Devotion to the Virgin of Peñafrancia originated in Spain, Simon Vela, a devout Frenchman discovered the original image on the peak of Peña de Francia (Rocky Hill) located in the province of Salamanca, Spain.
Miguel de Cobarrubias, who moved to Philippines form Spain and who believed that the Virgin Mary had helped him numerous times had commissioned an artist to sculpt the image in 1710.
The 303-year old image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia has been the center of biggest and most popular religious celebration in Naga City, Bicol, Philippines.
It’s a weeklong festivities that starts with the Traslacion on the second Friday of September when the miraculous INA is transferred by barefooted voyadores from her shrine to the centuries-old Naga Metropolitan Cathedral where a nice-day novena and prayers are held in Her honor.
On the last day of the novenario, which is on a Saturday, the image is again brought back to her basilica through a fluvial procession along the Bicol River in Naga City, Philippines which is the highlight of the Peñafrancia fiesta. The next day, Sunday would be the Virgin’s Feast Day.
Where the are Bicolanos, there is Peñafrancia Fiesta. This is true not only in the Philippines but likewise abroad. Hence, its celebration has become global.
The Unified Bicolanos in Barcelona (UBB) in particular, has been celebrating the Peñafrancia fiesta since 2009. The first three years were in Barcelona where the traditional fluvial procession was started in the Maremagnum shores. Inspired to share the “Gift” and as part of UBB’s mission, it endevored to let the Marian devotees of Tarragona experience the Fluvial procession with INA along the Tarragona seashores.
Last year’s success has established strong religious ties among the Filipino and non-Filipino Marian devotees which has become very significant since UBB has succeeded in bringing back to Spain what has originated from Spain.
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