400th Anniversary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel's Arrival in Manila (Philippines)

The statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was brought to Manila on May 4, 1618, by the Augustinian Recollects. The 400th anniversary was honored with a worthy celebration in this country where the devotion to Mary is very strong.
The Filipinos came by the thousands in the early hours of May 4; some arrived at 2:00 in the morning to watch the reenactment of the statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s arrival. It was brought over during the third Augustinian mission in the capital of the Archipelago. The missionaries came from Mexico.
The statue was escorted by a procession from Manila Bay to the San Sebastian Basilica in the Quiapo district. There, Our Lady of Mount Carmel symbolically met with the statue of the Black Nazarene that was also brought over by the Augustinians. Both statues then returned to their habitual places in the sanctuary.
In his sermon, the archbishop of Davao, Archbishop Romulo Valles, who is also president of the episcopal conference, invited the faithful to follow the Blessed Virgin’s example, remaining “joyful in our faith, no matter what[.] Mary stood at the foot of the Cross in silence and kept the Faith despite the tragedy of the Cross.”
Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel is deeply rooted in the hearts of the Filipinos, many of whom wear the brown scapular, with its promise to preserve from hellfire all those who wear it with devotion. Many schools and institutions in the Archipelago are dedicated to her.
Sources: Eglises d’Asie / FSSPX.News – 5/26/2018