The Cofradía de la Inmaculada Concepción once again sponsored the Intramuros Marian Procession in honor of the Immaculate Conception Sunday, December 6.

The Dogma of the Immaculate Conception—that the Virgin Mary was born free of original sin—was proclaimed on 8 December 1854 by the Papal Bull Ineffabilis Deus issued by Pius IX.   However, the Philippines had been honoring the Immaculate Conception long before then.   In 1619, celebrations were held throughout the country on receipt of Pope Paul V’s Bull Regis Pacifici imposing heavy penalties on public criticism of the Immaculate Conception.

Lasting 15 days, the celebration of 390 years ago began on 8 December 1619, a Sunday, at the Manila Cathedral.  Each day featured High Mass and a procession sponsored by a religious order.  There were debates on theological subjects for the learned and for common folk, fireworks, comedias (light plays on biblical topics), music, and danzas (more or less equivalent to today’s street dancing).

The Franciscans were in charge of the Monday festivities.  After a morning Misa Cantada and sermon, the “most solemn” procession left San Francisco Church (located at the present Mapua Institute of Technology campus) and proceeded to the Cathedral.

The infantry led the procession, headed by the land’s highest-ranking officials—Governor General, Maestro de Campo and Sargento Mayor.   Then followed a danza of gigantes and after them, Franciscan hierarchy bearing 24 pennants (the last being of the Immaculate Conception).  Next were 20 crosses representing Franciscan-administered towns, punctuated with indio danzas depicting biblical passages.

Carros then followed, each with a Franciscan saint dressed in garments richly embroidered with silver and gold thread and precious stones.  Cords, the Franciscan emblem, were chains of solid gold or large pearls.  The final image was that of the Inmaculada, wearing jewels valued at 24 thousand ducats (maybe P130 million at current gold price).  The crescent moon at the Virgin’s feet was of solid silver.

Volleys of rifle fire were heard throughout the procession.  In the afternoon, members of the Spanish community reenacted the martyrdom of Fr. Juan de Santa Marta, “who died in Japan for the Faith.”

The comedia on the following Thursday was “la venta de Joseph” that must have been the 17th century production of “Joseph and his Multi-Colored Dreamcoat.”

Like its 1619 antecedent, an image of La Inmaculada Concepción climaxed this year’s procession.  Mass was celebrated at the Manila Cathedral.  Government, the military, and schools were well represented.  However, instead of saints of a religious order, the procession had about 80 representations of the Virgin Mary.  Now and then, Marian devotees from Pakil, Laguna and Rosario, Cavite accompany their patrons with their time-honored danzas—turumba and caracol, respectively.

Considering how niñgas-cogon our enthusiasms tend to be, the Cofradía’s 30-year unbroken record is remarkable.  Under the leadership of Imelda Ongsiako Cojuangco, Aurora E. Eizmendi and Danilo L. Dolor, and with details of implementation handled by a Comité de Festejos headed by Conrado A. Escudero, the Philippines’ ancient devotion to the Immaculate Conception continues into the 21st century.

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