RELIGIOUS
Mahal na Birhen ng Biglang Awa
In the heart of Pulilan lies a venerated icon way back Spanish epoch, a 300 year-old wooden-picture framed with ornamental flowers and enclosed in a wooden altar. The blessed Virgin is holding a child, feeding it on her bosom while riding a banca in the middle of the sea. This venerated icon is called the Mahal ng Birhen ng Biglang Awa, entrenched in a chapel at Poblacion.
According to the oral tradition and from the accounts of Victoria Joson-Estrada also known as Nana Poldy, the image of the Virgin and Child, painted on wooden panel was said to have been found by an itinerant Chinese merchant named Tan Ho Co while he was on the sea during a heavy downpour. The banca he was riding was holed in the water, and fearful of drowning, the merchant fell on his knees on the banca and prayed. Thereupon the icon of the Virgin appeared in the water and fixed into the bancas hull, stopping it from sinking.
Simultaneously, the banca was towed by what was apparently a large fish until it reached the estuary shore.
Surviving the ordeal, the Chinese merchant framed the icon, and put it in his house. Later, he would hear a consistent rapping on the walls, upon which he started praying the pasyon to the image.
After some time, the icon passed into the custodianship of Victor Joson, the grandfather of Nana Poldy. Josons’s relatives were said to have been interested in possessing the said icon.
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Victor Joson then passed the icon to his son Pedro Joson, who then bequeathed it to his wife Pilar. Pilar B. Joson currently lives in San Francisco Street in Poblacion, were the chapel with the image of the Mahal na Birhen ng Biglang Awa is located on the front yard of her house. Its feast day falls in the first Sunday of Lent. It begins when Ash Wednesday had arrived and when the pasyon is recited.
The feast day of Biglang Awa has also reached a wide audience, not only Pulilenyos but also people from across Central and Northern Luzon and even visitors from as far as Mindanao and the United States, come to the chapel to participate in the novena that climaxes the celebrations. According to Nana Poldy's story which her parents passed to her, her grandfather on her father's side that accumulated the custody of the blessed image became blind. She said that the image wanted to have a light all day and night. But her grandfather forgot to light a candle in front of the image. Because of that, he lost his sight on the following day. |
Nana Poldy also shared a story that someone collapsed amidships the crowd of devotees lined-up to wipe their handkerchiefs on the miraculous image. This person said that an old woman approached to her and instructed to eat the pansit she was holding. After the fainted person ate it, her condition became better.
Nana Poldy then realized that the Mahal na Birhen ng Biglang Awa is always with these devotees. She also shared a situation when a girl pictured the image of the blessed virgin and cried when she glanced at the image and noticed that the banca is moving for the water is surging.
Two women riding on a bus were standing. An old woman offered a seat unto them and invited them to visit the town of Pulilan for they can eat half-cooked food. At that time, food was not prepared to be cooked as medium done. Â Nana Poldy almost cried for what these two women told her because the old woman was in fact the virgin host and sent a message to her on how the food should be prepared.
Every trees and plants sprouted on the land where the chapel and the house of the bearer situated are considered blessed. When its feast day comes, almost all the flowers and leaves of every medicinal trees and herbal plants were consumed by devotees and townspeople.
Water inside the chapel is also holy. Many people drink and collect water to give to their relatives who are sick. People also donate water for they believe that blessings will be extended upon them.
Vegetables and pansit were cooked in huge cauldrons in the chapel's backyard. Requested food, pansit and rice were placed on devotees carried containers or plastics to bring forth in their home. Others, because of huge crowd, even ask for raw vegetables for all kinds of food inside the Chapel's territory are conceived as holy. People who have faith that entering this chapel will gain the blessings and abundance.
These are the reasons why many people wanted to visit this place. This is the living story of the miraculous icon of Biglang Awa. An old woman, who travels in every place of the country, is establishing or regaining faith on every heart of mankind. The miracles beyond man's eye will continue on every people's faith forever.
