CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Kapampangans and Latinos will celebrate the 58th Canonical Coronation Anniversary of Virgen de los Remedios on September 7 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, California.
Vidal Aguas, one of the focal persons for the event, said that the delegations in their national costumes, from different towns and cities of Pampanga, representatives of Mexican, Guatemalan and Spanish communities will lead the afternoon procession.
A golden crown made by the artisans of Macabebe will be presented to Pampanga's patroness, Nuestra Senora de los Remedios.
Aguas added that Sagalas with their escorts, school boys and girls will participate in the floral offering while alumni of Mother of Good Counsel Seminary will sing the Salve Regina.
Devotion to the Virgen de lo Remedios dates back to the galleon trades between Mexico and the Philippines in the 1500s. The oldest Marian image was brought by Spanish missionaries and is enshrined at Malate Church.
With a growing communist movement in 1952, Bishop Cesar Maria Guerrero entrusted the province of Pampanga under the patronage of the Blessed Mother. He sent out the image of Virgen de los Remedios to visit every town and village so that people could gather in prayer and learn from Mary the right way to live, to find God and to live in harmony. In 1956, Pope Pius XII bestowed the canonical crown to the revered image in recognition of Kapampangans’ devotion to Mary.
Every September, Kapampangans gather to re-enact the event and a simultaneous celebration is held at the LA cathedral.
Numerous miracles and answered prayers have been attributed through the intercession of Virgen de los Remedios. Marriages are strengthened, families reunited, sick get healed and disputes are settled. The people of Pampanga have kept their faith during the 1991 devastation of Mt. Pinatubo eruption.
"Since then, the province has risen from the ashes and recovered. This year’s event is hosted by the Apostolate of Virgen de los Remedios and Guagua Association of Los Angeles," Aguas added.