Badoc, Ilocos Norte — Residents here are now in the final preparations for the arrival of thousands of guests and visitors to witness the pontifical coronation of “La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc,” patroness of Ilocos Norte.
Cesar Jade Raquel, Municipal Tourism Officer of Badoc town, said Wednesday the pontifical coronation will be led by Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle of Metropolitan Manila at the St. John Parish at 9 a.m. on Thursday.
The local government of Badoc led by town mayor Maximo Cajigal, in collaboration with the provincial government of Ilocos Norte, are set to welcome hundreds of priests, bishops and other guests in a state dinner on Wednesday to be held at government-owned Plaza del Norte Hotel and Convention Center.
“Finally, the long wait is over for the pontifical coronation of La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc, the cause of our joy. We are blessed and thankful for this great celebration,” said Raquel, as he believes this will further boost faith tourism in this part of northern Philippines.
As of this posting, members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are on full alert status for the arrival of the guests and visitors.
“As we approach the great day, it is good to reflect on the significance of what we are about to do, the better for us to appreciate the mystery we are about to celebrate,” said Bishop Renato Mayugba in a statement on the coronation of our Lady.
Crowned canonically in 1980 by the episcopal mandate of then Bishop Edmundo Abaya, La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc has been granted the privilege to be crowned by papal authority in a decree issued on December 6, 2017, by the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments.
This was granted in response to Laoag Bishop Mayugba’s petition requesting papal recognition of the image’s importance through a pontifical coronation.
Mayugba said the crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a liturgical ritual that has “very deep roots” in the Christian tradition. (PNA)
