SW News:

Believers in the Philippines are rejoicing over the announcement of the solemn coronation of the sacred image of Our Lady in the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Paranaque City in Metro Manila. The century-old statue of Our Lady will be canonically crowned on May 24, the feast of the said Marian title.

The Diocese of Paranaque had moved the Holy See seeking permission to crown the image that was first brought to the country by Archbishop Guglielmo Piani, the former Apostolic Delegate to the Philippines in 1922. This year also marks the centenary of the arrival of the beautiful statue that represents Our Lady Help of Christians, who is specially venerated by the Salesians.

The statue was first enshrined in the Manila cathedral and devotion to Mary Help of Christians took root in the country. When the Japanese overran the nation in 1942, the holy image was taken to Lady of Loreto Church in Sampaloc, Manila, for safety. It was during the stay of the statue in that church that the Archconfraternity of Mary Help of Christians was organized in the country. On the 24th of each month, the members of the confraternity offer Masses and novenas to the Blessed Mother.

It was in 1919 that the first shrine dedicated to Mary Help of Christians was solemnly blessed by Archbishop Carmine Rocco, the Apostolic Delegate, and Bishop Pedro Batigue of San Pablo in Laguna.

The diocese of Paranaque has another solemnly crowned statue of Nuestra Senora del Buen Suceso, which is 400 years old. The sacred image dating back to the Spanish colonial era is enshrined in the Cathedral of St Andrew. It received canonical crowning on September 8, 2000.