PAGODA

The story behind the annual tradition in the town of Cardona, Rizal.

The pagoda of Cardona Rizal is one of the famous festivals that occur during the month of October. It is done to commemorate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi better known as "Tata Iko". It begins with a holy mass in the morning at the parish church, after the mass, a procession occurred.

The image of St. Francis of Union de Adoradores al Espirito Divino(UNACAED).

The pagoda started in the "pantalan" then it will revolve in the lake and the sprinkling of water occurred. 

The Pagoda gracing the lake of Laguna de Báy. 

The image of the UNACAED was showered and lowered to the water to signify the incident of pagoda in 1946 which led to the abundant catch of fish.

Screenshot of the video of the showering of the image. 

                       Don't Touch Me!
The untouched ivory image of St. Agnes the virgin in Bulakan, Bulacan.

One of the most highly venerated and myth laden images in the Philippines is the image of St. Agnes of Sta. Ines. According to oral tradition and folklore, as noted by cultural anthropologist, Alex Castro, the image was was originally found on a basin floating on the sea. He tried to bring the basin but he cannot lift it. Only when the womenfolk tried to lift the basin with the image agree to move. Because of this story, the image is cared for only by women. And no man, not even the parish priest, is allowed to touch the clothes of the patroness.

Women carrying the image. 

The image in white dress. 

AMBA

        (Jesus Nazareno) 

The unfamous yet miraculous patron of Cardona, Rizal(Shared by Sir Jojimar Julian)  

The devotion to the Black Nazarene of Looc started on 1941 when Mariano "Ma Nano" Arriola Clarete carve the head. Suddenly, he made the body of the image on 1942. The image was first housed in a small chapel in Calubacan, Cardona, Rizal. His feast is on Holy Tuesday(Martes Santo). The natives call this image "Amba" because of respect to the old image. The image was transferred to the nayon which is Looc. He always roamed the streets and was sheltered to different houses around the Barangay. It was said that Andres Clarete borrowed the image in 1948. Times passed by, devotees, and believers are rapidly growing. This is because of the countless miracles he had given. The parish gave the authority to celebrate mass in the chapel every Saturday at 5:00 in the afternoon. 

A simple celebration and a festival would be celebrated on 2021 for the 80th year of Amba. A blessed family, the Manzana family, donated the lot where the current Chapel would be seen. 

                         Viva Pit Señor!
  Unknown fact about Sto. Niño de Cebu.

The original 495 year old image of the child Jesus which was given to Reina Juana as a gift originally had a fair complexion. The image comes from the Flandërs(Modern day Belgium). There was a time when the image fell victim to the hands of a priest suffering from Melancholia, a kind of depression.

He painted the image black, and was probably alarmed to the game of black statues in the Philippines like the Nazareno de Quiapo, and N. S. dela Paz y Buen Viaje y Antipolo. After the World War II, a nun from St. Theresa's College wiped off the black paint on the image's visage, revealing it's original fair color. It was Professor Trosdal who transformed the image into the present. Brown color. 

        OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY
                         Cardona, Rizal
The devotion to Our Lady began in 1854 when fishermen saw the image floating on the shores of Sapao(the old name of Cardona). They cannot lift the image but their wives, and daughters miraculously lift the image and bring it to the Visita. Some years later, the Visita is elevated into a Parish in 1872. Several miracles of the virgin is attributed like the help of the image on delivering a baby through her kamison or veil. Another miracle is when she disguises as an old lady timing around the province and she would ask to visit her on her tiny house infront of the municipal hall. Those who heeded her call realizes that it is the church. Her parish is elevated to a Diocesan Shrine on October 7, 2017, on the 145th founding anniversary. The image received the Episcopal coronation on September 27, 2018.

The 25 feet image. 

The image receiving the Episcopal coronation.

The virgin had never failed to amazed people.

The shrine image is always dressed with the plancha, while the original image owned by Ka Dile Ocampo is dressed by locally-made but beautiful dresses which was adorned by different jewelries that was donated by the devotees of the Virgin.