Visita Iglesia 2026: National Shrine of Our Lady of Aranzazu (San Mateo, Rizal)

Of the many titles given to Mama Mary, the one that always makes me wonder is her title as Our Lady of Aranzazu. Aranzazu what? Is it a place? Is it a thing? Is it related to Zazu, the servant of the Lion King? The trigger of my questions is the church in San Mateo, Rizal known as the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aranzazu.

The source of the Marian title of Our Lady of Aranzazu is mystical because it is connected to an apparition of Mama Mary in 1468. This mystical event happened in Oñati, Spain where a young shepherd saw the Virgin Mary standing atop of a thorn brush. The shepherd was so surprised that he exclaimed “arantzan zu?”, which means “You among the thorns?”. Mama Mary instructed the shepherd to build a shrine for her at the site and also promised protection and blessings for the townspeople.

Nuestra Señora de Arantzazu (source: National Shrine of Our Lady of Aranzazu)

The shrine that was built honoring Mama Mary is now the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Arantzazu in Oñati, Spain. This church is significant to the Jesuits because the founder of their Order, Saint Ignatius de Loyola, had a night vigil in it while on his way to Montserrat. It is inferred that this is the church where Saint Ignatius took a vow of chastity. This is the reason why Our Lady of Aranzazu has a special place in the hearts of the Jesuits.

The devotion to Our Lady of Aranzazu came to San Mateo when the Jesuits took over the mission from the Augustinians in 1696. Five years later, in 1705, Padre Juan Echazabal changed the patronage of the church and the town from San Mateo to Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu.

The National Shrine stands out because of the orange bricks on its facade and the big bell tower on its side. The current structure of the church is the result of the repair 

Also located outside are the old bells of the church.

The grey bell tower contrasts the orange wall of the church.

I was amazed by the outside view of the church. But I was more amazed when I took a look inside.

I was welcomed by a red carpet and flowers. Coincidentally, there was a wedding later in the afternoon.

Our Lady of Aranzazu stands at the center of the altar with the Spanish shepherd and his sheep at her feet.

At the side of the altar are the images of Saint Joseph and who I believe is Saint Matthew, the other patron of the town.

The church of San Mateo is one of the oldest churches in this part of Rizal Province. Thus, it was a silent witness to the history of San Mateo and even the whole province. The church is known to be the place where a Katipunero leader Pio Valenzuela was imprisoned. This church became the refuge of Spanish soldiers and officials during the Philippine Revolution. It was also damaged during the Philippine-American War and the Second World War.

In the side chapel near the entrance of the church I saw the most revered image of Our Lady of Aranzazu.

The image depicts Mama Mary standing on a thorny bush with the cloud on her feet and the silver crescent moon. Below her is the shepherd and a rectangular golden bell. This bell is part of the apparition of Our Lady. It was found in the bush together with the original statue of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu after the apparition as a proof that Mama Mary appeared in that place.

I think that San Mateo is unique and special because its parish church is the only church in the Philippines that is dedicated to Our Lady in Aranzazu. The other religious site in the Philippines dedicated to Our Lady of Aranzazu is just a chapel in Colegio de San Juan de Letran. San Mateo is also special because the image of Our Lady is miraculous. The devotees said that Our Lady of Aranzazu saved them from floods. During a typhoon, the devotees processed the image of Our Lady and they claimed that flood suddenly subsided in the areas where the image went.

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Aranzazu made an official relationship with the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Arantzazu in Oñate, Spain by establishing a Gemellaggio Spirituale or "Spiritual Twinning".

I am glad that I finally visited the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aranzazu. The truth is that I studied in San Mateo during high school and all those years I did not visit the church. I played basketball in the town plaza but I never took the time to say “hello” to Mama Mary and Our Lord. Looking back at that time, I am glad that I somewhat “improved”. I now know the value of going to the church, of praying to Our Lord everyday, and of asking Mama Mary and the saints for intercession. May Our Lady of Aranzazu help us to get over the flood of problems in our lives like the way she saved San Mateo from floods.

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A prayer in honor of Our Lady of Aranzazu

O loving Mother, who stand on the thorns on the mountains of Aranzazu! Like a watchman guarding all sinners. Stir our wills to relieve and remove in our hearts and souls the bad seed of sin, and substitute it with the beauty of God's grace. Then those who shall long dwell in hell because of sin will be brought to live in the heavenly home. We are grateful for your mercy; we implore you to show us your protection for we are surrounded by wicked motions that dwells in our souls. Clothe us with the true vestments of purity and bind us to the grace of holiness, so that we may gloriously reach heaven and there endlessly praise God. AMEN.

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Visita Iglesia is the Filipino tradition of visiting churches during the Holy Week. This virtual Visita Iglesia is my own tradition wherein I post about one church each day of the Holy Week.

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References

1. Sanctuary of Arantzazu and  Our Lady of Aranzazu in Wikipedia

2. Brief Histroy of the DSPNSDA Church and The History of the Devotion and the Jesuits of San Mateo in Shrine of Our Lady of Aranzazu

3. The San Mateo Church: the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Aranzazu in Dominus Est

4. Revisiting Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu of Colegio de San Juan de Letran and Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu of San Mateo, Rizal - the Miraculous Lady on a Thorn tree in Pintakasi