Last week, my mom, my aunt and I visited Lady of Lourdes
Grotto Shrine at Tungkong Mangga, San Jose Del Monte Bulacan. I was so excited
because I have always wanted to visit the Shrine where my mom used to tell
stories how they visited it during Holy Week when they we’re young.
The shrine was built during
the 1960’s; “Anita Guidote-Guanzon, who had the statue built in 1961
after she was pronounced cured from cancer of the uterus, after being given
just six months to live” –(Joy Rojas (Contributor) - @inquirerdotnet
After being cured, Anita Guidote-Guanzon together with her husband Horatio converted their 20 hectare family farm into a public shrine and placed the marble statue of Lourdes at the niche of the rocky mountainside to be seen and prayed by millions of devotees that travel from different parts of the Philippines on Holy Week. Because of it, there are also testimonies of different visitors who had been cured from their ailment (there are also some “saklays” on the left side of the mountainside that symbolizes testimonies of being cured). My grandfather was one of the visitors who had been cured from his Kidney sickness and according to my mom; from then on they become devotees of the Lady of Lourdes.
(Main "Grotto" of Lady of Lourdes - the Replica of Lourdes in France)
("Ang tubig na bukal" which said to be the water of healing)
As we entered the Shrine, my aunt, my mom and I first prayed
to the statue of Lady of Lourdes and then walked to visit the Stations of the
Cross (where life size statues of Jesus Christ procession was built), and as we
we’re visiting each station, there was a mother dog who accompanied us on every
station (if only I have one photo of that brown dog).
The site was
breathtaking, there are also like “Twilight” feel forest where my Mom used to
tell me how their whole family sit and eat their food while waiting and taking
some rest before starting their walk.
There is also a huge replica of the
rosary where you can also pray.
Went at the top of the rocked mountain to pray and touch the Lady of Lourdes with our handkerchief.
After the long walk, we prayed at the Lady of Lourdes Church
and did some quick snap shots before we left.
The place was really solemn and it gives me a lot of goose
bumps and chills. Especially when we went at the top of the rocked mountain
where we prayed and wiped our handkerchief on her statue, it was super calm
(for me my heart was pounding with joy just by simply touching and praying to her).
Despite on a very hot noon, I wasn’t perspiring that much. The place also gives
serenity and a perfect place to pray.
Address: Graceville, San Jose Del
Monte Bulacan 3023 San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, Santa Maria - Tungkong Mangga
Road, San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan
