Marikina’s Marian image pontifically crowned

Antipolo Bishop Ruperto Santos on Sunday pontifically crowned the venerated image of Our Lady of Fatima at the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Paul of the Cross in Marikina City.

The rite of the canonical coronation of the image of Nuestra Señora de Fatima de Marikina was held during a 9 a.m. eucharistic celebration presided over by Santos. 

In his homily, the bishop said that the crowning of the image was a gift to the Blessed Virgin Mary as it coincided with the celebration of Mother’s Day. 

“Ito po ngayon ang ating maganda at natatanging alay ng inang simbahang Pilipinas, isa nating mabuti at mabiyayang handog sa mananampalatayang Pilipino,” Santos said.  

(This is the beautiful and unique gift of the Church to the Filipino faithful.) 

According to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), a canonical crowning is “a pious institutional act in which the pope, through a bull, designates a crown or stellar halo to be added to a Marian image under a specific devotional title in a particular area or diocese.”

Based on a letter read by Fr. John Paul Buenafe, Pope Francis granted the canonical coronation to the Nuestra Señora de Fatima de Marikina in January 2024. 

The Our Lady of Fatima image is enshrined in Marikina City’s Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Paul of the Cross, which belongs to the Diocese of Antipolo.

Following the pontifical coronation, a thanksgiving Mass and novena procession for the Nuestra Señora de Fatima de Marikina would be held late Sunday afternoon. — DVM, GMA Integrated News