A Brief History of Our Lady of Sorrows (Enshrined at Baton g Paluway San Andres Catanduanes) The early year of 1900

was still a transition period for the Filipinos for more than 300 years of Spanish Colonization to the new government of the United States of America. At this time, religious fervor was still deeply ingrained in the people, the aftermath of the Spanish influence. Mostly were Christian (until this day) they believed and embraced as their religion the Christianism. The years between 1900 and 1910, found the town of the Calolbon feeling the strains of the transition period. The people slowly adjusted the new era, hope for the lesser, cruelty and prayed for a total change. Religion at the time was their consolation, their weapon, and solace toward of evils, their source of hope for a better place to live in only through the power of prayers that their wishes be granted. Religious as they were, the families did not miss a single day reciting the Angelus at 6 oclock in the morning and in the evening. By nature, the natives were resilient, hardworking and God fearing. Their means of living primarily came from farming, supplemented by fishing. This was the picture of Calolbon and its people, where graft and corruption and various crimes were unheard of. It was harvest season, (October-November) the people were busy harvesting the palay. One late morning, another happening was in the making. Pacio Socao, together with his companion, was herding carabaos in the Culapnit, a few kilometers away from the Poblacion. After placing their carabaos in the grassy plane, Pacio started to look for a place where he might rest, and he chose an Iba tree, commonly known as Kamias. When he started to climb, he was attracted to a luminous object, sparkling light under 10 oclock morning sun. He picked the object and saw a picture of a face of an enchanting woman printed in a hard stone. He showed it to his companion and remarked that it might be an aswang or an evil spirit, so Pacio threw the stone and it landed near the carabao mud-hole (lab-ogan) surrounded by thick bushes and guava leaves. For a moment, the incident was forgotten by the two boys. On the afternoon before they went home, Pacio went near the same Iba tree and there he saw again the stone with the picture and put it in his pocket. They then started to go home. When he reached home, he kept the picture up between nipa shingles

roof of their house. Early in the evening, his mother was surprised to see the shimmering light coming from the roof. She called Pacio and requested him to see what the light was. Pacio obeyed and found out that it was the stone inserted. His mother Maria, commonly known as Bengge kept the image inside their trunk, a box-like wooden container for their clothes and valuables. At this point, Bengge remembered, she with other people in the field harvesting rice heard loud ringing of church bells from nowhere and this she believed was when Pacio found the image. A few weeks later, they started to smell a rare sweet odor, the fragrance of it does not resemble nor equal to the sweetest scent of the blooming flowers in the morning. They then later discovered that sweet odor was emanating from the trunk, where the image was kept. They put out the image and enthroned her on their altar. The picture started to radiate more beautifully, with her forehead prominent and partly covered by a blue and white veil. A mole is sometimes seen on the forehead and many have seen the image wink. The lady has long eyelashes which made her even prettier. Natives of the place were ready to accept the Apparition yet reluctant to openly manifest it, had it not been for the first wave of pilgrims coming from the different coastal towns of Camarines and Albay. These people rode in the sailing boats called Parao. With them, were sick people who were carried in hammocks. Asked why they came, they all answered, they were sick and they can only be healed by Maria. A middle-aged woman, nicknamed Bengge came to their houses to ask for alms and many form of material aid, so they can start building an Ermitta in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows (Nuestra Seniora de Dolor). The replay of pilgrims surprised the natives for never had Bengge travel far to reach the mainland, except the places within the confines of Calolbon. Wave after wave of people, the normal, the infirmed, the sick, from distant towns of Catanduanes and the mainland came bringing with them the nipa shingles rattan, money, rice, oil and animals, like pigs, carabaos, and many more. They prayed before the image of Our Lady of Sorrows. Pacio was asked to massage the inflicted parts of the sick people. Some got the leaves, stem, and branches, barks, and the roots of the Iba tree and used it for medicine. Many of them got cured and relieved. The relief and cure of the sick was evident. No doubt, to these people it was miracle. For so many months, many sick were there and donations, as days passed is now enough to build to build a chapel on the spot where the miraculous picture was found. The

place was at that time called Culapnit (not part of Batong Paloway). When the venerated miraculous image of Our Lady of Sorrows was enshrined there, another miracle happened. At the base of the Iba tree (foot of the altar) there came out a spring of clear water. At that time, Iba tree was almost extinct down to its deepest roots and with no more parts of the tree to get as many medicines perhaps Our Lady of Sorrows could only explain the occurrence. The water from the spring was curative. There were instances of miracles experienced by those who come to the place where the miraculous picture was. The picture of Our Lady of Sorrows is perfectly glued and laminated to a hard stone, small in size, the other side with a flat surface and the other side where the picture is concaved and bulging surface. The picture seemed laminated and the texture is indeed smooth with glossy surface. The image is now properly adorned in a glass frame and put in the Ermitta where devotees go and pray and offer masses. Meanwhile, when the miracle family of Our Lady of Sorrows was known far and wide, the family who found the image lived in abundance. They had tray of coins and baskets of donations. Unfortunately, their wealth and abundance became their obsession, and they spent money for luxury. They even defied the order of the Parish Priest not to slaughter pigs and carabaos as it was the eve of the feast day of St. Peter and St. Paul. The priest was furious and ordered that the image should be brought to the town and be enshrined in the towns church. Another miracle was when the image was brought to the town and presented to the priest in the convent. Form nowhere was water as that dropped in front of the image of Our Lady of Sorrows forming a cross. The picture of Our Lady of Sorrows remained for a long time in the Parish Church. Only during the start of the novena in preparation of the Barrio fiesta that the venerated image of Nuestra Seniora de Dolor was permitted to be brought back to their original place with a condition to be returned after the celebra. Even then, many people flocked to Batong Paloway during the feast day celebrated in December. The image was returned only during the term of Rev. Fr. Andres Tablizo in 1938-1941 upon the appeal of the natives of Batong Paloway. These people were insistent to get back their patroness. Our Lady of Sorrows for their experience and witnessed bright rays of light coming from their altar at the chapel. This happened usually after 6 in the evening. These signs were enough to strengthen the natives rights to claim for their own patroness.

The miracle perhaps of later times were only felt and received by those who came and prayed and favors were granted. However, in subsequent years, for many felt and received relief and thorough recovery, the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows did not wane. Despite the absence of documented events and experiences on the miracles and favors granted to the faithful, still devotees flock to the place where she resides. Friday is the special day preferred for it was the day when the stone was found.