SW News: Believers in the Catholic diocese of Massin in the Philippines are exulting as Pope Francis has granted canonical coronation to the image of their beloved patroness, Our Lady of the Assumption. A canonical coronation is the Vatican’s recognition of a certain Marian image under a specific title being venerated in a locality.

The decision by the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments was published on February 2 by the diocese. It also said that the tentative date for the canonical coronation is set for August. The image will be the first pontifically crowned statue of the diocese. The miraculous image of Mary with outstretched arms and eyes looking to heaven is made of ivory and wood. Honoring the patroness, who is known for protecting the city of Maasin from calamities for centuries, the image received an episcopal coronation on August 15, 2018.

Maasin in the Southern Leyte province was established as a parish in 1771 under the care of the Jesuit missionaries. In 1843, Our Lady of the Assumption became its patroness under the Franciscans. When the parish church became the cathedral of the newly erected Massin diocese in 1968, Our Lady of the Assumption also became its patroness.