IN PHOTOS: La Naval de Manila grand procession 2018

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Catholic devotees joined the annual grand procession for the feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, La Naval de Manila, around Santo Domingo Church on Sunday, October 14.

The feast of La Naval is celebrated every second Sunday of October, and is known for one of the biggest Marian processions in the Philippines. (WATCH: Mass, procession for La Naval de Manila 2018)

The feast commemorates the victories of Filipino-Spanish naval forces against Dutch invaders in 1646. Believed to be miraculous, these victories were attributed to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, La Naval de Manila. 

“With the power of the rosary, our combined forces – the Spanish armada and the Filipino forces, more particularly also, especially, the Kapampangan forces, who were noted for their courage – were able to defeat (the Dutch), in 5 battles, from Pangasinan, Marinduque, Mindoro, Batangas, and Bataan,” said Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco in his homily at Santo Domingo Church on Sunday. 

Ongtioco stressed, “The rosary is a prayer of the family. The rosary is a prayer for the family.”

The bishop then reminded Catholics not to rush through praying the rosary.

“Sana po kapag tayo’y nagdarasal ng Santo Rosaryo, namnamin natin ang bawat panalangin, bawat Aba Ginoong Maria. Hindi nakukuha sa pagbilis ng pagdarasal. Pray the rosary with great devotion. Slowly meditate on the mystery, at makakaasa tayo, matatanggap natin yung biyayang kalakip ng panalangin, kalakip ng Santo Rosaryo – isang buhay na matiwasay, mapalad, maaliwalas, at maligaya,” Ongtioco said. 

(I hope that every time we pray the Holy Rosary, we will savor each prayer, every Hail Mary. It’s not about how fast you pray it. Pray the rosary with great devotion. Slowly meditate on the mystery, and we can be assured that we will receive the graces that come with prayer, that come with the Holy Rosary – a life that is steadfast, fortunate, joyful, and happy.)

Believed to have been carved in 1593, the La Naval image, which was honored on Sunday, is kept in Santo Domingo Church to this day. – Rappler.com