Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando - The Crusade of The Virgen Delos Remedios & Sto. Cristo Del Perdon

The Crusade of The Virgen Delos Remedios & Sto. Cristo Del Perdon

True to form, Kapampangans make a big fuss over appearances; they don’t quite know how to solve the problem of two images of the same Virgen—the officially crowned replica and the sidelined antique original. The cruzada, in which the image of Our Lady of Remedies (Virgen de los Remedios) is taken in daily processions all over Pampanga 365 days a year, is tradition that can be found only in this province. Today, the original purpose of crusade has been diluted and the Lady’s image diluted. On one hand, the original image stays in its original chapel in Baliti, San Fernando: on the other hand, three replicas have been made to serve as symbols of the crusade. In Baliti, has begun actively promoting its shrine as a pilgrimage site, a la Our Lady of Manaog in Pangasinan. However, for the rest of Pampanga, devotion is mostly directed to the most visible and accessible two pilgrim images which are replicas of the replica; these two images are processioned non-stop even to the farthest fishing villages and mountain hamlets. However, the biggest crowds gather (albeit once a year only) around the first replica of the original image, the one that is taken out once a year (from the Archdiocesan Chancery) for the annual coronation rites (alternately in San Fernando and Angeles). Thus, there are four identical images of same Virgen de los Remedios: one stationery image in Baliti, another that is kept in the Chancery, taken out only every September 08; and the two pilgrim images constantly going around the province for the Cruzada. In this processions, the image of the Santo Cristo de Perdon accompanies the Virgen—underscoring the belief of Catholics that the Blessed Virgin helps bring Christ even to the most unreachable people.

But first, a little flashback:

The Diocese of San Fernando was separated from the Archdiocese of Manila on December 11, 1948. Its first bishop was the most Rev. Cesar Ma. Guerrero, DD, who immediately identified the most pressing problem of Pampanga as the peasant uprising against the feudal system, fueled by a communist ideology. Socialist mayors were being elected, including those in Angeles and San Fernando; the sonorous scund of the tambuli was a nightly occurrence, and so were parades of peasants waving red flags. The people did go to Mass, pray the Angelus and the rosary, but as Bishop Guerrero said, “Aqui en Pampanga hay mucha piedad, pero poca caridad!” (“Here in Pampanga there is much piety, but little charity!”) in the vernacular: “Deng Kapampangan, mapangadi la, pero ali la mapamie!”

Which was why, after much prayer and reflection, Bishop Guerrero established the Cruzada ning Pamanisi at Lugud (Crusade of Penence and Charity), during a meeting held on the third Sunday of February, 1952 at the San Guillermo Parish in Bacolor, Pampanga. He appointed the parish’s co-adjutor Fr. Diosdado Victorio as director of the Cruzada chose the image of Virgen de los Remedios, then enshrined in the Virgen de los Remedios Parish (not San Roque parish as previously thought) in Brgy. Baliti, San Fernando, Pampanga, as the image that would accompany the Cruzada across the province. It may be deduced that Bishop Guerrero’s choice of patron saint may have been influenced by his personal devotion to Virgen de los Remedios, patron saint of Malate, his former parish. The beautiful andas (shoulder-borne carriage) on which the image was mounted was commissioned by Doña Jacinta vda. De Tayag of Bacolor.

The Cruzada officially started on May 01, 1952, or four years after the birth of diocese, in the San Miguel Arcangel Parish on Masantol, the southernmost town of Pampanga. Throughout the year well-attended processions marked the transfer of the image from Parish to parish.

Part of the tradition of the Cruzada was the donation of all alms and goods collected from the previously visited parish to the next parish. Soon, the processions of the Virgen de los Remedios featured truckloads of material goods being distributed to the indigent residents; thus, Kapampangan learned to share their processions and the visits of the Virgen became joyous occasions of replenishing both the soul and the body.

And when all the parishes had been visited by the image of the Virgen, it was the turn of Baliti, its home parish. Obviously the people of Baliti had sorely missed their beloved Virgen; they had also celebrated their fiesta earlier without the image. When the time came for the Cruzada’s. second round of provincial visits, Bishop Guerrero, who had arrived in Baliti to pick up the image, was politely told by Baliti’s parish priest, Fr. Generoso Pallasingui, that his parishioners would not the allow the image to leave the parish again. Msgr. Jose de la Cruz, now 92, who was present in the meeting, said in a recent interview that Fr. Pallasigui was quite worried that “blood would flow” if Bishop Guerrero insisted on taking the image away. (Apparently the people and their officials had made their feelings clear to the priest earlier)

The people of Baliti graciously lent the image of their parish patroness for the first year of provincial processions. However, when it wasn’t returned in time for their barrio fiesta, and when talk circulated that the image did not belong to them anymore but to the entire province, their mood turned from gracious to sour to indignation.

Msgr. De la Cruz recalls that the bishop decided right then and there to have a replica image. “Considering that Baliti was Huk-infested at that time,” Msgr. De la Cruz said, “the bishop thought it wise to let the matter rest. Besides, the Cruzada was intended to bring the people closer to God, not away from Him.

Msgr. De la Cruz was the director of the radio program Ing Siuala nang Maria (The Voice of Mary) at the time. He said the people may have reacted to an earlier comment he had made on the program owns the Virgen de los Remedios. Every parish that the image visits owns it in the duration of the visit. She belongs to the entire diocese. “The comment is canonically sound because all church edifices and all artifacts found inside are technically the property of the diocese.

The first replica was thus hastily made by the late Victoriano Siongco of the Catholic Trade Center of San Fernando. It was so well made that when the processions began for the Cruzada’s year 2 in late 1953, the people did not realize it was a different image. Bishop Guerrero next decided to apply to the Vatican for permission to have the image canonically crowned.

The people of Baliti graciously lent the image of their parish patroness for the first year of provincial processions. However, when it wasn’t returned in time for their barrio fiesta, and when talk circulated that the image did not belong to them anymore but to the entire province, their mood turned from gracious to sour to indignation

Its, Bishop Guerrero, who had arrived in Baliti to pick up the image, was politely told by Baliti’s parish priest, Fr. Generoso Pallasigui, that his parishioners would not allow the image to leave the parish again. Masgr. Jose dela Cruz, now 92, who was present in the meeting, said in a recent interview that Fr. Pallasigui was quite worried that “blood would flow” if Bishop Guerrero insisted on taking the image away. (Apparently the people and their officials had made their feelings clear to the priest earlier.)

Msgr. Dela Cruz recalls that the bishop decided right then and there to have a replica made. “Considering that Baliti was Huk-infested at that time,” Msgr. De la Cruz said, “the bishop thought it wise to let the matter rest. Besides, the Cruzada was intended to bring the people closer to God, not away from Him.”

Msgr. De la Cruz was the director of the radio program Ing Siuala nang Maria (The Voice of Mary) at the time. He said the people may have reacted to an earlier comment he had made on the program that “no single parish owns the Virgen de los Remedios. Every parish that the image visits owns it in the duration of the visit. She belongs to the entire diocese.” The comment is canonically sound because all church edifices and all artifacts found inside are technically the property of the diocese.

The first replica was thus hastily made by the late Victoriano Siongco of the Catholic Trade Center of San Fernando. It was so well made that when the processions began fir the Cruzada’s Year 2 in late 1953, the people did not realize it was a different image. Bishop Guerrero next decided to apply to the Vatican for permission to have the image canonically crowned.

The criteria for a canonical coronation of a religious image are; (a) there must be widespread devotion around the image; and (b) the image must have proven antiquity. It was the second criterion that made Msgr. De la Cruz pause. Which of the two images should be canonically crowned the antique Baliti image or the new replica to which popular devotion had now been transferred? Bishop Guerrero told the priest. “Just pray, Pepe.”

On the September 8, 1956, more than 70,000 Kapampangans witnessed the canonical coronation of the replica, performed by the Pope’s emissary to the Philippines, Msgr. Egidio Vagnozzi, held on capitol grounds in San Fernando.

After that, the popular devotion around the crowned image of the Virgen de los Remedios grew even more. Towns that were visited often kept the image way beyond the allotted period, which slowed down the itinerary. It took 10 years or more before the image returned to the same town, which was why people pulled all stops whenever the image finally did come back to their town.

It was also around this time that the image of Santo Cristo del Perdon (Crucified Christ, Lord of Pardon) was added to accompany the Virgen. There was discussion on which image should come first during the procession, until it was decided to put the Santo Cristo del Perdon first, not only to emphasize that Christ should be first (despite the popular belief that the more important should be last) but also since Cruzada is based on penance, the first image that the people should see must be that of suffering.

In 1978 or 1979, San Fernando Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz wanted to solve the problem of the extremely slow pace of the Virgen’s provincial rounds. There was a proposal to have (9) new images made so that each of the diocese’s nine vicariates (cluster of parishes based on geography) would have its own Virgen. Msgr. De la Cruz informed Archbishop Cruz that “It was not the intention of Bishop Guerrero to have multiple images going around” So the compromise was reached that only two images should go around, one for the northern towns of Pampanga, and one for the southern towns. But then again, the bishop anticipated debate on which group of towns would get the canonically crowned image and which would get the new one. So he solomonically decided to have two new replicas made for the Cruzada in the north and the south, while the canonically crowned image would stay in the chancery (Bishop’s residence) and would come out only every September 8 for the reenactment of the canonical coronation. (Many Kapampangans today erroneously call the annual event “canonical coronation” the Virgen was canonically crowned only once, September 8, 1956; the succeeding September 8 events are all merely anniversaries or reenactments of that first and only canonical coronation.)

The two new images were introduced during the 1981 reenactment, held in Minalin. (Reenactments were held in whichever town the Virgen was visiting around the time of the anniversary; however, when flooding worsened after Pinatubo, especially in the southern towns, the archdiocese decided to hold the reenactment alternately between San Fernando and Angeles, simply because they are the only towns with enough facilities to accommodate the big crowds and because they are relatively dry during the monsoon season.)