Bishop Ruperto Santos of Antipolo on Thursday called on Filipinos to embrace unity and goodness as the Catholic Church marked the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in the Philippines.
He said the Blessed Virgin Mary remains a powerful model for Filipinos, particularly at a time when division and self-interest continue to challenge society.
“We see a lack of unity today. And the one who brings us together is a mother,” Santos said over Radio Veritas. “That is why we must call upon, draw near to and trust our Blessed Mother so that we Filipinos may once again become united.”
The celebration featured a commemorative fluvial procession in Laguna de Bay, retracing the historic journey of the revered Marian image, which arrived in the Philippines from Mexico on June 18, 1626.
The pilgrim image traveled from Calamba City in Laguna through Talim Island, Binangonan, Cardona and Pasig before arriving at the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo City.
Santos said the celebration seeks to deepen devotion to Our Lady of Antipolo, whom many devotees regard as the “Mother of the Filipino people.”
“We are doing this to show who our Mother is. We introduce her, we honor her and we take pride in her,” he said. “She is Our Lady of Antipolo, the Mother of the Filipino people.”
The commemoration also highlighted the connection between Our Lady of Antipolo and the Philippines’ national hero, José Rizal. His mother, Teodora Alonso, vowed to bring him to the Marian shrine in gratitude after a difficult childbirth.
Rizal fulfilled that vow at age 7 when he made a pilgrimage to Antipolo with his father, Francisco Mercado, on June 6, 1868.
To mark the historical connection, the pilgrim image undertook a three-day pilgrimage to Calamba City, visiting St. John the Baptist Parish, where Rizal was baptized, and the Rizal family home before returning to Antipolo through the fluvial procession.
“What our national hero did was beautiful. He went to Antipolo. He gave thanks. He acknowledged God’s goodness. And he showed that goodness exists in every person,” Santos said.
The bishop said the country needs to rediscover the values exemplified by both Rizal and the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially amid growing social divisions and self-centered attitudes.
“We not only see disunity today. We also see selfishness. Many people think only of their own welfare and personal interests,” he said.
Santos urged Filipinos to put God above personal interests and comfort, live lives marked by holiness and goodness, and emulate Mary’s obedience to God’s will and Rizal’s dedication to the common good.
As part of the celebration, the shrine launched commemorative stamps marking 400 years since the revered image crossed the Pacific aboard a galleon from Mexico.
Santos said the stamps serve as reminder to Filipino migrants that they have a spiritual mother who accompanies, protects and supports them wherever they may be.
He also invited the faithful to participate in the yearlong jubilee commemorating both the 400th anniversary of the image’s arrival and the 100th anniversary of its canonical coronation, which will conclude on Nov. 28, 2026.
