Saint Anthony of Lisbon's feastday.
Showing posts with label santos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label santos. Show all posts
San Miguel Arcangel
Argao, Cebu.
Must have been taken shortly after America's "purchase" of the Philippines and right after the Filipino-American war.
San Antonio de Lisboa
For those who lost something today or for those who are single and looking for a counterpart, you all might want to pray to St. Anthony today. June 13th is his feastday.
He might just intercede.
N. S. de La Paz y Buen Viaje de Antipolo
Print, Victor Ancheta, 2003.
July 18 is the 383th anniversary of the arrival of the Virgin of Antipolo to the Philippines from Mexico. To commemorate this date, here's a reprint of a century old editorial, detailing the icon's history. The article originally appeared in the Manila American back in 1904.
Canonical Coronation of the Virgin of Antipolo,
Photo courtesy of Alex Castro.
OUR LADY OF PEACE AND PROSPEROUS VOYAGES
November 27, 1904
At a distance of about fourteen miles from Manila to the East is situated the delightful and picturesque town of Antipolo at an elevation of 285 metres.
The town with its 600 houses or more is built on a small plateau which opens toward the North. The church, famous throughout the Islands, occupies the highest part in the East, and from it a view, not to be excelled in any part of the globe, is obtained. The plain and city of Manila, with its numerous suburbs, Cavite province, the vast fields of Bulacan and Pampanga and far away on the horizon the mountain range of Zambales, Mariveles, the entrances to the bay and the heights of Sungay and Pico de Loro; and, coming from Taytay, about one mile distant, the panorama of Laguna de Bay, the great lake, spreads out before the traveler's eyes, its southern boundary showing those three unsurpassable mountains, Cristobal, Banajao and Banajao de Lucban.
Old Antipolo Church.
Antipolo, like most all of the towns of Morong and Laguna, owes its existence to the untiring zeal of the great and noble Franciscan Friars, whose entire existence is consecrated to the good of humanity, and who, as early as 1578, evangelized, civilized, and gathered into towns, villages and hamlets the savage natives of these provinces.
But the great and well-merited fame enjoyed by Antipolo is not so much due to its benign climate, picturesque location and health-restoring springs as to an image of ' Our Lady of the Angels,' guarded in its church and venerated to the utmost confines of the archipelago, and even beyond it, under the name of ' Our Lady of Peace and Prosperous Voyages,' and to which Governor Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuero gave, in 1639 or 1640, the title of Protectress and Admiral of the Fleet.
A Recuerdo from 1904.
Courtesy of Alex Castro.
This holy image of the Blessed Virgin, like so many numerous other benefits, the Philippines owe to their old metropolis, the vice-kingdom of New Spain, Mexico, the fairest country on earth. When Don Juan Nino de Tavora, a Galician nobleman and knight of Calatrava, appointed captain-general of this archipelago, arrived on his way to Manila at enchanted Acapulco, the mountain-enclosed seaport of the Aztec empire, he said his prayers and heard his Mass in the parish church of that jewel of the Pacific. Struck with admiration by an image of the Holy Virgin, its serene aspect and above all its indescribably beautiful eyes, full of love and triumph, he spared no means to acquire it for his new capital, Manila.
On March 25, 1626, the image of Our Lady was transferred with great pomp and ceremony aboard the galleon; the next day, March 20th, she set out on her long voyage, and the ship bearing the precious burden cast anchor on July 18th of the same year in Cavite. Great was the rejoicing when the happy news of her arrival became' known, and all vied with each other to do honor to the ' Virgen Americana.' A solemn and splendid procession, headed by the highest functionaries, civil and ecclesiastic, all the nobility, gentry, troops and an enormous concourse of natives, accompanied the representative of one of the divinest and purest cults of Catholicism to the Cathedral.
Shortly afterward the Virgin took up her abode in Antipolo, where she remained without interruption until the end of 1639. In 1639 the Chinese and Chinese mestizos arose in revolt against the constituted authorities, committing outrages and ravages without name, applying the torch to the hamlets and towns, destroying plantations and putting all who fell into their hands to the sword without distinction of sex or age. The savage horde also assaulted Antipolo and after a heroic resistance on the part of brave natives, who fought like lions, took it. Soon the flames kindled by the rebels did their work and Antipolo had ceased to exist. The church was only a heap of ashes and burned timbers, enclosed by bare walls, but in this shapeless mass the image of the Blessed Virgin and a wooden cross were found absolutely intact and perfect by the Spaniards and Indians.
The Virgin of Antipolo, lanced by the Chinese Rebels.
The Virgin, thrown into the flames by the Chinese, was found unharmed by the Spanish military.
Photos courtesy of Alex Castro.
The Madonna having been proclaimed Patroness and even Admiral of the Fleet, her statue was repeatedly carried over sea. Three or four times it visited its ancient shrine in Mexico. Alonzo Garcia commanded the galleon ' San Luis,' which bore the Blessed American Virgin in 1641 on her first visit home to the rich shores of Mexico, and with him she returned after a happy voyage to these Islands. Again in 1643, the same vessel set sail for the country of the Holtecs and Aztecs, with General Lorenzo de Ugalde Orella serving as knight to the Virgin of the Philippines, who now set out for the realm over which the Virgin of Tecoac, ' La Guadalupana ' reigns supreme over all hearts and minds.
The good ship ' Encarnacion ' left Cavite in 1645, with the Virgin of Antipolo as its admiral, and after a prosperous voyage returned laden with troops, treasure and merchandise, to the Pearl of the Orient, Manila.
The Virgin of Antipolo protecting the Spanish Galleons with their travels to America.
Photo courtesy of Alex Castro.
The galleon 'San Francisco Javier' took the celestial Patroness for the fourth time in 1651 to her beloved Acapulco, and there among the palms and fragrant blossoms of her own land she remained .until 1653. Having, as always, guided the vessel entrusted to her care safely back to Manila, on September 9, 1653, the Virgin of Peace and Prosperous Voyages, as she was named at about that time, set out to take up her former abode in the mountain recess of Antipolo. Indescribable was the joy with which her children welcomed their mother and well beloved. She was received with acclamations wherever she passed, and after a journey of twelve days, having been detained by the fervent inhabitants of Taytay nine days, Our Lady made her triumphant entry into Antipolo.
Photo courtesy of Alex Castro.
After her return she remained for eighty-five years undisturbed in the beautiful home which love and faith had built for her far away from the world's noise, traffic, hypocrisy and misery. Still her services as Patroness and Admiral of the Fleet were yet necessary. In June, 1746, borne by the faithful in procession, she was taken to Manila, and towards the middle of the same month installed as commander of the flagship ' Nuestra Senora del Pilar ' with which she sailed for the evergreen shores of Mexico.
A pious tradition says that the glories won by Don Andres Lopez de Azaldigui, with an inferior force and vessels, off Cavite, over twelve Dutch ships-of-battle on June 13, 1647, was due to the intercession of the Virgin of Antipolo. In this sea fight the Spaniards only lost one of their countrymen and fifteen Filipinos, but the Dutch suffered heavily in dead and wounded.
The Virgin of Antipolo protecting Cavite from the Dutch, 1647
Photo courtesy of Alex Castro.
Numerous are the legends about this image. The people firmly believe that Our Lady, preferring Antipolo to Manila and Cavite, several times abandoned these cities and was found installed in the flowery branches of the ' tipolo ' tree (Artocar- pus incisa), from which the town takes its name. To her are ascribed victories on the sea, the saving of lives and ships, and miracles countless."
The Virgin of Antipolo, help of the stranded.
Photo courtesy of Alex Castro.
Retablos: Art for the Masses
Santo Nino de Atocha, Holy Christ Child of Atocha.
From the collection of Bob Riddick.
So, an exhibit on retablos hosted by the Heritage Society at the Sam Houston Park, downtown, is a pleasant surprise indeed.
Retablos: Art for the Masses is an exhibition featuring Mexican retablos, nichos and a handful of bultos or santos. It traces the retablos evolution from the costly paintings on copper created by trained and schooled artisans for the elite society, to the pedestrian laminas, rendered on tin metal by anonymous and self-taught "saint makers" or santeros. It also explores the retablos' Houstonian connection by reminding visitors that the city was once part of Mexico.
It is a small show with perhaps no more than 50 pieces. Most of the featured artworks come from the collection of Bob Riddick- also the show's curator, and the rest of the pieces from other collectors.
The exhibit is presented in a very straightforward manner. Each artwork is by itself, in all its glory-save for a small label identifying the subject and from whose collection the piece is from.
The lack of complimentary texts that explain the showcased objects and their subjects, is rather disappointing for the non-Catholic viewer who has no inkling what it is all about. This is rather unfortunate because there is an interesting story behind each saint.
Fortunately for me who was educated by nuns in a Catholic school, the stories of the lives of saints remain vividly alive in my imagination.
Most notable from the retablos is a simple, Mexican lamina showing a penitent San Nicolas de Tolentino. Here, San Nicolas is shown about to flog himself with a whip and his rotund and plump face (bearing features reminiscent of Hispano-Filipino ivory pieces) registers no concern for the torture about to be inflicted on him. His whole attention is focused on a crucifix he is holding. The graphic quality of the work is flat and comic-like, which in a way is very appealing. Different hues of blue, brown, and red complement the simple and childlike rendering of the saint.
San Nicolas de Tolentino.
Collection of Bob Riddick.
Another remarkable piece from the show is a retablo housed in its tin metal nicho. The nicho simulates a classical church altar with its pediment, nimbus and finials in the shape of an urn and comes complete with a miniature glass chandelier. Inside, is a depiction of Ecce Homo, "Behold the Man" - an appellation used to describe images of the bound Christ when Pilate presented Christ to the people.
Also in the exhibit are a handful of bultos of santos.
Most impressive in this group are the figures of Santiago and a wooden Santo Domingo. The wooden icon labeled as Santo Domingo, is actually a Santo Tomas de Aquino or Saint Thomas Aquinas. Saint Thomas is also a Dominican saint but he is often depicted clean shaven, just like in this sculpture. Santo Domingo, the founder of the Dominican order, on the other hand, is always depicted with a short beard and mustache.
This santo, though unlabeled with a provenance, is most probably from the Philippines. Judging from its base, facial features and overall carving style, it is probably a Filipino santo, sculpted sometime in the 1700s.
Santiago.
Collection of Bob Riddick.
In the sculptural group of Santiago, the apostle is shown brandishing a sword, atop a white horse, and about to trample a supine, fear-stricken Moor. This is a representation of St. James as Santiago Matamoros, James the Moor-killer.
In the days of Reconquista, when Spanish Catholics were fighting for control of their homeland against the Moors, a miracle occurred.
In a glorious apparition, the Spaniards saw Santiago riding on a white steed, fighting off the Moros with his sword. From this episode, James the Apostle became James the Moor-slayer, the protector and patron of Spain. Santiago's popularity in Spain and her colonies are evident in the many places and churches that bear his name.
As gruesome as the sculptural group's subject is, Santiago is ironically, delicately rendered. The santero endowed the saint with soft features: pale skin, an oval face, a small mouth-ajar, baring tiny teeth, flushed cheeks and painstakingly drawn eyelashes and eyebrows with every single strand of hair rendered with a single stroke of the brush.
A silver, wide brimmed, traveler's hat crowns his handsome head symbolizing the fact that Santiago, is also the patron saint of pilgrims. In fact his shrine in Compostela, Spain has been an important pilgrimage site from all over Europe, since time immemorial.
Retablos is an utter delight to the eyes and to the soul. Aesthetically and spiritually, it is an enchanting exhibit for everyone to see. Retablos runs from May the 5th to July 12.
For more information regarding the show, please vist:
The Heritage Society.
Images from the Heritage Society website. Text, Victor Ancheta
Tony, Tony, Turn Around, Something’s Lost And Must Be Found.
"Tony, Tony, Turn Around, Something’s Lost And Must be Found!"
Lost something today? Better pray to Saint Anthony, the patron of lost things. And pretty much of anything that's missing in one's life; children, a significant other, whatever or just plain missing oneself, invoke St. Anthony and he might just help.
Born in August 15, 1195 as Fernando Martins de Bulhões in Lisbon, Portugal, he died on June 13, 1231 as Anthony in Padua, Italy. Making today, June 13, his feast day. A Franciscan saint, he is popularly known as Saint Anthony of Padua, much to the dismay of his fellow Portuguese, who are always quick to point out that Anthony is from Lisbon and as such, should be called "Santo Antônio de Lisboa."
A retablo depicting San Antonio de Padua
Either way, St. Anthony has become much beloved and considered by many Catholics all over as one of their favorite saints, as proven by the many churches and chapels that bear his name. The fact that his canonization into sainthood in a little less than a year after his death remarkable and attest to his popularity even with his contemporaries.
And like many people, St. Anthony has a special place in my heart and altar. So it is not surprising to know that his depiction is one that I have sculpted most thus far. Well, perhaps second or third after that of the Virgin and Jesus Christ.
San Antonio santos I've created through the years.
St. Anthony had became identified with lost things so much so that Catholics through out the ages invoke his aide whenever they lose something
What's rather amusing is how he became the patron saint of lost things. According to legends, St. Anthony had lost a favorite Psalter. It turns out a novice who had grown tired of monastic life, had left the monastery and in his leave, had stolen Anthony's book. St. Anthony prayed for the return of his precious item and soon after, came a terrified novice with the book in hand. The shaken novice recounted that a terrible demon threatened him if he did not bring back the book!
A San Antonio santo sans its Niño, Christ Child.
And in a reversal of roles, a peculiar practice that is also associated with St. Anthony involves hiding something from the saint; removing the Christ Child figure from the saint's arms.
St. Anthony's images always carry a Niño, the depiction of the Young Jesus as part of Anthony's established iconography.
Women who wanted a husband or children would remove the Christ Child figure and hide it from St. Anthony, murmuring into the saint's ears that they would only return his precious Niñoif their petitions have been granted!
All over the world today, the popular and much beloved St. Anthony is celebrated. ¡San Antonio, ora pro nobis!
Text & Photos Victor Ancheta ©2009
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