One of those places was Piazza Mignanelli where a huge column topped by an image of Mary, the Immacolata Concezione (Immaculate Conception), is located and which dominates the piazza. Pope Pius IX, who promulgated the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, blessed this in 1857.
As soon as we approached this piazza, I suddenly remembered what Fr Pompeyo De Mesa, OP, told us his students in one of our sessions in German language. The priest told us that Italians would congregate in a plaza where this image of the Blessed Mother is situated to offer flowers on her feet and send her their flying kisses! "This is the place!" I told myself.
The Virgin is depicted as crowned with 12 stars. There are still old withered flowers that decorate the statue. On the four corners of the column, which is readily visible to people, are statues of Moses, King David, Isaiah, and Ezekiel - all having a link to the Immaculate Conception. King David, for one, is the ancestor of St Joseph, Mary's husband. The Prophet Isaiah foretold that "A virgin will conceive and bear a son.". There were also some incidents in the life of Mary that placed in between the four statues I mentioned. One of them is the Coronation of Our Lady (see photo).
Like Filipino Catholics, our Roman counterparts observe the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception as one of their great events (a.k.a Festa Romana). As told by Fr de Mesa, this coming 8th December they will congregate in Piazza Mignanelli to pay their homage to the Immacolata Concezione led by no less than the Pope himself.
Personally, the Immaculate Conception has a soft spot in my heart. Nidz and I became steady on that blessed 8th day of December years ago! Also, it was at the Manila Cathedral which is dedicated to the Virgin under that wondrous title where we tied the knot in 2002. And now as we approach Christmas, this mystery where Mary was spared of original sin, comes into fore as a reminder to get ready for the Lord.
I have always said that the Blessed Mother never leaves me. I'm glad that she welcomed and accompanied us in Rome in the numerous shrines dedicated in her honour and in this piazza which,in my book, should have been called Piazza della Immacolata .
I wish to express my sincerest condolences to the family of the late Erlinda Abesamis-Mallari, a former colleague in the Department of Chemistry, College of Science, UST, who recently passed away after a lingering illness. Ma'am Linda, as we call her, was also a chemistry teacher in Pres Sergio Osmena High School in Gagalangin. She was such a wonderful person. Credit goes to her for catapulting me into the Philippine Association of Chemistry Teachers Board of Directors that fateful day in July 1999. Having been elected I have filled the void caused by having no representative from the oldest university in the Philippines in that prestigious association.
When we were talking, some people would be intrigued when she would say "Doon sa atin" (In our place)when they know that she lives in Kalookan and I in Tondo. I may be a son of Gagalangin, but this lady (who has served that same locality for years) has deemed to consider the town as her own. No one could rob her of that!
Incidentally, I saw her attending Mass in Gagalangin during the feast of the Immaculate Conception many years ago - I was the commentator in that Eucharistic celebration.
May you now enjoy the unending celebration there in heaven, Ma'am Linda, where no sickness or weariness of any kind exists.
Greetings to the community of the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Manila (a.k.a. Manila Cathedral) on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the dedication of its present edifice. It has been an honour to be part of this unique community as lector/commentator for five years (1998-2003). The cathedral has a non-parochial status, but it sure does have the distinction of being The Mother church of Manila and of the whole Philippines!
May the Immaculate Virgin continuously intercede for you all!
