Filipino national treasure inspires Marian devotion 

The story begins in 1646 with Protestant Dutch warships lined up to destroy and subjugate Manila and her islands. 

The history of the Philippines, a nation steeped in all that is great in Catholic history and culture, shows that nothing is more absorbing than Church history, ever reflecting the hand of God and divine intervention. 

Foreign visitors to this beautiful land are quick to notice the ardent faith and great devotion the nation fosters for the Blessed Mother.

Mary, the Mother of God, is honoured under many titles across the land, while one stands out particularly in the capital of Manila: Our Lady of La Naval. 

This popular devotion is centred at the Dominican church of Santo Domingo, also known as the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of La Naval de Manila – one of the largest churches in Asia, located in Quezon City (the present church was built in 1954).   

Here is kept the revered statue of Our Lady under this title, a national treasure, enshrined on a side altar, and placed behind the main altar during the annual celebrations held in October. The event draws tens of thousands of devotees.

Our Lady of La Naval has been an object of Filipino devotion dating back to the 16th century, with many reported miracles. Today there are countless cherished traditions surrounding this devotion, known locally as Santo Rosario. 

The Christian faithful of the Philippines, long renowned for their devotion and loyalty to the Catholic Church - God’s kingdom on earth – credit their victory, the successful repulsion of the Dutch Protestant invasion to the intercession of Our Lady of Naval. 

The Blessed Mother heard the cry of her people and saved them from imminent peril and slavery during that perilous time in the 1600s, when their entire future lay in the balance. 

On the eve of the attack, the Philippine nation was already in a difficult situation.  A series of volcanic eruptions had taken place helping to cause a food shortage that crippled Manila.  In addition, wars against the Islamist jihadists of Mindanao in the south had taken a toll on human life and valuable resources.  

Most importantly, the people were without a spiritual leader. The recently appointed archbishop-elect of Manila had died in transit on board a galleon from Mexico on his way to the Philippines. The people sorrowfully mourned the untimely death of their new bishop and awaited a new appointment.

The Dutch, pursuing their quest for alternative trade routes to Asia, took advantage of the situation. They sought to dominate the commercial sea trade routes in Southeast Asia. After previous failures, they were determined to offset their losses. This led to the decision to attempt to seize the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire. 

At that time Manila had no significant naval strength to repel the enemy, save for two galleons, named fortuitously the Incarnation and the Rosary. 

Despite the hopelessness of the situation, General Fajardo of Manila ordered both now-legendary ships to be laden with cannons and made ready for fierce battle.

The chaplains on the Incarnation were Dominicans while the Franciscans were assigned to the Rosary. Later, a third ship was added to the match, the San Diego, a newer merchant galleon that was even more powerful. 

The standoff between the Protestant Dutch and Catholic Spanish-Filipino fleets lasted more than a month and consisted of five major and decisive sea battles. 

Little did the Dutch know that Manila lay defenceless, with no other ships in the harbour to protect the port. Further, there was no remaining artillery in the city – everything had been removed for use in the galleons that sailed out to engage in combat.    

The Dominican chaplain on the Incarnation, the Catholic flagship, delivered a stirring sermon in which he gave an assurance of certain victory on the part of God and Our Lady. 

In addition, the Catholic commanders of both ships made public vows to the Virgin of the Rosary that if the armada came out victorious, in a public act of thanksgiving, a solemn feast would be declared in Mary’s honor and that in gratitude all of the defenders would make a public walk - barefoot - in solemn procession to Manila’s chapel of Our Lady at the Church of Santo Domingo. 

During the tense skirmishes on the sea, the men on the Spanish-Filipino ships fought hard while shouting religious aspirations such as “Ave Maria!” and “Long Live the Faith in Christ and the Most Holy Virgin of the Rosary!” 

In between battles, the men also prayed the Rosary aloud, in two choirs, while kneeling before an image of Our Lady. Their prayers worked and the Catholic fleet was victorious.    

After the victory, there was an overwhelming sense of relief for the Catholic armada, which lost only a handful of soldiers. The men publicly declared that victory belonged to Our Lady of the Rosary. 

The Spanish general, Orellana, fell on his knees before an image of Our Lady and gave public thanks for the victory. The fifth and final battle had been won on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. 

As soon as the victorious ships returned to the port of Manila, the triumphant Catholic troops, led by their general, marched barefooted to the church of Santo Domingo in fulfillment of their vow. 

A short time after the victory, the event was celebrated with a magnificent public procession, solemn Mass, and a grand parade. The city made a vow to celebrate, every year, the solemnity of the naval victories and this has turned into the annual celebration of today. 

The victories were officially declared miraculous by the competent religious authorities. There had been a clear connection between the devotion to the Rosary, the vow to Our Lady, and the inextricable victory. 

In the end, only 15 Spanish-Filipino soldiers lost their lives in the battles, even though the two Spanish-Filipino ships were already aged and powerless to meet a superior enemy.  

Our Lady was given the Spanish title La Gran Señora de Filipinas on account of the many favours attributed to her.

With the failure of the Dutch conquest, the Philippines were saved and remained under Spanish rule up to the end of the 19th century. Conversely, the Dutch established themselves further south, creating the Dutch East Indies which allowed them tremendous wealth, lasting until after World War II. 

Today countless Filipino faithful participate throughout the world in the centuries-old festivities of Our Lady of La Naval de Manila. 

Historians also credit the battle and Our Lady’s intercession as the turning point for the country that allowed it to remain a bastion of Catholic truth in the face of not only secular Protestant hegemony, but also Islamic conquest (Islam having arrived and spread in the south of the Philippines in the 14th century).

The faithful Filipino people and their beloved land “Pueblo Amante de Maria” (a people in love with Mary) can fill volumes of fascinating Catholic history. Our Lady of Naval has been venerated by various Roman Pontiffs, including St. Pius X, St. John Paul II, and Benedict XVI. 

J.P. Sonnen is tour operator and history docent with Vancouver-based Orbis Catholicus Travel.