Travelogue

                    TOUR @ ARANZAZU

SAN MATEO, RIZAL- At the heart of this historic municipality in the province of Rizal, lies a Baroque-styled weathered church, the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Nuestra Señora De Aranzazu who stands massive and imposing amid the drabness of suburban city life.

The said Parish is widely known as the home of the miraculous, venerated and canonically crowned image of Our Lady of Aranzazu (informally known as Mahal na Birhen ng Bayang San Mateo). A Spanish devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary brought to the Philippines by the Jesuits more than 300 years ago.

                                 The facade of the church


STORY OF THE PAST
The Parish was built at the year 1705 and was finished on 1716. After a decade of tremendous hardwork of the friars and devotees, the church was blessed by Rev. Fr. Pedro Confalonier in the presence of the townspeople. Thus, on the same year, Our Lady of Aranzazu was hailed and enthroned as the new Patroness of the town of San Mateo after its predecessor Patron, Saint Matthew the Evangelist who was then transferred to Barangay Ilaya, now known as Barangay Dulong Bayan.

The original ivory image of the Virgin of Aranzazu was a gift of a Spanish captain named Capitan Don Juan Antonio Cortez Arredondo y Castillo.

                   An old photo showing the old look of the church.

The chuch was rich in jewels and adornments as what the book "Possible Paradises" says:

However, during the World War 2, the church and its nearby convent suffered horrible damages, leaving the church in ruins and eventually burning the original image of the Virgin of Aranzazu together with its altar and historical documents.

But because of the undying devotion not only of the locals of San Mateo but from the other parts of the country, the church was rebuilt and refurnished.

        Look of the church in the 1960's

On July 17, 2004, the chuch was declared a Diocesan Shrine being the only church in the Philippines under the patronage of Nuestra Señora De Aranzazu.

Last 2013, despite the effects of Typhoon Yolanda, the Virgin received her Episcopal Coronation given by the Diocese of Antipolo.

                           The Virgin in her Episcopal Regalia

PRESENT DAY
Last May 31, 2017, its Patroness was canonically crowned in the Name of His Holiness Pope Francis through His Eminence Most Reverend  Orlando Beltran Cardinal Quevedo.

              The Queen of San Mateo, Rizal in her Canonical Regalia.
                                        Credits: Buen Viaje PH Photography

                           Our Lady of Aranzazu enthroned on the Retablo Mayor

                        Visiting the Shrine is at its best during September, 
                    wherein together with the Feast of Virgin of Aranzazu 
                             is the yearly celebration of Kakanin Festival 
            where different varieties of ricecakes and other local delicacies 
                            are paraded around the vicinity of the Parish.
                       Credits: Municipality of San Mateo Facebook Page

Kakanin Festival is done in celebration of the bountiful harvest of the people of San Mateo particularly rice crops. It also coincides with their thanksgiving to their Patroness for protecting them against disasters and illnesses.

FUTURE EVENTS
The Church is expected to be installed a Historical Marker from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines by this year which was approved by its board late last year.

The Diocesan Shrine is also expected to be proclaimed as a National Shrine by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Phillippines (CBCP) because of the rising number of devotees of the Virgin here and abroad. In fact, the Shrine of the Virgin is now the primary pilgrimage site within the
San Mateo-Montalban area.

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For me, though it is just a few kilometers away from our residence, the Shrine of Aranzazu is a place where devotees and even nondevotees could enjoy a short travel or pilgrimage. Every part of it is a page of history. Not only of San Mateo or Rizal Province but of our country.

In fact, you could avail of the local delicacies of San Mateo especially their Kakanin, most of which recipes are passed generation to generation. A living evidence of our culture and interest.

Inside its walls, you could take a glimpse of our colorful past. It has been a living witness of death and birth. A place where an infant was to take his or her baptism and also where a person can receive the last Mass for his or her honor before reaching the final resting place.

In its 300 years of existence, it has been a venue not only for religious purposes but also wars, visit of the first Miss Universe winner, political gatherings. It has proven and will continue to prove that it has a special part of our culture and historicity as Filipinos.

In Chorus, let us sing and shout:
"AVE! AVE! VIVA LA VIRGEN!"