Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados

The Story Behind the Image of Our Lady of the Abandoned

It was the first week of Lent in 1409, when Fray Gilbert Jofre mentioned in his homily the need to establish a confraternity that will cater to abandoned children or orphans as well as the aged. With Fr. Jofre and St. Vincent Ferrer’s dedication and determination, the Confraternity of the Our Lady of the Holy Innocents and Abandoned Ones was founded in Valencia, Spain. Not long after, the Confraternity decided to build a psychiatric hospital which was the first in the whole world. The members of the Confraternity soon felt the need to have a Patroness to guide them in their activities and so they conferred with King Fernando of Spain. The King approved of the Plan  and gave them permission to have an image of the Virgin Mary made which will be known as the Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados.

They discussed the  details regarding the creation of the image and finally decided to commission a famous sculptor from Barcelona. Just when all the details were finalized three mysterious young men approached them volunteering to carve the image in exchange for shelter. After being provided with the necessary materials, the three young men requested that they be left undisturbed in an enclosed room for three days. The members of the confraternity obliged but after the said period they couldn’t help but check on the young men who did not  make a single  noise during the entire time they were supposedly  working . When they opened the door, they found the food untouched but the mysterious young men were not there anymore. They were filled with awe when they saw the Statue of the Blessed Mother in the center of the room.

A Great  Miracle INDEED!

 They tried to find the three mysterious men, but  to no avail. Those men were perhaps sent from above, they thought to themselves. Numerous miracles followed after the sculpting of the Image the Our Lady of the Abandoned.

The OLA Image of Marikina City

The Image was first brought to the Philippines by Fr. Vicente Ingles, OFM in 1717. No records could be found as to how the image reached Marikina. The only known fact is that the church was meant to be dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Aside from written documents regarding the Parish and the Image of the Blessed Mother, the Filipino-American war also burned the original image of the Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados. A new image was crafted  in 1902 which is the one presently enshrined in the Parish.

"Pinagaling ako ng Panginoon sa pamamagitan ng aking pagdedebosyon sa Mahal na Ina ng mga Walang Mag-ampon!"

Ching Cruz - Villa Ignacio

"Truly, Mary is the mother of the abandoned. She did not forsake my (kidnapped) children."

Perlita Lu

"12AM pumunta agad ako sa OLA para magpasalamat sa napakabilis na regalo"

Architect Roy De Guzman

"Muli niyang binigay ang aking lakas at paggaling. Tunay niyang himala"

Nenita Ignacio