Book on INA to Come Out in Easter

MANILA, March 29, 2010-The long-awaited coffee table book about the Bikol region's icon of Our Lady of Peñafrancia will be launched on Easter week, April 8, 2010, at the Yuchengco Museum in Makati City.

Project Directress Carmen V. Bernas told CBCPNews the 250-page book entitled "Ina: Little Stories of Faith" contains accounts from devotees of Our Lady of Peñafrancia.

The book is edited by Minerva R. Fajardo and designed by Eva Penamora.

In his foreword, Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legazpi, O.P. wrote about the history of the devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia which begun 300 years ago.

"The book contains the first-ever published collection of true and intimate encounters with Ina," Bernas told CBCPNews.

For its first edition, 4,000 copies have been printed for devotees in the Bicol region, in other parts of the country and abroad.

The Bikolanos are known for their religiosity and devotion to the Catholic Church. Christianity was introduced to Bikolandia by the Franciscans and other Spanish-Mexican mendicant orders.

Daet Bishop Gilbert A. Garcera will preside over the Mass at the Teresa Yuchengco Chapel at 5:00 P.M. Thursday, April 8, 2010.

The devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia began 300 years ago when the Covarrubias Family from Peñafrancia, Spain, settled with kins in Cavite in 1710.

Miguel Robles de Covarrubias, a seminarian studying at the University of Santo Tomas, got very ill. He and his family prayed to Our Lady of Peñafrancia whose picture he was clutching to his breast for his recovery and to spare his life.

According to sources at the Archdiocese of Caceres, the seminarian vowed that upon recovery he would construct a chapel by the bank of the Pasig River in Manila, in gratitude to Our Lady.

Miraculously cured, he was ordained to the priesthood not in Manila but in what was known as Ciudad de Nueva Caceres now Naga City by Bishop Andres Gonzales.

Padre Miguel, the first diocesan priest to be ordained in Naga City, mobilized the local residents along the slopes of Mt. Isarog to construct a chapel made of local materials, nipa and bamboo at the bank of Bikol River and ordered a local artisan to carve an image patterned after the picture of Our Lady of Peñafrancia which he brought.

Miracles were reported to have happened and spread like wildfire along with the devotion to Nuestra Senora de Peñafrancia.

Fr. Miguel's letter to the Dominican Fathers of Salamanca in 1710 disclosed many miracles through the intercession of Our Lady.

The devotees grew in number even outside the Diocese of Nueva Caceres but included Tayabas (Quezon), Marinduque, Laguna up to Palanan in Isabela province.

Devotees have reached and settled in places like America, Europe, Australia and Asia.

Various programs have been prepared for the successful Tercentenary celebration come September 19, 2010 with the theme "A Gift received, a Gift to share."

Devotees from all over the world are expected to attend this year's festivities. (Melo M. Acuña)