Today, Lapu-lapu City celebrates its fiesta. How much do you know about the Virgen de la Regla, the city’s patroness?
I can still distinctly remember that in my childhood my whole family would visit Lapu-lapu City (a.k.a. Opon) once every November to kiss the Virgen de la Regla. Of course the best part of the yearly pilgrimage was the barge ride from the Ouano wharf in Mandaue City to the island. One thing that really struck my attention was the incalculable number of people lining up and waiting patiently for their turn to kiss and/or touch the Virgen. It was explained to me then that people did this because of their panaad (promise) to the Blessed Virgin. What was so special about her? Why do people keep on coming?
The image of the Nuestra Señora Virgen de Regla at the Shrine dedicated to her honor in Lapu-lapu City.
When I was assigned as assistant parish priest of Virgen de la Regla a few years ago, I made a brief research on the history of the island in general and of the Virgen de la Regla parish in particular. My desire to make this research was prompted by such questions as: how old is the Virgen de Regla church? What does Regla mean? Does it refer to a woman’s regular period? Why is the Virgen de la Regla image dark? Who was the first parish priest of Opon? My search for answers brought me to the Cebuano Studies Center in the University of San Carlos and deep into our very own parish archives. And I would like to share with you the fruits of my labor.
The Nickname of Lapu-lapu?
Let us begin with the name of the island. As a kid I used to ask older guys to explain to me the meaning of the names of places, people, or just about anything that sounds alien to me. One of those names I inquired about was “Opon”. I received varied answers and explanations. The one explanation that made a deep impression on me was that Opon is the nickname of Lapu-lapu, the local hero who killed Ferdinand Magellan in the 16th century. It made sense to my childhood mind. However, in my research I found out that this was not true. Opon is not the nickname of Lapu-lapu. As a matter of fact, Lapu-lapu has nothing to do with the original name of the island. Opon or opong was the local word for cogon grass that used to teem in the island. And that is where the island got its name – from that lowly cogon grass called opon.
Today the island is a bustling city of more than 200,000 people. Although the island was officially named the City of Lapu-lapu in 1961 through R.A. 3134, people still call it Opon up to this very day. The island today – with its international airport, its five-star hotels, its industrial parks, its two notable bridges, its world-famous beach resorts, and other business and tourist attractions – is integrally deviant from its humble past. Historians consistently describe the island of old as topographically unattractive and uninviting because of its flat landscape, its rugged coral rocks, its unproductive limestone soil, its craggy shoreline and its wide mantle of cogon grass locally known as opon. Early settlements in the island were chiefly coastal. Its coral rocks and limestone soil made it unsuitable for agriculture. It seems that next to the opon grasses, only coconut trees flourished in the island. As in today, there was no forest to speak of. But despite all these, Opon was still the seventh of the first ten parishes founded by the Augustinian friars who first arrived in the country together with Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in 1565.
From Visita to Parochia
Historical records show that the first parish to have been created by the Augustinians in mainland Cebu was the San Nicolas parish in 1584. From the early 1600′s up to the beginnings of the eighteenth century, roughly more than a hundred years, Opon was a visita of San Nicolas. As a visita, Opon was both civilly and ecclesiastically under the administration of San Nicolas. Together with Opon, the visitas of San Nicolas included Naghalin, Cotcot, Olango and Lilo-an. Opon was elevated to parish status only in the 1730â??s. It was also on that year that the church building was erected. Since cement as we use it now was not yet available at that time, big stones in square blocks from the nearby sea were used in the construction of the old Opon church. However the original Opon church was demolished and was replaced with a fairly modern concrete church in 1960 to accommodate the ever-increasing number of local churchgoers and pilgrims from different parts of the country.
The first parish priest of Opon was Fr. Francisco Avalle, an Augustinian friar from Spain. He officially began his term in 1735. A baptismal book that can still be found in the parish archives bears his signature and notes that he was the “Prior y Ministro del Convento de Nuestra Señora de Opon”. It was the Augustinian fathers who governed the parish since its founding until 1898, except for three short intervening years (from 1739 up to 1742) when the Jesuit fathers took over. From 1898 up to 1906, the parish was under the administration of a Filipino diocesan priest named Fr. Vicente Roa. In 1906 the administration was handed to the Redemptorist fathers who are credited for founding the present-day Saint Alphonsus Catholic School. The Redemptorist fathers stayed in the parish until 1929. Since 1929 up to the present, the parish has been under the administration of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC). The first MSC who became a parish priest in Opon was Fr. Johannes Jansen, a Dutch father. The current parish priest is Fr. Rey Maldo, MSC.
Our Lady of Menstruation?
I have heard that many women pray for the intercession of the Virgen de la Regla whenever they experience irregularities in their menstrual cycle. This is because they think that the Virgen de la Regla means the “Virgin of Menstruation”, since the word “regla” in local parlance refers to a woman’s monthly period. Strictly speaking, the word “regla” does not refer to menstruation. It actually means “rule” or “discipline”, as in the Rule of the Order of St. Augustine.
The origin of the devotion to the Virgen de la Regla can be traced back to St. Augustine. It was this great saint who hand-carved the first image of the Virgen de Regla and made her the patroness of the Rule of what is the present-day Order of St. Augustine. As a founder, St. Augustine made reglas or rules for the members of his Order to follow. He dedicated these reglas or rules to the Virgin, thus making her the Virgin of the Rule of St. Augustine.
Why is the image of the Virgen de la Regla dark? Contrary to what many people presume, the image of the Virgin is dark not simply because its original statue is made of wood but because its devotion developed in Africa. St. Augustine, who died in the year 430, was from Hippo in north Africa. Since the setting was Africa, the original image was probably made by St. Augustine to harmonize with the color of the people who would be its first devotees. Since most Africans were dark-skinned, a dark-skinned patroness would give them a sense of familiarity and closeness. It is because of its dusky color that both in Africa and in Spain the Virgen de la Regla is also known as La Virgen Morena (The Brown Virgin).
The first image of Virgen de la Regla brought to Opon was a painting. It was brought by Fr. Francisco Avalle when he was installed as its first parish priest in 1735. The painting was originally from the Monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Regla in Chipiona, Andalucia, Spain, where Fr. Avalle lived and received religious education for ten years. In Opon, he made use of the painting to introduce to the islanders the devotion to the Virgen de la Regla. This lovely painting of the Virgin, which was retouched in 1873, has survived the passage of time and is currently displayed for veneration at the hagkanan, a special room set apart for the Virgin at the back of the Opon church, above the sacristy. The traditional statue that is encased in glass and can be viewed by the faithful inside the hagkanan is the first copy of that lovely painting. The finely-chiseled statue was carved sometime in 1735 as ordered by Cruz Lauron, a prominent native of the island. He had the statue carved to thank the Virgin for curing him from a terminal affliction. If my calculation is correct, both the painting and the statue of the Virgin we see in the hagkanan are at least 264 years old.
In 1954, the patroness of Opon was put in the limelight. The year was declared as a Marian Year and the Shrine of the Virgen de la Regla was designated as the Official Pilgrimage Place for the Archdiocese of Cebu. On that year, the church of Opon became the single most visited place in the whole of Visayas. According to statistics, at least 200,000 pilgrims flocked to Opon to pay homage to the Virgin. The Archdiocese of Cebu held the first Archdiocesan Marian Congress on that same year. At the conclusion of the congress, on November 27,1954, the Virgen de la Regla was canonically crowned by the late Julio Cardinal Rosales in the presence of an estimated 300,000 people at the Capitol Site. The crowns for the Virgin and for the child Jesus used in the canonical coronation were earlier blessed by His Holiness Pope Pius XII in Rome.
Today the Virgen de la Regla stands as a symbol and pride of the island. Opon is synonymous with Virgen de la Regla. Everyday hundreds of pilgrims from different parts of the country come to Opon to offer candles, flowers, letters and even their precious jewelry to thank the Virgin for favors received. Some come to kiss or simply touch the Virgin and pray for her intercession. There are also those donate clothes for the Virgin. The reservation for the clothes already goes beyond the year 2,000. The Saturday morning votive mass offered in her honor is always well-attended rain or shine. The multitude of people who attend the celebration of the Virgin’s fiesta, which happens every 21st of November, is a revelation of the number of her devotees. Well, the devotees are countless. Why is the Virgin so dear to many? Because to many of her devotees she is their unfailing mother and their hope.
Our Inahan, Our Hope
The Virgen de la Regla has touched many people’s lives. I have read and heard numerous personal testimonies from the faithful describing how the Virgen de la Regla made a difference in their lives. Aside from those who pray in front of her image in the hagkanan, many send her letters of petition and thanksgiving. Some of these letters are kept in the parish archives. They write: “unta tangtangan nimo ang akong amahan sa iyang balatian”, “please help me with my financial difficulty”, “salamat nga imong gidungog ang akong mga pag-ampo kanimo”, “you know what I long for and I am sure you will help me.” The letters all speak of their unwavering trust in the Virgen de la Regla. There is this certainty that the Virgin will never ever fail them.
I am convinced that this certainty that the Virgen de la Regla will never forsake those who ask for her intercession springs from the devotee’s personal image of the Virgin. She is invariably seen as atong Inahan (our Mother) who is always compassionate and ever ready to help anyone in his/her need. This certainty of response from a compassionate Inahan is empowering to those who pray to her, especially to those are burdened with emotional problems and those suffering from physical afflictions. Many swear that when they pray to the Virgin she seems to be so close, so concerned, so personal. And this is very empowering indeed. This makes the faithful feel that s/he is never alone, that somebody understands him/her, that there is an Inahan who really cares for him/her.
I am led to believe that the Virgen de la Regla, our Inahan and the Inahan of Jesus, symbolizes God’s intimate presence in our lives. That through her we experience God’s closeness in our personal life. And this experience of closeness is what, I believe, makes the Virgen de la Regla so popular and the reason why people keep on coming. The Virgen de la Regla is the mother of the spiritual family to which we all belong. And this should make us reflect that we are a blessed people. For while she is with us there is always hope.
n0y, mista ta!!!!
naa dire ron si Sha0ii gamay ra akong bisita, you should have been here..
see you in a few days..
pag-amping ug pag-ampo kanunay
IM
Thank you Fr Cuyos. for this interesting article on the history of Opon and Happy Fiesta to all Oponganons and devotees. For us who are far away from home, we also celebrate the Fiesta in our small way with other Oponganons. May our dear Virgen Sa Regla continue to intercede for our needs and may all believers continue to spread devotion to the Blessed Virgen.
wow Father! So comprehensive research indeed! I’m at a loss of words here… very good work! Keep up! See you in our homeland soon.
What a superblessed blog! Arrived here from Philippine Blog Awards and I’m so thrilled other Christians continue to profess of God’s goodness! Keep it up for Christ! Blog on!
I agree with you ganns-what a superblessed blog – Congratulations Fr. Cuying for being one of the semifinalist at Phil Web Blog Awards…
Jun – South Korea
This is such a very informative entry and I’ve learned many new things here. Congrats to you Fr. Cuying for being a semifinalist in the Philippine Blog Award. I hope you win it…
Dre, salamat kau sa imong post, mas nasabtan na nako karon ang history sa Birhen sa Regla…
Glad you are home, ikumusta nya ko nila diha…
God Bless!
DOPS
dre, oli na diay ka? nalipong kog binasa sa kataas. pero mas nasabtan na nako tanan ang iyang history. biliba jud nako nimo oy,
impressive. hehe. how are you? i’ve been trying to revive tsl, but i seem to have one too many time constraints as of the moment. i guess it isn’t time yet. =) hit me back.. just a chat. haha.
THANK YOU FATHER for the wonderful article and research you have shared to us. Father
i’m from manila, i’ve once visited the Virgen De La Regla, that was more than 10 years ago, and due to lack of time, i was not able to take a souvenir of the Virgen’s picture. Father, can i request for a picture of our Virgen De La Regla, i’m asking this, so that i could place Her in our altar.Thank You again and more power…. respectfully yours… cecille
Approved Father, Excellent
Good Day Father,
Just want to know if you are Fr. Fabian Cayetano or you know Fr. Fabian Cayetano. I am Nestor Ching, residing now here at Winnipeg, manitoba , Canada. I have learned from Fr. Nick Gito, msc. that Fr. fabian Cayetano is presently assigned at Virgen dela Regla Parish, Lapu Lapu City. And so I made a try. Fr. Gito is right now here in winnipeg. Thanks a lot Father. Have a great Day.
Hello! If not with this blog of you Fr. Cuyos, I will not understand more about the history of virgen of the rule..and my parish. So nice blogs..I was just randomly surfing about my hometown coz I miz it now that I am too far from home. Glad to read ur blogs. I usually heard mass with u when u were still in the parish..when i was still there in Opon. Gud jab! God bless! Regards diha sa tanan taga opon.
Fr. Bobby, I will repost this article on mysite and send on email that all my frens and some of lapu-lapunian may know the history of Virgen de la Regla. I will replace the picture with latest which was taken early this morning prior to in at work today. Still the article on your credit, Hope you may allow me to do this. Thanks!
maaung gabi-e father… daghan kaaug salamat ining article… nakahibaw na jud ko sa history aning atong simbahan ug atong patrona… God blees you father!!!
take care!! VIVA NUESTRA SENORA VIRGEN DE REGLA!!!
hello Padz! thanks for blogging about our parish’s history & why “OPON” is called as such…bisag taas kaayo (history gud!), very informative jud siya! salamat kaayo!
Hi Father Cuyos,
Thanks for a wonderful story of this legend. Really it touches my heart. When I was only I think 4 years old, I got so sick that my mom who is a Cebuano, prayed hard for me to get better. According to my mom (deceased) I had a miningitis and in those days if ever I get healed that I will live like a vegetable. My mom asked for my life from the Virgen and after a week, I got better and then here I am, a lola. I owe a lot to the Virgen that every night, I never forget to say a Rosary. Thank you very much Padre.
Father Cuyos!
twice nako naka attend sa imong misa dris sta mesa kaya lang maulaw ko mo duol kay daghan kayo manuol nimo ig human sa misa. nieway, nice kaayo imong homily. pray for me nga ma nurse nako! 
thanks alot.
Bo,
Sorry, ha, karon pa ko kabalik nimo. You know what, somebody sent me a beautiful series of pictures, and there was one that reminded me of you – a picture where a man was holding a setting sun with his two hands, one on top, the other under. Now, I was knocked out by your series of pictures of a sunset – beautiful and beautifully captured, and free! – Arci, msc
Bo,
Ako na naman. Nakalimutan ko kasing sabihin: HAPPY BIRTHDAY! – Arci, msc
fr. hapit na RYD… Adto nami Dumaguete nig Oct.24..
Please pray for us… kuyug mi ni Fr. Tino
Father, I’d like to ask a copy of the Prayer/Novena to the Virgen de la Regla. You may send prayer to my email address listed above. Thank you.
mapagarbuhon kaayo ko nga taga OPON ko tungod sa atong BIRHEN SA REGLA!!! hapit na sad ang iyang kapistahan!!! hinaot nga mabulukong og mas maanindot pa ang pista niya karun!!! VIVA!!!!
Walter, makapamista baya ko karong fiesta sa Opon. Asa man nang inyo kay sulngon tikag kaon ug inom. He he he.
lipay kaayo mi diri mga oponganon sa canada ni basa about sa history sa birhen sa regla. happy fiesta everyone.
mag celebrate pod mi diri. God bless.
Happy fiesta pud kanimo Maresa. Hinaut unta nga makahuloganon ang inyong pagsaulog sa fiesta sa mahal nga birhen sa regla diha sa inyo.
Hello, I was wondering how you could explain God’s word in Exodus 20:4 – Do not make idols of any kind…it sounds pretty clear to me that we are not to be having ANY kind of idols to pray to or worship. If you would do some research in the Bible you would find that every prayer in it is addressed to God Himself and not to anything or anyone else…
Hi Fr. Bob! Thank you very much for the very informative article about Our Lady of the Rule. And I am also very happy to discover this podcast of yours. Dugay na kaayo ko ug search through internet on how to contact you. When i was still in lapulapu i really like all your homilies. Now that im in the US, I badly need you guidance/enlightenment on some things. I am married to a US Citizen. We got married just this year here in the US in a civil wedding and we are planning to have our church wedding (my husband is a catholic also) there in the Philippines hopefully this coming year 2008. What bothers me – is living together without the church blessings a sin? Can i still receive communion? If dili sad ko mokalawat during mass, feeling nko dili complete ako pag join sa mass. Unsa man ako buhaton Father? naglibog man ko. Please help me. You can email me on my address above. thanks. God bless.
father, its been awhile that i have been looking for a short novena prayer for our lady of the rule. i am a devotee but what i have here is the 9 day novena. i hope you can help me out of this concern. thanks in advance and God bless.. to jesus through mary… joey
can you please send me a prayer/novena prayer for Our Lady of Rule.
Thank You
@ Cristina – the following prayer is found in the novena booklet in the Virgen de la Regla Church in Lapu-lapu City.
PAG AMPO SA MATAG ADLAW:
Hinumdumi, oh! mapuanguron nga Birhen Maria, nga wala pa madungog nga may mausa nga midangop sa imong panabang ug nagpakimalooy sa imong kapuangod nga imong gibiyaan ug gitalikdan. Dinasig ug linig-onan niining maong pag laum,midangop usab ako kanimo, oh Birhen! Inahan sa mga Birhenes, ug sa pagpanghupaw ko sa gibug-aton sa akong mga sala, nagahapa ako sa atubangan sa imong mga tiil, dili mo pag-isalikway, oh Inahan sa Berbo! ang akong mga mapaubsanon nga pag ampo, hinonoa imong pamation ug ipadangat kanako sa maayong kabubut-on ang gipangayo ko kanimo. Amen.
I’d like to ask a copy of the Prayer/Novena to the Virgen de la Regla. Thank You!!! I am one of Saint Regla believer our Lady of the Rule! Best regards!!!
thank you for all the help that you had given us ghank you
thank you for your help and understanding your command will be fallow allways
be faithfull
be careless
and be happy
Dre, sa kadaghan sa mga pangutana sa akong hunahuna nga way tubag regarding sa Virgin de la Regla karon my sakto ug makatagbaw nang tubag. So salamat sa imong detailed nga infromation about sa Birhin sa Regla.
Gigi, nalipay ko nga nakatabang pagtubag sa imong mga pangutana kining akong nasulat bahin sa Birhen sa Regla.
Father, i was looking for a novena prayer of our lady of rule. pero i got to read your article. Salamat kaau. I just hope u can post a novena prayer aside from the article.
Dugay na jud ko gusto mo balik adto sa opon. Kay every time magsaad ko iya matuman jud niya.
Viva our Lady of Rule. Kalooy kami kanunay.
God bless…….
thanks but i was looking for a copy of novena prayer.
What is your mailing address? I have information regarding a marriage of someone who was baptized there.
hello to all msc priest advance happy fiesta to all
i am a seminarian in san carlos and i wish to enter in your seminary this comingweeks
Daily Prayer to Nuestra Virgen de la Regla
Our Sovereign Queen and Mistress, Our Lady of the Rule, trusting in your motherly love for me, I humbly kneel before you, the fount of goodness and mercy, to seek your powerful intercession. Your son Jesus has made you the mother of all mankind and unworthy as I am, you have adopted me as your child. You have become my advocate and protector against all ills and miseries; design not to ignore the affliction that presently torments my soul, and which impels me to implore your pity. Show yourself a tender mother, change this ungrateful heart of mine and make me a worthy child. having been purified from my sins, may I receive the special grace that I ask through the veneration of the miraculous image of the rule. Refuse not my petition. All things are possible for you. and your loving generosity compels you to aid and protect those who take refuge under the mantle of your motherly kindness. I promise to be a humble and grateful child and to walk along the path of perfection, following the steps of your divine son, that with you, I may rejoice in his presence in the everlasting glory of heaven. Amen
@mark – please get in touch with our vocation director by going to http://www.misacor.net
@lulu – thanks for posting the prayer here.
Father,
your blog is very informative. This is a great reference for researchers regarding VDR
Nov20 is fast approaching, so i googled for Virgen dela Regla articles (kinda wishing if there’s any from TSL) and i came across this blog! Nevermind if my comment is several years late lol.. Jst wanna confirm about the dark skin of the image, that’s patterned after the goddess Isis.. (isis is another article)..
Happy Fiesta to all Oponganons!
Daghang Salamat, Fr.Stephen sa tanang blogs and updates… I am truly grateful and happy… technology at the service of God and humanity… and you made it possible for many to take advantage of this development….a noble / great work indeed!
Padayon sa imong Misyon… sa atong misyon sa simbahan — pag-alagad sa mga anak sa Diyos … pinaagi sa technology…Serving the children of God through modern technology… WITH GOD, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, INDEED! and KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, FR. STEPHEN!
SR. ELIGIA ,OSB (taga Cebu – Bisdak kaayo!)
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bro,
your article is very informative. thanks a lot. kumusta ka?
@gene, acel, sr. eligia – Thanks for visiting my site.
@fr. love – I am doing just great. Are you going to say one of the novena Masses? I’ll preside over the 3pm Mass on Nov 21. I might also concelebrate in the 9AM Mass with the Cardinal on that day. I hope to see you there.
Hi father Stephen, hello ! how are you! Very informative and intellectually researched. Thanks for sharing this to us. BTW, i reckion you are coming to Lapu-Lapu for our fiesta celebration- if its ok with you u might as well drop by our house lunchtime Nov 21,please?
We all miss you here with us!
Looking forward to it !