Visita Iglesia: Santo Domingo Church

There is one image that always catch my attention whenever I pass by in front of the Santo Domingo Church, which is located along Quezon Avenue. That image is the bas-relief of Mama Mary flanked by Spanish soldiers on the facade of the church.
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The relief gives homage to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of La Naval Manila, whose intercession was sought during the war against the Dutch on Philippine waters in 1646. Santo Domingo Church serves as the Shrine of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of La Naval Manila.
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This church is being run by the Dominicans. As the name implies, Santo Domingo Church is named after Saint Dominic, who is the founder of the Dominican Order. The cornerstone of the church was laid in 1952. The image of La Naval was enshrined here in 1954.
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I got the chance to visit this beautiful church one early morning. The reason of my visit is to avail of the Sacrament of Confession. Unfortunately, the schedule of confessions was in the early evening. Failing to fulfill my mission, I just prayed and then had my eyes feast on the beauty of the Santo Domingo Church.

I didn't have my digital camera that time and the photos taken using the camera of my mobile phone didn't give justice to the beauty of Santo Domingo Church's stained-glass windows and other works of art. I just grabbed some photos from Fr. Abe Arganiosa's blog.
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Altar of Santo Domingo Church showing the mosaic of Saint Dominic.

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Devotees praying to La Naval de Manila.

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Left: battle of La Naval de Manila. Center: Saint Dominic and Saint Siena kneeling
before Mama Mary. Right: battle of Lepanto.

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The descent of the Holy Spirit, the ascension of Mama Mary and her crowning.

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The Crucifixion.

See more of these beautiful stained-glass of Santo Domingo Church in Father Abe's blog.

Santo Domingo Church is one of the most beautiful church that I had visited. The presence of artworks that give homage to Mother Mary truly shows how much the Filipinos love her. La Naval is not only revered because of her help in the war against the Dutch. Filipino Catholics greatly believed that it is through her intercession that the People Power Revolution of 1986 became victorious without any bloodshed.

Prayer to La Naval de Manila

Holy Mary, at the sound of your voice, Elizabeth, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and the baby in her womb leapt for joy. Visit us as you visited the home of Elizabeth. During our earthly pilgrimage towards God's kingdom, may we magnify the Lord whose greatness endures from age to age, who lifts up the lowly, fills the starving with good things, and comes to the help of His servants.

Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval, Our Mother, first disciple of your Son Jesus, intercede for us in our most earnest request (pause for a moment and offer your petition).

May we, in turn heed your unceasing call to do whatever your Son tells us to do. With your powerful intercession, we believe that what is most difficult can be done, what we have overlooked, you cannot miss, what is meaningless, bitter or painful can be transformed into fulfillment, gratitude and joy. Amen.

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Visita Iglesia is a Catholic tradition of visiting seven churches during Maundy Thursday. For each day, this Holy Week, I will feature one church as a sort of virtual Visita Iglesia.

May the Lord deepen our faith in Him this Holy Week! Amen.

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For more prayers to La Naval de Manila please visit the La Naval de Manila website.

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Day of the Palaspas

And when they drew near to Jerusalem and to Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately on entering it you will find a colt tied, upon which no man has yet sat; loose it, and bring it. And if anyone say to you, 'What are you doing?' you shall say that the Lord has need of it, and immediately he will send it here.”

And they went their way and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they loosed it. And some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?” But they answered them as Jesus had told them to do and they let them go.

And they brought the colt to Jesus, and threw their cloaks over it, and he sat upon it. And many spread their cloaks upon the road, while others were cutting branches from the trees, and strewing them on the road. And those who went before him, and those who followed, kept crying out saying, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes! Hosanna in the highest!” And he went into Jerusalem, into the temple. And when he looked round upon all things, then, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

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This is how Saint Mark the Evangelist related the triumphant entry of our Lord Jesus to Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-11). This what Catholics around the world commemorates this Palm Sunday.

Here in the Philippines, we commemorate Palm Sunday (Linggo ng Palaspas) by bringing palm leaves during Mass and have them blessed with Holy Water. The palaspas (palm frond) not only symbolizes the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem but it also marks the start of Holy Week.

Palm Sunday is very important day for me. Personally, I view the palaspas as a symbol of Jesus' triumphant entry into my life. Like in the Gospel, Jesus entered into my life with joy and celebration on my part. However, like what was written in the Gospel, there are times that I betrayed Him and “crucified” Him days after His entry into my life.
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(Source: MCSICAA)

Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week and I invite you to accompany me in my journey of Faith throughout this week. I can't give much insight and reflections during these holy days since I am still a noob in my Catholicism. I will do my best, however, to post insights from those who knows the Christian faith better than me.

Let us embark on a journey of Faith my friends. May we let Jesus enter our hearts like the way he entered Jerusalem.

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