Antipolo Bishop Ruperto Santos on Thursday called for national unity and renewed goodness among Filipinos, as the country marked the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in the Philippines.
In his pastoral message, Bishop Santos said growing self-interest and division continue to challenge social cohesion, stressing the need to turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary as a symbol of unity and reconciliation.
“We see a lack of unity today. And the one who brings us together is a mother,” he said.
The celebration featured a commemorative fluvial procession across Laguna de Bay, retracing the historic arrival route of the Marian image from Mexico in 1626.
The multi-day observance also highlighted the deep connection between the Antipolo shrine and national hero José Rizal, whose family maintained a longstanding devotion to the image.
Rizal’s mother is said to have vowed to visit the shrine after surviving a difficult childbirth, a promise the young Rizal fulfilled in 1868 when he traveled to Antipolo with his father at age seven.
“What our national hero did was beautiful. He went to Antipolo, gave thanks, acknowledged God’s goodness, and showed that goodness exists in every person,” Bishop Santos said.
As part of the commemoration, the pilgrim image visited Rizal’s baptismal parish and ancestral home in Calamba, Laguna, before proceeding through Talim Island, Binangonan, Cardona, and Pasig en route to the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo City.
The cathedral also launched commemorative stamps marking the 400th anniversary of the image’s arrival and the 100th anniversary of its canonical coronation.
Bishop Santos invited the faithful to join the yearlong jubilee celebrations, which will culminate on November 28, 2026.