Grand Marian Procession 2015

Fort Santiago, Intramuros – Manila, Philippines

It was a hot sunny afternoon past 2:00pm when our group arrived near the Plaza Roma within the heart of Intramuros.

Roads that lead to intramuros were closed – Magallanes street , Aduana street aka Andres Soriano street are lined with concert barriers . There is a high mass at around past 4:00pm where there are several dignitaries and high church officials in attendance .

Manila Cathedral and Plaza Roma

The main plaza- Plaza Roma is colorfully decorated with bamboo arch and festive buntings. The electric and cable wires around the plaza had been removed by the Intramuros Administration and with the help of MERALCO and other telecommunication companies.  This makes the area ideal for photography without the electric cables and wires .

Security was strict compared to last year . Plant boxes and concrete slabs were neatly arranged to form a barrier along the main street. The adjacent streets were closed to traffic and people had to walk several meters just to queue to the parades routes.

ladies in colorful balintawak and native hats

Santa Ana de Hogonoy devotees

beautiful lady in white terno

Fort Santiago marker

students from Cagayan province

participants in colorful ternos and barong tagalogs

foreigners and devotees

The festival had attracted several thousands of devotees from far flung provinces , balikabayans and even foreign tourists. The mood is very festive and the sweet smelling flowers even attracted bees and insects.

There were about 100 Marian images from different congregations and canonically crown images.

The images were festooned with fresh flowers and accompanied by devotees.

some of the processional carriage had even live fruits such as red apples and pineapples as part of the arrangement

 Our Lady of Hope

 live strap leaf vandas and white phalaenopsis orchids add colors to this processional carriage

Metro Manila Development Authority marching band

Ina Poon Bato

Our Lady , The Untier of Knots

Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba -Our Lady of Turumba

different kinds of cut flowers guzmanias

Nuestra Señora del Mar Cautiva from La Union

We were given some estampitas by a devotee from La Union . He said that the image was at least 100 years -old .

Philippine Navy

There are also several schools within Intramuros which send student cadets and marching bands during the procession.

We have to leave past 4:00pm when the procession is about to start and have a very fond memories of the Marian festival. Congratulations to all the people behind the annual traditional procession.

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