Thousands of devotees of the Virgin of Manaoag, renowned among Catholic faithful for her many miracles, will convene in the Pangasinan town named after her for one its biggest annual celebrations on April 25.
This year, said Fr. Patricio Apa, OP, prior of the shrine, “we pray for clean and peaceful elections and that voters be guided and inspired by the Blessed Mother of Manaoag.”
Special communal novenas have been held every hour from April 16 to 24 in the shrine, the Our Lady of the Rosary Church of Manaoag, culminating in a big procession at 5 p.m. on the 25th -- the day of the Manaoag town fiesta.
The 400-year-old ivory statue, adorned with precious antique stones donated by devotees over many generations, continues to attract thousands of devotees every weekday and hundreds of thousands on weekends.
