Battles of La Naval de Manila - Ecclesiastical Investigations

Ecclesiastical Investigations

On April 6, 1647, the Father Friar Diego Rodriguez, O.P., Procurator-General of the Dominican fathers, on behalf of the religious Order, duly requested the vicar of the Diocese of Manila to declare that the victories achieved in the year 1646 had been miraculous intercession of the Virgin of the Rosary.

The City Council took into account the three following circumstances to declare the victories as miraculous:

• That only fifteen (15) soldiers died on the side of the Spanish-Filipino troops;
• That the two ships mentioned were already very old and powerless to do battle and;
• That the soldiers, who sought Divine assistance by means of devoutly praying the Holy Rosary in choirs, attributed the victory they achieved to God through the intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary;