Immaculate Conception Parish Church (Santa Maria)
The La Purísima Concepción Parish Church, locally known as Santa Maria Church (Filipino: Simbahan ng Parokya ng La Purisima Concepcion) (Spanish: Iglesia Parroquial de la Purísima Concepción) is a Roman Catholic Church located in the municipality of Santa Maria, in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. It is under the coat of arms and jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Malolos and Seat of the Episcopal Vicar of the Eastern District of the Diocese of Malolos.
| Santa Maria Church | |
|---|---|
| La Purísima Concepción Parish Church | |
 The façade and bell tower of Santa Maria Church | |
.svg.png)  Santa Maria Church Republic of the Philippines | |
| 14°49′10″N 120°57′48″E | |
| Location | Santa Maria, Bulacan, |
| Country |  |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | http://www.lapurisimaconcepcionparish.com |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 1793 |
| Founder(s) | Padre Francisco Javier and Tomas Marti OFM |
| Dedication | La Purísima Concepción |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Church building |
| Style | Barn-style Baroque |
| Completed | late 1800s |
| Specifications | |
| Number of domes | 1 |
| Materials | Stone |
| Bells | 5 (5) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Santa Maria |
| Episcopal area | Eastern District |
| Archdiocese | Manila |
| Diocese | Malolos |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Luis Antonio Tagle |
| Bishop(s) | Dennis Cabanada Villarojo |
| Priest(s) | Rev. Msgr. Ranilo S. Trillana, PC |
| Assistant priest(s) | Rev. Fr. Menandro B. Nabong, Jr. |
Early history
Santa Maria Church founded by Franciscan Friars as a visita by Father Francisco Javier, OFM under the parish of Saint Martin of Tours in Bocaue. The materials was initially made of cogon and bamboo and later stronger materials. Then by 1792, Santa Maria de Pandi gained independence from its matrix and the construction of a bigger church commenced. The church was renamed Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción dedicated to the Virgin Mary.[1]
Image of La Purísima Concepción
The church is home to an image of the Virgin Mary that is believed to be miraculous. There are two local legends as to how the image arrived in Santa Maria: first is that it was brought to the town by the Franciscan Friars, second is that it was sculpted out of wood from a galleon. The image has been stolen in the 1930s and was retrieved in Nueva Ecija by a man named Teofilo Ramirez who claimed that the Virgin Mary appeared in his dream and gave instructions as to where the image can be found. The image was returned to the town on a February and the townsfolk accordingly adjusted their feast day to the first Thursday of February except when its falls on February 2 (the feast of the Our Lady of the Candles).[2] The image was first granted an Episcopal Coronation on March 3, 2018 by Bishop Jose Oliveros of Malolos[3]. On March 28, 2019, Pope Francis granted the Canonical coronation of the image of La Purisima Concepcion[4]. The coronation is set to take place on Saturday, February 1, 2020.
Holy Week
Hermandad y Cofradía de la Sagrada Pasión y María Santísima de la Esperanza Macarena handles the solemn procession of Holy week in Santa María, Bulacan.
This is the line-up of the Good Friday Procession 2019:
1. San Pedro Apóstol
2. San Nicodemo
3. San José de Arimatea
4. El Bautismo
5. Las Bodas de Caná
6. La Samaritana
7. La Penitente
8. La Resurrección de Lázaro
9. Santa María de Betania
10. San Lázaro de Betania
11. Santa Marta de Betania
12. La Sagrada Entrada en Jerusalén
13. La Última Cena
14. Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Oración en el Huerto I
15. Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Oración en el Huerto II
16. El Beso de Judas
17. El Cautivo
18. Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Columna
19. Nuestro Padre Jesús Desmayado
20. Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Paciencia
21. Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Sentencia
22. Nuestro Padre Jesús Llevado de la Cruz
23. Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno
24. El Encuentro de Hijo con Su Madre
25. Nuestro Padre Jesús Ayudado por Simón de Cirene
26. La Verónica Limpia el Rostro de Jesús
27. Santa Verónica
28. Las Mujeres de Jerusalén
29. Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Tercera Caída
30. Nuestro Padre Jesús Despojado de Sus Vestiduras
31. Nuestro Padre Jesús del Calvario
32. Ecce Mater Tua
33. El Sagrado Descendimiento
34. La Piedad
35. Nuestro Padre Jesús en Su Traslado al Sepulcro
36. Santo Entierro de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo
37. Beata Juana de Cuza
38. Santa María Jacobé
39. Santa María Salomé
40. Santa María Magdalena
41. San Juan Apóstol y Evangelista
42. Nuestra Señora de los Dolores
The Hermandad de la Sagrada Pasión is still looking for qualified Camareras to complete and illustrate the sorrowful passion of Christ.
References
- Huerta, Felix de. Estado geográfico, topográfico, estadístico, histórico-religioso (Geographical, topographical, statistical, historical and religious state). Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- "La Inmaculada Concepcion". santamariabulacan.gov.ph. Local Government of Santa Maria. Missing or empty
|url=(help) - "Virgin of La Purisima Concepcion episcopally crowned". CBCPNews. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
- "Bulacan Marian image to be canonically crowned". Manila Bulletin News. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
External links
