Last Saturday, June 13, 2026, the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a replica of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s image from Mexico began a six-month pilgrimage in the Philippines that will conclude on December 12, her feast day.
The Manila Cathedral was the first public stop. Manila’s Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula celebrated a solemn Mass to mark the arrival of this special image, sent by the Bishops of Mexico, in anticipation of the 500th year anniversary of Our Lady’s apparition to St. Juan Diego (in 2031).
The Mass opened with a festive rendition of the Mexican hymn La Guadalupana. The choir sang in Spanish while mariachi instruments and the Filipino rondalla accompanied them. The fusion of these two musical styles – one from the Americas, and the other from Asia – is a symbol for the long years of friendship and shared history between the Philippines and Mexico.
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Filipino devotion to our Lady of Guadalupe since 1601
Filipinos have been devotees of this advocation of Mary since the early Spanish colonial period. The oldest evidence of local devotion is an image in the Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church, which was established in 1601.
This church was designated the official Archdiocesan Shrine of our Lady of Guadalupe in 2002. Then, in 2010, after a surge in the number of pilgrims to this shrine, the bishops’ conference elevated its status to National Shrine.
In 1935, Pope Pius XI declared Our Lady of Guadalupe the “Heavenly Patroness of the Philippines” and in 2003, the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines added “Pro-life Patroness of the Philippines” to her titles.
Another significant colonial-era site is a cave in Cebu that houses a miraculous statue of Our Lady Guadalupe. Clothed in an intricately embroidered gown typical of Spanish-period religious statuary, this image and devotion to it date back to 1880. In 2006, the image received a canonical coronation, as well as a pontifical decree proclaiming her “Patroness of Cebu.”
Our long history of devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe explains why so many Filipinos embrace her as our own, even though she comes from a country thousands of miles away. That devotion also makes it fitting that both spiritual and political leaders honored her arrival. At the opening Mass officiated by the Archbishop of Manila, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. was asked to lead the prayer of consecration before her image.
A rare scene: The Cardinal of Manila praying with President Marcos
Nevertheless, the complex history of President Marcos might make more than a few Filipino Catholics uncomfortable with him leading such a solemn act of consecration.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. is the only son of President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., who was forced from office in 1986, when two million Filipinos took to the streets to support a return to democracy. By then, the Philippines had endured 21 years of authoritarian rule.
This “people’s revolution” was called for by Cardinal Jaime Sin, then Archbishop of Manila. His invitation was broadcast on Radio Veritas on February 23, 1986. The cardinal called on the laity, religious, and clergy to gather at the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue to express support for Fidel V. Ramos and Juan Ponce Enrile. These two generals had defected from the regime due to reports of massive fraud at the snap elections that declared Marcos Sr. the winning candidate over Corazon Aquino.
The Cardinal urged people to gather peacefully and not resort to violence. His appeal was heeded. Not a single shot was fired during the four days of the revolution. On the last day, February 25th, Marcos, Sr. left Malacañang and President Corazon Aquino was sworn in as president. Democracy was restored.
Since assuming office in 2022, President Marcos Jr. has not led official commemorations of the People’s Revolution, unlike many of his predecessors. This reluctance reveals how February 25, 1986, continues to be viewed as a divisive historical moment by his family and many of their supporters.
This year marked the 40th anniversary of that historic moment. Cardinal Advincula has repeatedly called on the faithful to preserve the memory of EDSA, describing it not only as a democratic victory, but also a grace-filled moment in which the Blessed Mother was present among the Filipino people.
Given their differing perspectives on the 1986 revolution, it was striking to see Cardinal Advincula and President Marcos praying side by side last Saturday. The scene suggested a willingness to put aside their political differences in pursuit of common ground and the common good. It also raises the question of whether this pilgrimage of Our Lady of Guadalupe is itself a sign that she is calling Filipinos to deeper reconciliation, conversion, and unity.
Our Lady of EdSA and the peace she gave all Filipinos in 1986
In a homily marking the 36th anniversary of EDSA, Cardinal Advincula reminded Filipinos that EDSA’s peaceful outcome was a particular grace that our Blessed Mother gave to our nation:
“Now is an important time to uphold our national dignity as Pueblo Amante de Maria. Let us not allow EDSA to be a mere page of national history. EDSA is not just a political event about the reconfiguration of power, EDSA is a religious and spiritual experience that cuts through time and inspires our life as a nation,”
“What does it mean to be 'Pueblo Amante de Maria.' Firstly, Pueblo Amante de Maria means we are people beloved by Mary. EDSA is a testament to the power of Our Lady’s maternal love for us.”
His reminder that Filipinos are a people who both love and are loved by the Blessed Mother recalls the iconic images of ordinary citizens, priests, nuns, and seminarians standing before heavily armed military tanks. As they formed human barricades, they prayed the rosary and entrusted themselves to Mary’s protection. Many believe that these prayers helped secure not only democracy, but peace.
When remembered in terms of peace, the 1986 revolution transcends political loyalties and the changes in power it brought about. The peace won at EDSA did not benefit only those who opposed the regime. Those who were part of the Marcos administration were likewise spared.
Moreover, the military could have used force against the protesters. Yet, it did not.
In the end, EDSA’s non-violent conclusion benefited Filipinos on both sides of the political divide. Seen in this broader light, the grace we received from the Blessed Mother that day was meant for the entire nation.
Our Lady of Guadalupe’s visit, an invitation to conversion and unity
The presence of both the Cardinal and the President at last Saturday’s opening Mass invites us to recognize, in Our Lady’s closeness — both at EDSA and now through the visit of this pilgrim image — a mother who calls her children to dialogue, conversion, and unity. She invites us to move beyond political divisions and work together for peace and the common good.
That rare moment of shared prayer is therefore an invitation to all Filipinos to seek deeper conversion, regardless of political allegiance. This emphasis on conversion was precisely how Cardinal Advincula concluded his homily, encouraging the faithful not only to ask for Our Lady’s protection but also to share in her heart:
Today, as we welcome the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, our madre peregrina, to our shores and as she visits towns and cities of our beloved Pearl of the Orient, let us ask not only for her protection but also for a share in her heart. May we have a heart that rejoices in God like Isaiah’s servant, a heart that seeks Jesus tirelessly when He seems distant, a heart that treasures God’s Word in prayerful silence, and a heart that beats for the poor, the very same love that God has for the lowly and forgotten of the world.
