A fascinating history!
The "Virgin of a Thousand Miracles" !
The history and Our Lady's reputation for working her miracles through the icon has contributed to lavish celebrations in her honor
:
QUEEN, MOTHER and PATRONESS
of the PROVINCE OF CAVITE
Madre, Reina y Patrona de la Ciudad y Provincia de Cavite
The image of the Virgen de la Soledad was painted on a canvass. As the number of Her devotees increased, trimmings were added through the years. Some documents found in the Manila Archdiocesan archives mentioned them. On April 20, 1750, Archbishop Trinidad of Manila authorized Fr. Lucas de Sousa, the chaplain of the Ermita de Porta Vaga, to put an alm box on the board of the patache Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragosa for its officers and passengers to drop alms for the image of the Virgen de la Soledad. On January 16 the following year, the Archbishop once again authorized him to solicit funds from passengers aboard the ship Sto. Rosario for the adornement of the Virgin. On July 7, the next year, he was again permitted to solicit alms from the passengers of the ships Sto. Rosario and San Juan Bautista both bound for Acapulco. The Achbishop frequently used the Virgen de la Soledad to bless galleons before sending them off on their voyage. This is one of the reasons that she has also been called the "Patroness of the Galleons." Pious Caviteños gave up their own jewels and gold to be placed in the image of the Virgin. Hence, the “inventario” of 1806 gives a vivid description of the Virgen de la Soledad with all Her “alajas”.
“El nicho de la Señora esta en forma
ochovada con sus tres espejos de
Christal y su Marco de plata. que
tambien lleve otro espejo de lo mismo y
lo que esta dentro de su cuadro una
senefa nueva clada de oro, y embutida
con quice piedras de rubie, de belde
esmeralda y noventa y nueve piedras
brillantes. Y su rostrillo nuevo. y
embutido con nueve piedras de diamante y
viente nueve chispas de lo mismo, y con
una salta de perlas. Tiene el cuadro en
su pecho un medio Rosario nuevo de
perlas con cruz de chispas de diamante.”
This was the very image of the Virgen de la Soledad which has been handed to us. However, the angels and the two candeleros which were all made of gold were not mentioned. Perhaps they were of later additions. This priceless image survived fire, earthquakes, revolution and wars. Until 1984, She was venerated together with these very antiquated “alajas”. The last world war razed Her former Ermita to the ground. Thus She was enthroned in one of the side altars of San Roque church. The Virgin enclosed with glass and brass metal was placed in a wooden frame made of dark camagong donated by Doña Maria Rojas.
Since then, this priceless icon has been a witness to countless miracles attributed to the effective maternal mediation of La Virgen de Soledad to all devotees in and out of the City and Province of Cavite. Even before, she has been called, La Luz de Filipinas- La Celestial Guardiana y Protectora de la Provincia de Cavite y su Puerto (Light of the Philippines - The celestial Guardian and Protectress of the Province of Cavite and her Ports). The mysterious apparition and the unexplainable arrival of the miraculous icon are only among the first manifestations gracious patronage over the whole province.
Cavite Fiesta “Ultra Non Plus”
The memories of the numerous fiestas that have metamorphosed from lavish splendor almost with the abandon of royalty in the good old days to the simple and more practical, at times austere yet still meaningful celebrations in the modern period are long and vivid in the hearts and minds of the Chavacanos.
Greatly influenced by the lifestyle of ranking Spaniards who established their official residence in the old puerto, the traditional fiesta of Cavite was characterized with pomp and extravagance.
During the early part of the nineteenth century, the Chinese would build an improvised theater for their stage shows while gambling was rampant. Cock fighting, games of cards, chance and dice were very popular at that time. Before the fiesta of 1855, the superior government of Manila called the attention of the Politico-Military Governor of Cavite, Don Gabriel Llamas, on the scandalous gambling at the Puerto de Cavite. Thus, the Governor sent out the guardia civiles to arrest anyone who was seen playing the tresillos, pangguinge, and other card games.
The miracles of the Virgen Soledad were known throughout the archipelago. Hence, during the annual fiesta, thousands of pilgrims flocked to the Puerto either by land or by water. In 1848, travel to Cavite by water was greatly eased by the establishment of the “Compania de Vapores de Sr. Alcantara”. The boats “Progresso”and “Porta Vaga” ferried the pilgrims to Cavite. In 1868, the “Compania Naviera Ynchausti” established a line between Cavite and Manila. It was a successor of the first shipping line. There were four boats that travelled during the day of the fiesta. In 1879, the “Fuente Pacheco” was constructed along the southern part of the Porta Vaga walls for the benefit of the carromatas and carjuajes. At that time, Don Angel Pacheco was the politico-military governor of Cavite.
According to many old Caviteños, the celebration of the Cavite fiesta reached its height of grandeur and magnificence during the administration of Don Juan Salcedo y Mantilla de los Rios about 1880 to 1886. The suffering brought by the cholera epidemic in 1882 was so great. Hence, the Governor postponed the celebration of the fiesta until the puerto had recovered. On January 20-21, 1883, complying with the request of the old Lady. Governor Salcedo ordered that the fiesta be celebrated with the greatest pomp. The Governor sent a circular to all the principalias of the province to participate in the said fiesta. The jubilant tolling of the bells of the different churches of the Puerto and the booming salvos of cannons from the Royal Fort of San Felipe ushered the day of the fiesta. Then came the gobernadorcillos of all the towns of Cavite together with their respective town officials composed of “teniente mayores, jefes de policias, ganados, sementeras, tenientes, tenientes, cabezas de barangay, and aguacilles” all properly garbed in their colorful uniforms as prescribed by their ranks. With these officials were their town brass bands.
All the streets of the puerto were decorated with colorful arches. Banderitas or multi-colorful buntings hung on the streets. There were also effigies of celebrated historical and war personalities. The Calle Real glowed with crystal and other lanterns of different colors called “globos”, “virinas” and “bombas”. Streets leading to the Ermita were lined up with temporary stores where one could buy various souvenir items like toys and all sorts of bric-a-bracs. There were also vendors of edibles such as small singcamas boiled in brown syrup, candies, rice cakes, corn puddings and other native delicacies: fruits consisting of naranjitas from Calamba, peanuts, manzanitas, lansones, lomboy, and apulit. Ice cream vendors from Manila were stationed along the Porta Vaga wall, near the Potable Water Deposit. There, they made their ice cream in their antiquated ways in “garrapiñera de lata”. Every visitor would never miss the famous “mamones” of the Panaderia de Nora Chorang Gonzales and the sumptuous “tamales” of Nol Domingo Matias. There were also “fondas” (restaurants) and roving “refrescos”.
Every household set a lavish table often outshining the Christmas spread. The Caviteños’ well-known fondness for good food and fancy for delectable, highly-seasoned Spanish cuisine would almost be an envy of a king’s feast. Typically on their fiesta tables until today, in the house of well-off Caviteños are gastronomical delights like paella, arroz a la Valenciana, cocido Madrileño, callos, sopa de ajo a la Castellana, morcon, embutido, estofado de lengua, pochero, pastel de tortillas and many more.
In the civic parade held in the afternoon, there were “gigantes” made of bamboo dressed in carnival attire. Usually, there were men inside them that made them move. There was also the “juego de toro” held in the improvised bullfight arena at the Plaza de Armas. There were various native games like juego de anillo, carrera de saco, and regatas. There were also military exhibitions.
On the night of the fiesta, the highlight was the magnificent procession of the Virgen de la Soledad. All the streets covered by the route of the procession were carpeted with expensive rugs and were covered overhead by canvasses and sails of boats to protect the participants from getting wet just in case it would rain. The streets were brightly lighted. At the joyous pealing of the bells of the Ermita, the Virgen de la Soledad, borne on a silver carroza would be ushered out of the chapel. On top of the silver carroza was a frame made of silver encrusted with precious stones. On top of the frame was a golden dove representing the Holy Spirit. There were six silver angels with their faces and hands made of ivory. They served as the Virgin’s guards of honor. There were still eight smaller angels in the lower part of the carroza. Each one had a silver laurel on his hand. Twenty four silver “ramitas” (bigger ramilletes) and forty eight “ramilletes” serve as flower decorations for the carroza. There were chords tied on each side of the carroza. Each chord was held by six “sacristanes” which served as another guard of honor. There were six campanillas tied up on each cord. Fine sounds of the campanillas were heard as they dangled during the procession. These campanillas announced the approaching carroza of the Virgin. Before the Virgin was brought inside the church, a re-enactment of Her conversation with the soldier at the Porta Vaga was held. The day of the fiesta ended with the display of fireworks.
Genoveva Edroza, a writer in Filipino stated that the grandiose celebration of the fiesta of San Diego in Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere” was actually based on the fiesta celebration of Cavite.
According to Mr. Eric Giron, the fiesta of Cavite in 1892 was featured in full spread at the Spanish newspaper Manililla. There were illustrations of wharf with triangular shaped roof decorated with buntings, masted ship moored closed to it, and bamboo arch on Calle Real. At the time, Don Francisco Rodriguez y Rodriguez was the Governor of Cavite. There were also grand military and civic parades. In the morning, the Governor opened the Provincial Agro-Industrial Exposition. Prizes were given after the exposition. During this fiesta, the church choir rendered a song entitled “Reina de Cavite”. The music was composed by Don Juan Felipe. In the evening after the religious procession, the people proceeded to the Teatro Caviteño to see the performance of the zarzuela troupe of Yeyeng Fernandez. Others preferred to listen to Chananay, the finest zarzuela singer at Teatro del Prado which was established in 1873.
At the turn of the century, the Americans took over from the Spanish rule in the Philippines. Still, Caviteños continued the annual traditional fiesta. The Americans themselves contributed generously for this celebration. Just the same, streets were decorated with banderitas. “Tio Vivo” became popular among the young people.
Parents dressed their children in holiday finery and herded them to the Ermita de Porta Vaga to pay homage to the Virgen de la Soledad. The sung masses at the Ermita were accompanied by the Manila Opera House Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Professor Hilarion Rubio. Familiar scenes of vendors lined up along the Plazoleta de la Soledad and the Paseo del Reparo. On the streets, to quench thirst were zarzaparilla and cream soda. A Japanese store along Trece Martires was famous for its agua helada (crushed ice with a dash of lemonade).
By 1920, the carretelas and carromatas were still the major means of transportation by land. There were other visitors who preferred to take the train from Tutuban stations in Manila to San Roque, Cavite. (The station in San Roque is now occupied by the Police Station.) The railroad line between Cavite and Manila was abandoned in the 1930’s because of constant sea invasion. Pilgrims and visitors who travelled by water were ferried by the boats of “Casa Yangco y Cia”. On February 1, 1928, the first bus line between Cavite and Manila was established. Buses of Pasay Bus Co. brought the pilgrims by land.
The day was filled with activities like the military exhibition of the students of Ateneo de Manila. Baseball and other ball games became popular. At night after the procession, young ladies and gentlemen garbed in formal attire, would attend a dance party at the well-known Dreamland Cabaret of Eddie Hart. This took over the zarzuela of the Spanish Era.
From 1942 to 1944, the extravagant celebration of Cavite fiesta was interrupted. The Japanese forbade big gatherings of people. Since the image of the Virgin was in Manila, the Caviteños, out of their great devotion to Her, celebrated simple fiestas in Her honor at Quiapo church and at the Manila Cathedral. In 1943, a small group of Caviteños went to Manila to join their compablanos in the fiesta. The mass started at 10:00 in the morning followed by a short procession inside the Cathedral. To make the celebration livelier, a brass band was hired to assist in the procession. The reception was held in a private house of one of the Caviteños in Manila.
After the war, the Caviteños, ever faithful to the Virgin, once again held the annual traditional fiesta. However, the old walled city was completely destroyed. Thus, the celebration of the fiesta was transferred to San Roque.
Today’s celebrations are marked with simplicity and austerity as called for by the times. But one still feels the burning filial love and unbroken faith of the Caviteños for the beloved Virgin. Neither effort nor time is spared to obtain even, what one might say, “multum in parvo”. The celebrations are now centered on church activities. Religious procession and novena to the Virgin are indispensable features of the program. Expectedly, one will not find the famous carroza de plata today. It has been replaced by a wooden miniature galleon. A pious devotee of the Virgin donated a silver frame which was similar to the frame of the former carroza de plata. The silver was from old silver coins which were part of the family heirloom of Antonio Jose. The traditional fluvial procession is still observed, with Bishop Cirilo Almario as the official chaplain. The same fishing boat of the Familia Rosal-Navarro carries the Virgin on the waters of Manila Bay.
Moreover, streets are still decorated with colors and arches that are still built but only when funds are available. The yearly throng of carnival treats spreads out in the reclaimed area of Samonte Park. A band wakes up the city in the early morning of the fiesta. Vendors and peddlers line up the main street from the public market to the San Roque church a week or two before the fiesta until the Christmas season. There are still sumptuous foods on the fiesta tables but not anymore as lavish as in the old days. Most important of all, devotees and visitors from nearby towns and from Metro Manila are still very much around as if on their annual pilgrimage as before.
Undeniably, the Virgen de la Soledad de Porta Vaga is and shall always be the Queen, Mother and Patroness of the City and Province of Cavite. For a span of more that three centuries now, She has and will always be the refuge of all Caviteños wherever they may be.
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