Consider the story of Doña Martina Azucena. She was near death with a lung tumor. Her healing is intertwined with the history of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. This is not just a church. It is a testament to faith and resilience.
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes stands here in Quezon City. It is a beacon for Catholics in the Philippines. This national shrine is more than just a building. It is a place of miracles.
Let’s step back in time. The original church was in Intramuros. World War II tragically destroyed it. However the image of Our Lady of Lourdes survived. It was hidden and spared from the bombings. In 1951, this present church was completed. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines declared it a national shrine in 1997.
The story begins with Capuchin missionaries. They arrived in Manila in 1886. They built their first house in Intramuros in 1892. Father Bernardo de Cieza commissioned a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. Manuel Flores Y De Lima sculpted it. This statue was for the convento’s grotto.
Devotion grew and a second image was commissioned. Mrs. Carmen Macan funded it. Father Antonio de Valencia guided its creation. This second image was ready for the feast day in 1896. The original image was moved inside the convento.
Now let’s return to Doña Martina Azucena. She sought the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes. After an hour of prayer, her strength returned. She walked out unaided. She had consumed only Lourdes water for 28 days. Every year on May 16, she celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving for her cure.
In 1897, architects began enlarging the chapel. Donations poured in. But looming war threatened Manila. Capuchin Superior Fr. Alfonso de Morentin prayed before the image. He vowed to dedicate their new church to Our Lady. The city and church were spared.
In 1898, the new church was consecrated. It was dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes. The formal inauguration took place in 1910.
During World War II, both images were moved. They were kept in the sacristy of San Agustín Church. The women of Intramuros were freed in February 1945. The image was retrieved later. It resided temporarily in a chapel on Mayon Street.
In 1946, the Capuchins planned to restore the Church of Lourdes. Instead, they built a larger church in Quezon City. Construction began in 1950. Engineer Don Egidio Márquez led the project. Architect Luis María Araneta designed it.
The images of Our Lady of Lourdes were moved to the new church in 1951. Archbishop Gabriel Reyes inaugurated the church. Important figures attended the event.
The church became an Archdiocesan Shrine in 1987. In 1997, it was officially declared a National Shrine. Pope Francis granted a decree for the image’s canonical coronation in 2019. The coronation occurred in 2020.
Today, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes continues to inspire. Its altar and sanctuary are currently undergoing renovations. It remains a symbol of faith. It embodies hope for all who visit. The story of Doña Martina Azucena lives on in every prayer. The echoes of history resonate within these walls.