Today is Palm Sunday and this means that finally entered the Holy Week or Semana Santa. This also means that I will my start the Virtual Visita Iglesia, which is my Holy Week tradition in this blog where I feature one church or chapel per day from Palm Sunday to Black Saturday. My virtual Visita Iglesia is based from the real Visita Iglesia that is usually done by visiting 7 churches or more on Maundy Thursday. The first church to be featured in this year's Virtual Visita Iglesia is the Immaculate Conception Church in Concepcion, Marikina.
A visit to my parents in Marikina means a visit to the Immaculate Conception Church in Barangay Concepcion Uno. This church has been a part of my mother's life. I believe that this is where she was baptized and had her first communion. Even in death this church played a role for this is where we brought our beloved grandparents, uncles, and aunts for their final blessings.
The Immaculate Conception Parish was once a part of the oldest and primary parish of Marikina, which is Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish.
The Immaculate Conception Church began as a chapel in 1949 in Barrio Bayan-Bayanan through the guidance of Father Jose Mirasol, who was the chaplain of Boys' Town in the nearby Barrio Parang. The chapel became dilapidated after 3 years so the people built a new chapel, the initial funds of which was provided by Manila Archbishop Rufino Cardinal Santos. The construction of the chapel was finished in 1957 and was blessed by Cardinal Santos on December 7 of that year. It was just a day before the feast of Immaculate Conception.
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| Adoration Chapel |
The name of Barrio Bayan-Bayanan was changed to Concepcion in 1956 by virtue of Republic Act 1514. I guess the name change is due to the rising prominence of the chapel that is dedicated to the Immaculate Mother. Immaculate Conception Parish was established in 1958.
The current church structure is relatively new compared to Our Lady of the Abandoned Church. The cornerstone of the church was laid on the feast day of Immaculate Conception in 1969. The church was finished the next year and was blessed by Cardinal Santos on October 18.
The church's facade is quite simple. It only has the lines formed by the adobe blocks and a stained-glass window featuring their patroness: Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.
The church has a bell tower that is also adorned by the image of Our Lady on top.
It was a Friday afternoon when I visited the church so the place is not that crowded. The church is almost empty, actually.
The church was prepped for a wedding. Good thing that I came early or I will not be able to take good photos of the church's interior, particularly its altar.
Our Lady of Immaculate Conception is featured prominently at the altar.
Another historical tidbit that I found is that Concepcion Church is at the north end of E. Santos and E. Rodriguez Streets, which was collectively known as Paliparan. These two roads were the runway of the "paliparan" or airfield that the Americans built before World War 2. The runway, which was used by civilian aircrafts, was taken over by the Japanese during the War.
Parallel to the E. Santos and E. Rodriguez is the straight road known as Daangbakal. The name hailed to its past as the tracks of the Marikina Line or the Rosario-Montalban Line. Daangbakal runs straight to Montalban.
I am quite familiar with Daangbakal because I walked a portion of it from my high school to my relatives in San Mateo. The train tracks are now long gone and only cars and tricycles use this long street.
The Marikina Line was built by the Manila Railroad Company starting in 1906, then formally opened in 1934, and abandoned in 1936. The Marikina Railway Depot is now the Marikina Elementary School. This historical tidbit helped me understand why there are some old train engines displayed in Marikina, one of which is located at the Riverbanks Mall.
Our Lady of Immaculate Conception
The crescent at the foor of the Virgin Mary is the thing that comes to my mind whenever I hear "Immaculate Conception". The crescent under her feet is one of the attributes of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. I interpret it to mean that Islam will be at the feet of Our Mother --- that Mama Mary will convert many Muslims and turn them into worshippers of Jesus Christ.
Pope Pius IX declared the dogma of the Virgin Mary's immaculate conception in 1854 through the bull Ineffabilis Deus.
The Church believes that the Virgin Mary is free of the stain of Original Sin since her conception. This privilege enabled her to bear the Son of God in her womb.
Four years later after the declaration of the dogma, the Virgin Mary appeared 4 years later in Lourdes and said "I am the Immaculate Conception."
Prayer to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
Most holy Virgin, who wast pleasing to the Lord and became His Mother, immaculate in body and spirit, in faith and in love, look kindly on the wretched who implore thy powerful patronage. The wicked serpent, against whom was hurled the first curse, continues fiercely to attack and ensnare the unhappy children of Eve. Do thou, then, O Blessed Mother, our queen and advocate, who from the first instant of thy conception didst crush the head of the enemy, receive the prayers which, united with thee in our single heart, we implore thee to present at the throne of God, that we may never fall into the snares which are laid out for us, and may all arrive at the port of salvation; and, in so many dangers, may the Church and Christian society sing once again the hymn of deliverance and of victory and of peace. Amen.
Mass Schedule in Immaculate Conception Church
Here are the schedule of the Holy Mass in Immaculate Conception Church in Marikina City:
Monday to Saturday: 6:00 AM, 7:00 AM, 6:00 PM
Sunday: 5:00 AM, 6:15 AM, 7:30 AM, 8:45 AM, 10:00 AM, 3:00 PM, 4:15 PM, 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, 8:00 PM
First Friday of the month: 6:00 AM, 7:00 AM, 12:00 Noon, 6:00 PM
Schedule of Baptism
Tuesday to Saturday: By appointment
Sunday: 11:00 AM
Schedule of Confirmation: By appointment
Schedule of Confession: Monday to Saturday 7:30 AM and 5:00 PM
Sick Call: By appointment or anytime if emergency case
Schedule of Wedding: Tuesday to Saturday - 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM
Funeral Blessing: By appointment or Any day at 1:30 PM
Funeral Mass: By appointment or any day at 2:00 PM
Visita Iglesia is a Catholic tradition of visiting seven or fourteen churches during Maundy Thursday. For each day, this Holy Week, I will feature one church as a sort of virtual Visita Iglesia.
Read about the churches that I visited this year
Palm Sunday: Immaculate Conception Church in Concepcion Uno, Marikina
Holy Monday: Santo Niño de Paz Chapel in Greenbelt, Makati
Fig Tuesday: Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Chapel in SM Makati
Spy Wednesday: Santa Rosa de Lima Church in Santa Rosa, Laguna
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