Virgin of Candelaria

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Our Lady of Candelaria
)
Virgin of Candelaria
Roman Catholic Church
Major shrineBasilica of Candelaria (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria), Tenerife (Canary Islands). This is its main sanctuary, a place where it has its origin as a Marian invocation.[2]
FeastAugust 14–15 (on Tenerife and the Canary Islands), and on 2 February (also on this day in Tenerife, although minor festival). February 2 in Candelaria, Quezon, February 2 in Jaro, Iloilo City and the whole Western Visayas in the Philippines. Every February 2 (Tatala)[3] February 1–3 (Philippines)

The Virgin of Candelaria or Our Lady of Candle (

Fiesta de la Candelaria
) and August 15, the patronal feast of the Canary Islands.

She was the secondary Patroness of Municipality of

Archdiocese of Jaro (with feast day every 2 February) in the Philippines, and Tatala, one of the barangays in Binangonan, Rizal (also in the Philippines), which celebrates her feast day every February 2. The Municipality of Silang in the province of Cavite
, Philippines, also celebrates her feast day from February 1 to 3, with February 2 being the main feast day.

Legend and appearance

According to a legend recorded by

bearing a child in one hand and a green candle in the other (hence "Candelaria"), was discovered on the beach of Chimisay (Güímar) by two Guanche goatherds in 1392.[4] This was before the Castilian
conquest of the island of Tenerife (the island was not fully conquered until 1496).

One of the shepherds tried to throw a stone at the statue, but his arm became paralysed; the other tried to stab the statue with a knife but ended up stabbing himself.

cueva de Chinguaro
.

Later,

Virgin Mary
.

After the appearance of the Virgin and its iconographic identification with this biblical event, the festival began to be celebrated with a Marian character in 1497, when the conqueror

Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the Catholic calendar. For some historians, the celebrations celebrated in honor of the Virgin during the month of August are a syncretized reminiscence of the ancient feasts of the Beñesmen.[7]

The original statue was a

medieval gothic sculpture with dark colour and clothing similar to that of the Virgin of Lluch (patron saint of Mallorca) and the Virgin of Montserrat (patron saint of Catalonia
).

Veneration

Eighteenth-century painting depicting the apparition of the Virgin to the Guanches
Ceramic mosaic depicting the Virgin of Candelaria of Tenerife, found in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth (Israel)
John Paul II
). Her feast day which is celebrated every February 2, is the largest Marian festival outside of Luzon.

The first Mass was celebrated at Achbinico on February 2, 1497, and the Adelantado Alonso Fernández de Lugo ordered the construction of a hermitage there, but it was not built until 1526, during the rule of Pedro Fernández de Lugo.[8] This was the site of the Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria. The basilica was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the 19th century.[4] The statue itself was lost when a tsunami carried it out to sea in 1826; the present statue is a copy by Fernando Estévez.[4] The statue of the Virgin is dressed in rich robes of different colors and jewels.

She was declared patroness of the Canary Islands in 1599, by

Vesuvius and of St. Agatha of Catania against eruptions of Mount Etna in Sicily
.

Between October 1964 and January 1965, the Diocese of Tenerife conducted the largest pilgrimage in the history of the Canary Islands. This time, the statue of the Virgin was walked across the towns, cities and municipalities of the island of Tenerife for the first time in history.

In the basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth (Israel) is a mosaic of the Virgin of Candelaria, patron saint of the Canary Islands,[9] along with those of other Marian devotions famous in Spain.[10]

Every year on February 2 and August 15 is celebrated a big party in honor of the Virgin. These days there are thousands of pilgrims and tourists coming to Candelaria from all points of the Canary Islands and other parts of Spain and the world. The feast day is marked by a solemn procession and a religious ceremony, although its most famous component is a re-enactment of the discovery of the statue, with locals dressing up as guanche natives.[11]

In addition to that, every seven years the image of the Virgin of Candelaria is transferred for two weeks to the cities of

Diocese of Tenerife) alternating every seven years between the two cites: in 2002 it was Santa Cruz and in 2009 La Laguna and so to successively.[12]

In the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines, the Virgin of Candelaria is venerated as Our Lady of Candles (Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria). Notable of many images in various places where she is a patroness of, the one enshrined in Jaro Cathedral (National Shrine of the Our Lady of Candles) as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Jaro" in Iloilo City is visited by pilgrims from around the country and abroad annually every February 2, her feast day. In 1981 Pope John Paul II during his visit canonically crowned the image without a papal legate, the first marian image to receive such stature in the Philippines and Asia.

Shrines

Basilica of Candelaria (Tenerife)

Basilica of Candelaria and Cueva de Achbinico

The first great Sanctuary to the Virgin of Candelaria was constructed in 1668. After a fire destroyed the ancient basilica, a larger church (the current basilica) was built. The current basilica dates to 1959. It was constructed on a former hermitage, and can hold 5,000 people.

The

Cave of San Blas was the first Christian church of the Canaries. It was here that the early inhabitants of the Canary Isles first revered the Virgin of Candelaria. The cave is located behind Candelaria's Basilica and is a site of pilgrimage. Achbinico's cave has historical significance as it was here that many baptisms
of guanches took place.

National Shrine of Our Lady of Candles (Jaro Cathedral)

The Jaro Cathedral (National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles)

The

Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (the only Marian shrine in Visayas and Mindanao
).

Her image perched atop the facade of Jaro Cathedral is the first and only marian image crowned personally without a papal legate by a pope and saint in the Philippines and Asia, by Pope John Paul II. The image of Our Lady of Candelaria of Jaro is considered as the oldest Virgin of Candelaria image in the country.

Diocesan Shrine of the Our Lady of Candelaria (Silang, Cavite)

Our Lady of Candelaria de Silang, Patroness of Silang, Cavite

The

Province of Cavite
and the second oldest Virgin of Candelaria image in the country.

Virgen de Candelaria Chapel (Tatala, Binangonan, Rizal)

This is the only chapel in Binangonan, Rizal, that venerates the image of Virgen de Candelaria. Its feast day is celebrated every February 2 with the blessing of the candles and a Solemn Mass. After the Mass, there is a traditional Pandanggo or Processional dance in honor to the Our Lady of Candelaria of Tatala.

Strange letters on the original carving of the Virgin

In the carved drapery of the Virgin of Candelaria original there were strange sequences of letters whose meaning is still unknown. These were:

  • Band on the neck: ETIEPFSEPMERI
  • In the belt: NARMPRLMOTARE
  • On the left sleeve, by the candle: LPVRINENIPEPNEIFANT
  • In the mantle, in the right arm: OLM INRANFR IAEBNPFM RFVEN NVINAPIMLIFINVIPI NIPIAN
  • At the edge of the left hand: FVPMIRNA ENVPMTI EPNMPIR VRVIVINRN APVIMFRI PIVNIAN NTRHN
  • At the bottom of the robe: EAFM IRENINI FMEAREI
  • On the back of the cape: NBIMEI ANNEIPERFMIVIFVF

There have been numerous theories proposed regarding possible meanings over the years, including that the evangelizing friars of the Canary Islands wrote devotions to the Virgin Mary in the context of the original (Insular-Amazigh) Guanche language, while attempting to transcribe them into Roman letters.[13]

In the Americas and Philippines

The cult of the Virgin of Candelaria swept America due to the emigration of Canarians. They brought the devotion as a symbol of their culture, somewhat similar to the diffusion of the cult of

St. Patrick by Irish
emigrants. On the other hand, the Candelaria image brought to the Philippines has a white image with a child.

She is widely venerated in South America and the Caribbean, where she is the patroness of

Manatí
(Puerto Rico) (which was founded as Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y San Matías).

In the

San Antonio
was founded by Canarians.

In the

Iloilo
: it is either of local heavenly origin since its discovery was miraculous being found floating in a river, changing in weight and growing in size or it may be brought by the Spanish immigrants during Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines. Her feast is celebrated every February 2 with pageantry where the Fiesta queen is chosen from prominent Spanish-Filipino families in the district of Jaro. The image and statue is located atop the cathedral and is the only Marian statue crowned by pope and saint in the Philippines, during the visit of Pope John Paul II.

The first church of Dilao (now the District of Paco in Manila) was initially dedicated to the Virgen de Candelaria, until its Parish was named to San Fernando. Until now, the Virgin is considered the secondary patroness and attributions are manifested throughout the post war church structure.

Syncretism

The Virgin of Candelaria is identified or syncretized with other holy entities from other religions:[14]

Gallery

  • Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, Tenerife
    Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, Tenerife
  • Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, Virgen de la Candelaria, Tenerife
    Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, Virgen de la Candelaria, Tenerife
  • Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, Tenerife
    Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, Tenerife
  • Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, Tenerife
    Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, Tenerife
  • Statue of the Guanche mencey Añaterve. Candelaria, Tenerife
    Statue of the Guanche mencey Añaterve. Candelaria, Tenerife
  • The Jaro Cathedral (National Shrine of Our Lady of Candles) in Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines
    The Jaro Cathedral (National Shrine of Our Lady of Candles) in Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines
  • Diocesan Shrine of the Our Lady of Candelaria in Silang, Cavite, Philippines
    Diocesan Shrine of the Our Lady of Candelaria in Silang, Cavite, Philippines

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Virgen De Candelaria - Islas Canarias". Mercaba.org. Archived from the original on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  2. ^ Presentación de Jesús al templo (Fiesta de la Candelaria) y origen de la advocación
  3. ^ "Tenerife Festivals". Whattenerife.com. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  4. ^ a b c d "Diva International.The Black Madonna : Virgin of Candelaria". Divainternational.ch. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  5. ^ Medio siglo de fervor en Candelaria
  6. ^ Historia de la Virgen de Candelaria, en página de turismo de Tenerife
  7. ^ Álvarez Delgado, Juan (1949). Sistema de Numeración Norteafricano. A. Numerales Canarios.- B. Sistema Numeral Norteafricano: Caracteres. Estudio de lingüística comparada sobre el sistema de numeración y cómputo de los aborígenes de Canarias. Madrid: Instituto Antonio de Nebrija (CSIC).
  8. ^ "Historia:docs:Milagros Virgen Candelaria". Mgar.net. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  9. ^ "Cristianos en Tierra Santa". Archived from the original on 2014-12-05. Retrieved 2015-02-14.
  10. ^ La patrona extremeña será entronizada en la basílica de la Anunciación ("The Extremaduran patron will be installed in the basilica of the Annunciation"). 26/02/2012, in elperiodicoextremadura.com.
  11. ^ "All roads lead to Candelaria for Virgin worship - Daily News - Tenerife - ISLANDCONNECTIONS.EU". www.islandconnections.eu. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  12. ^ "La Virgen de Candelaria ha visitado la ciudad 38 veces". eldia.es (in European Spanish). 2009-05-09. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  13. doi:10.3390/rel8080135.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  14. ^ "Virgen de Candelaria, syncretism". Saadaya.blogspot.com. 2004-02-27. Archived from the original on 2007-05-10. Retrieved 2010-08-23.

External links