‘Virgen dela Rosa de Macati’ canonically crowned

Top Catholic officials crowned a statue of Mary before a packed crowd in Makati City over the weekend.

The canonical coronation took place during Mass at the Plaza Cristo Rey, located right in front of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish Church on March 16.

More than a thousand people watched Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle place a crown on the head of Christ child, and then also on the head of Mary by Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.

Prior to the crowning of the images, Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales place a rose on the right hand of the Marian image.

In the country, the statue is known as “Virgen dela Rosa,” who is also known as Makati’s Queen, Mother and Patroness.

In his homily, Cardinal Tagle called the celebration as a “special grace” from Pope Francis.

“Let us ask the Lord to fill us with His presence, the way He filled Mary,” Cardinal Tagle said.

“And may we be consoled by our solidarity with those that world considers ugly, detestable, so that we may convey to them the beauty of mercy, compassion, and hope,” he said.

The local process to have the image be pontifically crowned started as early as June 2016.

On Oct. 23, 2018, the Manila archdiocese submitted the petition to the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments.

Six days later, Pope Francis, through the congregation, approved the petition for the canonical coronation of Virgen dela Rosa.

Last year, the parish marked the 300th anniversary of the arrival of the image in the country.