as the Lady of Peña de Francia. Simón built a chapel to house the image then later on, with the blessing of King Juan II of Spain and Pope Martin V, a bigger Church with a Convent was built on the plains at the top of the mountain of Peña de Francia that was given to the Dominicans for supervision and care.

On July 3, 1952, the image was solemnly crowned. Today, the Lady is enshrined at the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Peña de Francia located at the highest peak of Sierra de Francia in El Cabaco, Salamanca, Spain.Around the year 1710, Rev. Fr. Miguel Robles de Covarrubias, upon the petition of the Cimarrones, built a Chapel and from a stampita he always had with him, had a replica of the Lady of Peña de Francia carved from wood then enshrined her at the said Chapel. Immediately, people came to visit, most especially, during the Saturday Novena and Mass at the Chapel. After a while, Fr. Miguel returned to Manila. But when his left eye became totally blind, he pledged to the Lady that he will return to Nueva Caceres and build the stone church he promised her. After returning to Naga, he initiated the building of the stone church. In 1741, it was not known if Fr. Miguel was still alive or already dead by then, under Most Rev. Ysidro de Arevalo, DD, the stone church was erected.A native of San Martin del Castañar where Peña de Francia is located, Fr. Miguel, who then was studying at the University of Santo Tomas, honored the invitation of the Bishop of Nueva Caceres, Most Rev. Andres Gonzalez, OP, DD to come to Nueva Caceres (Naga) where later on he was ordained and became Parish Priest of the Cathedral and Vicar General of the Diocese.

A recipient himself of many miracles of healing through his devotion to the Lady of Peñafrancia, while he was in Manila, he has pledged to our Lady that he will build her a stone church near the Pasig River. The pledge was fulfilled. Not in Manila, but in Naga. Fr. Miguel contracted a local artisan to make an image of the Virgin of Peñafrancia. When the image was made, a dog was killed to stain the icon with the animal’s blood as a preservative and in order to make the color dusky to approximate the complexion of the cimarrones. The dead dog with its four legs tied was thrown into the river. In a few minutes, the dog was witnessed swimming to the shore and running to his master’s house. That was the start of the countless miracles that Our Lady of Peñafrancia would perform throughout the years.

2010 ushered in a new era in the history of the devotion. What the Basilica is at the present is a product of the renovation done under Msgr. Romulo Vergara, the 5th Rector of the Basilica, as part of the preparations for the Tercentenary Jubilee. The Fabrication of new and formidable “andas” for Inâ and the Divino Rostro, spiritual formation of the voyadores and reorganization of the Cofradia de San Jose and Guardias de Maria, creation of the Joint Organizing Committee (JOC) with the partnership with the Local Government of Naga and other pertinent government agencies for the peaceful and orderly conduct of Fiesta celebrations and disaster prevention to avoid a repeat of the “Colgante Bridge Tragedy” in 1972, the making of a movie and a book about the history of the devotion, the compilation into a book of the accounts of the miracles of Inâ, these and many others, to safeguard and promote the devotion. As a lasting tribute to the Blessed Mother on the occasion of 300 years of love and patronage to Bicolandia, the colossal Porta Mariae was erected as a testament of love and honor to Inâ by the Pueblo Amante de Maria! All these were done under the term of the Illustrious Archbishop Legaspi, Vanguard Extraordinaire of the devotion. Under the Episcopacy of Most Rev. Rolando J. Tria Tirona, OCD, DD, and the Rectorship of the Rev. Msgr. Rodel M. Cajot, PC, VG, we bring to new heights the growth of the devotion as we endeavor the completion of the majestic Museum where the treasures of history shall be immortalized for generations to receive, cherish, protect, and share.

The devotion to Inâ cannot but grow and live on. Year 2022 was the Ruby Anniversary of the Dedication of the Basilica; This Year on the 20th of September, 2024 we commemorated the Centenary of the Canonical Coronation of the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia which took place at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral under the Episcopacy of Most Rev, Rex Adrew Clement Alardon, DD with full support from Rev Fr Joseph Wilfred V. Almoneda, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Caceres and the Caceres Clergy and Religious Communities.This significant event was graced by the presence of H.E. Most Rev. Charles John Brown, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, and H.E. Most Rev. Adolfo Tito Yllana, the Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, Bicolano and Guest bishops and clegy. We look forward to year 2032 for the Golden Anniversary of the Dedication. And further on to 2034, the 600th year of the Finding of the Image at Peña de Francia.

Viva la Virgen! Viva Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia! Gloria a nuestra excelsa Protectora! Viva El Divino Rostro!