The Wonders of Naga

The Heart of Bicol : Naga City

Naga City, The Heart of Bicol is where I live. This is my home. I really love this place because aside from being born here, this is also a special place for me because here I found myself, my family and friends. This city never sleeps because it is a lively city that has a lot of fun. You can find may places that you'll truly enjoy. 

Naga City was named from the abundance of Narra Trees, Naga in Bikol. In the mid 1500's, Naga was a flourishing village along the banks of the Naga River. For hundeds of years Naga City has been known for its history of trade, education, and strong catholic culture. Traslacion happens every 2nd Friday of September and this is the trasfer of image of Divino Rostro and Penafrancia which is called "Mahal na Ina". This shows the culture and the strong belief of the devotee especially the Naguenos and the Bicolanos.

(c) http://www.nagacity.org/

Peñafrancia Festival

We have this feast called "The feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia". It is celebrated on the third Saturday of September in Naga City, Bicol. The feast day is preceded by a novena, nine days of prayer, in honor of the Virgin. On the first day, the image of the Virgin, a copy of the Madonna in Peñafrancia, Spain, is brought from its shrine to the Naga Cathedral where the novena is held. 

According to locals, a Spanish government official from Peñafrancia, Spain, settled with his family in Cavite in 1712. One day, his daughter fell ill and the family prayed for her recovery to the famous Madonna of Peñafrancia, a picture of whom was in their possession. When the daughter recovered, the father vowed to build a chapel in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Manila. However, since he was being detained in Nueva Caceras, he built the chapel in that city, now known as Naga, instead.

The famous Madonna is believed to have miraculous powers. On her feast day, pilgrims gather at her shrine to pay her homage for favors received.

There are also certain activities that are held during this feast. 

• pageants
• military parade
• civic parade
• majorette and band exhibition
• float competition

Most of the activities,like the parades are being competed by the schools here in Naga. They present it at the Naga Plaza Rizal and being watched by the Naguenos and some people by the other places.

These activities will surely give you enjoyment and entertainment that will show you the essence of celebrating this feast. After these, a fluvial procession at the end of the novena caps the feast. The image is carried in a pagoda (the Filipino term for a decorated shrine-barge, usually with more than one tier, used in fluvial processions) on its return journey to the basilica, where a Pontifical Mass is held. Along the route, people shout "Viva La Virgen!"

The image is surrounded by a battalion of exclusively male devotees, for Bicolano folk custom holds that no woman, Filipina or foreigner, may board the barge with the Virgin as this will surely spell disaster.