La Virgen de la Soledad de Porta Vaga

Rev. Fr. Virgilio Saenz Mendoza

La Virgen de la Soledad de Porta Vaga, La Celestial Guardiana y
Protectora de la Provincia de Cavite also called Reina de
Cavite, Patrona de los Naos - the patroness of the City of
Cavite, has been the refuge of the immortal spirit of the
Caviteos for three centuries now. The center of the peoples
religious life is their Queen the special sanctuary of every
true Caviteo.

Tradition tells us that one stormy night centuries ago, while a
Spanish sentinel kept watch at his garita (sentry post) on the
isthmus of Rosario, a dazzling apparition rose from the
turbulent waters of Caacao Bay. Startled and alarmed,
suspecting that it could be Moslem pirates, the sentinel shouted
Alto! Alto! as the light flowed toward him. A sweet and
melodious voice inquired instead why he had not recognized
Maria, and told him to let her pass. The guard was awed and humbly knelt before the Lady.

The morning after, a framed painting of La Virgen de la Soledad was found lying on the shore,
close to the spot where the Virgin had appeared the night before.

Through the years, many stories were told about the arrival of the image of La Virgen on the
shores of Cavite. Numerous researchers have attempted to fix the definite date of her arrival.

An inscription was found at the back of the painting: A doze de Abril 1692 aos Juan de Oliba
puso esta Stma. Ymagen Haqui. Which means: This sacred image was placed here by Juan
Oliba on April 12, 1692. Still this does not clearly give us exact date of the Virgins arrival. It is
possible that the date mentioned above refers to the time when the Virgin was enthroned at
the altar of the Ermita de Porta Vaga in the 17
th
century. Devotees of La Virgen de la Soledad
were not satisfied with just placing the image in one of the seven churches of Puerto de Cavite.
They decided to build for her the Ermita de Porta Vaga, a small chapel near the gate of the
Porta Vaga, the fortlet guarding the entrance to the Puerto de Cavite. For three centuries, it
became the shrine of the Virgin.

The most venerated image of La Virgen de la Soledad de Porta Vaga is an invaluable treasure
inherited by the Caviteos from their antepasados (ancestors). According to some people from
Antique Dealers Association of the Philippines, this is the oldest existing dated Marian painting
in the country.



The Virgin is depicted as a Lady in Mourning. Mary, garbed in black and white attire, seems to
be on her knees as she contemplates the passion of her Son. Before her are the crown of thorns
and the nails instruments of Christs Passion.

Certain traditions try to explain the meaning of the painting. Some old folks say that this image
of Mary depicts her sorrow while she was still carrying the Child Jesus in her womb. Even before
the birth of her Son, they say, she had foreseen the terrible sufferings of the Messiah, as
written in the Scriptures by the prophet Isaiah long before her time. Devoted Jews, like Mary,
had known about these prophecies. However, the more popular tradition says that the image
portrays Mary on the night of the first Good Friday. Filled with tremendous grief, Mary could
not help but retire into the silence of her solitude, there to meditate on the suffering of her
Son.

The image of the Virgin was painted on a canvas. As the number of devotees increased,
trimmings on the painting were added. Pious Caviteos and rich merchants of the Manila
Galleon Trade offered jewels and gold to be placed on the image of the Virgin as an act of
thanksgiving for the safe return of the galleons and their merchandise to Cavite. This particular
icon was used by the Archbishop of Manila to bless the galleons plying between Cavite and
Acapulco (Mexico) during formal sending off ceremonies. Thus, she was called the Patroness of
the Galleons.

Countless miracles have been attributed to La Virgen de la Soledad. Her mysterious apparition
and the unexplained arrival of her image were initial revelations of her miraculous reign. During
a terrible typhoon in 1830, a fire caused by a lightning bolt lit the wooden altar of the Ermita
and razed the chapel to the ground, but spared the image of the Virgin which remained intact
among the ashes.

In 1856, another terrible typhoon caused the flooding of the houses, churches and public
buildings within the Puerto; but the Ermita, as well as its patio, were found dry so the people
took refuge in the chapel.

In 1857, a Spanish frigate based in Cavite was caught by a violent typhoon off the coast of
Rawis, Legaspi (Albay) and was stranded for 22 days, after running aground. The crew prayed
before an image of La Soledad. She appeared to them that night, and the tide rose higher and
the wind began to blow, thus releasing the frigate, freeing it from its rocky trap.

There have been other miracles attributed to the Virgin with the passing of the years, including
present day accounts of healings, families reunited and problems solved.

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 the same
time austere, yet meaningful celebrations in the modern period are long and vivid in the
hearts and minds of the Caviteos.

Greatly influenced by the life-style of ranking Spaniards who established their official residence
in the old Puerto, the traditional fiestas of Cavite were characterized by pomp and
extravagance.



According to many old Caviteos, the celebration of the Cavite fiesta reached its height of
grandeur and magnificence during the administration (about 1880 to 1886) of Don Juan Salcedo
y Mantilla de los Rios. The suffering brought about by the cholera epidemic of October 1882

was so great that the Governor postponed the celebration of the fiesta until the Puerto had
fully recovered. On January 20, 21, 1883, as an act of thanksgiving to the Virgin, Governor
Salcedo ordered that the fiesta be celebrated with the greatest pomp possible. The Governor
sent a circular to all the principalias of the province urging them to take part in the said fiesta.
The jubilant tolling of the bells of the different churches of the Puerto and the booming salvoes
of cannons from the Royal Fort of San Felipe, ushered in the days festivities. Then came the
gobernadorcillos of all towns of Cavite, together with their respective town officials (tenientes
mayors, jefes de policies, ganados, sementeras, tenientes, cabezas de baranggay and aguaciles)
all properly garbed in their colorful uniforms, as prescribed for their ranks. With these officials
were their towns brass bands.

All streets of the Puerto were decorated with colorful arches. Banderitas, or multi-colored
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 with temporary stores
where one could buy various souvenir items, like toys and all sorts of local bric-a-bracs.

Every household set a lavish table, often outshining the traditional Christmas spread. The
Caviteos well-known fondness of good, fancy, delectable and highly seasoned Spanish cuisine
would almost be the envy of a kings feast. Typical of their fiesta tables were gastronomical
delights, like paella, cocido madrilne, callos, sopa de ajo, lengua sevillana, pastel de tortillas,
embutido and many more.

On the night of the fiesta, the highlight was the magnificent procession of La Virgen de la
Soledad. All the streets included in the route of the procession were carpeted with extensive
rugs and 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, La Virgen de la Soledad, borne on a sliver carroza, was ushered out of
the chapel. On top of the silver carroza was a silver frame encrusted with precious stones. On
top of the frame was a golden dove representing the Holy Spirit. There were six silver angels
with ivory faces and hands. They served as the Virgins guards of honor. There were also eight
smaller angels. Each one carried a silver laurel in his hand. Twenty-four silver ramitas
(branches) and forty-eight ramilletes served as flower decorations for the carroza. Cords, with
six 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, the conversation between her and the soldier of Porta Vaga was reenacted. The day of
the fiesta ended with zarzuela performance of the Teatro Caviteo and a display of fireworks at
the Plazoleta de la Soledad.

The Virgen de la Soledad was acknowledged as the Celestial Guardian and Protectress of the
entire province of Cavite and the port since her arrival in Cavite shore. In 1892, Don Felipe, the
Philippine National Anthem composer, composed the hymn REINA DE CAVITE on the occasion


of her fiesta and the opening of the Exposicion Regional Cavitea. The lyrics of the hymn was
taken from the poem Himno a la Virgen de Cavite written by Fr. Tomas de Andrade, the Rector
of the Jesuit College of Cavite sometime in 1689.

In 1929, a new parish priest, Father Pedro Lerena of Logroo, Spain, was assigned to the
Puerto. He was also pointed concurrent Rector of the Ermita. His great dedication to the cause
of La Virgen de la Soledad resulted in the beautification and the improvement of the Ermita.
During the Second World War, Father Lerena was able to retrieve the precious image of the
Virgin from a junkyard, where it had been dumped by the Japanese invaders. He brought it to
the Archbishops Palace in Intramuros, Manila, and later to the vaults of the Philippine National
Bank, for safekeeping. After the liberation in 1945, the image of the Virgin was brought back to
Cavite; this time to her new home at the San Roque Church because the Ermita has been
destroyed.

Until his death in 1972, Father Lerena served as the guardian of Cavites priceless treasure.

The devotion to La Virgen de la Soledad carries the approval of the Church authorities. The
Archbishop of Manila, Don Basilio Sancho de Santa y Rufina, granted 80 days of indulgence to
those who would say the novena in her honor. Bishop Mateo Rubio de Arevalo of Cebu granted
40 more days of indulgence to those who would pray before the icon of the Virgin. Another
Archbishop, Don Antonio Obrigo y Gallego, granted further indulgences to those who would
make pious acts in honor of the Virgin. On October 21, 1909, the first American Archbishop of
Manila, Jeremias Harty, granted 100 days of indulgence to those who practiced devotion to the
Virgin.

In 1975, La Virgen de la Soledad was enthroned as patroness of the Chapel of Tahanan ng
Mabuting Pastol, the Diocesan Seminary of Cavite.

Through the joint efforts of Msgr. Baraquiel Mojica, the former parish priest of San Roque, and
Bishop Felix Perez of Imus, Rome approved the petition for the canonical coronation of the
image of the Virgin. She was solemnly crowned on November 17, 1978, by the Most Rev. Bruno
Torpigliani, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.

On March 16, 1984, the image of the Virgin was sacrilegiously stolen from her altar. After long
months of search, and with the help of Mr. Antonio G. Nazareno, it was recovered on August
15, 1984, but divested of all its gold decorations and precious stones. Every effort was made to
restore the image of the Virgin to its former glory. The golden trimmings and the precious
stones have now been replaced.

In 1991 1992, Cavite celebrated the Tri-centenary of the Enthronement of the Virgin in Cavite.
The year long celebration featured various religious, socio-cultural activities expressive of the
rich Caviteo cultural heritage. The celebration reached its climax with the holding of the first
Porta Vaga Festival on April 24 to 26, 1992. The festival brought the people back to the life of
their forefathers at the turn of the century. Religious celebration as well as presentation of
various art forms depicted the colorful past of Cavite.

Devotion to La Virgen de la Soledad de Porta Vaga is a shining example of the Caviteos faith
and religiosity. It is also an expression of their rich and colorful history. Since the beginning, the


beloved image has been linked to a strong fortress that stands for a great heritage. At the same
time, she has been the symbol of that solid inner strength that sustains her people.