Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish Church (Marikina)

The Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of the Abandoned (Spanish: "Santuario y Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados"; Tagalog: "Dambanang Pandiyosesis at Parokya ng Ina ng mga Walang Mag-Ampon"), better known as Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish Church, is a Roman Catholic church in Marikina, the Philippines. The church enshrines one of several images of the Madonna and Child venerated as miraculous, which has received papal recognition.
The church itself is a testament of a religious controversy rooting back from Marikina's early history wherein both the Jesuits and Augustinians fought over the ecclesiastical control of the area. The church is also known for featuring Metro Manila's Longest Holy Week Processions with around 80 floats as of 2018, and the third overall after the St Augustine Parish in the Town of Baliuag and the San Isidro Labrador Parish in the Town of Pulilan, both located in the province of Bulacan and featuring at least 110 floats.
History.
Early years.
Catholicism in what is now Marikina began when the settlement was again ceded to the Augustinians by the Jesuits. On March 10, 1687, Governor Gabriel Cruz Elasque ordered the transfer of Marikina to the oversight of the Augustinians and merged with the ministry of San Mateo. He instructed Don Juan Pimentel, the Mayor of Tondo, to vacate and demolish the "visita" of Jesús de la Peña as the Marikina River would flood the site during the rainy season. The "visita" could not accommodate the growing congregation, forcing the Austin friars to transfer operations across the Marikina to higher ground, where the much larger, present structure was built. The church was subsequently made an independent parish in 1690.
The Venerated Image.
On October 23, 1791 the church was consecrated by the Archdiocese of Manila for the Virgin's said title so that it could not be used for any secular purpose. In 1898, during the Philippine–American War, the first image was burnt along with pertinent records of the devotion in Marikina. In 1902, a new image was created, and is the one presently venerated in the parish.
Restoration.
The church suffered major damages during the tumultuous years of the Philippine–American War in the early 1900s and the "carillion" was totally destroyed during the second world war. By 1957, OLA church was restored and refurbished by Father Silvestre dela Cruz of Archdiocese of Manila with the help from various religious and civic organisations.
The Episcopal Coronation.
The community initially approached the Apostolic Nuncio to petition for the Canonical Coronation of the image; however, the petition was declined due to few supporting documents. Meanwhile, then Bishop of Antipolo Crisostomo Yalung honored the Patrona with an Episcopal Coronation to remember the 100th Anniversary of the venerated image. The celebration was held on May 12, 2002 wherein the coronation was facilitated by Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The Canonical Coronation.
By virtue of a decree granted by the Holy See through Pope Benedict XVI, the venerated image of Our Lady of the Abandoned was canonically crowned on 23 October 2005. Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales headed the Holy Mass and Canonical Rites together with the Antipolo Bishop Gabriel V. Reyes and Parish Priest Rev. Msgr. Arnel F. Lagarejos.
The Architecture.
The church was first constructed from bamboo and leaves by the Augustinian friars in a place called Chorillo (present-day Barangka) on 1572. On 1687, the real construction began in its present location to stabilize an ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the area. Constructed in Baroque style, it is characterized by a heavily fortified facade, large-scale ceiling paintings, a dramatic central projection of the facade, a round-style pediment for the bell-tower and the opulent blending of painting and architecture.
Parish Priests.
The following were the priests assigned to the parish based on extant records:
Shrine Rectors.
On August 5, 2007, which is the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, the Bishop of Antipolo, Gabriel V. Reyes, D.D., consecrated the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Abandoned as a diocesan shrine in honor of Our Lady under the title "Maria, Inang Mapag-Ampon ng Marikina, Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados". On September 8, 2007, a little more than a month after the dedication of the church as a shrine, Bishop Francisco de Leon, who had been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as Auxiliary Bishop of Antipolo, was assigned by the Bishop of Antipolo as Parish Priest of Our Lady of the Abandoned. Msgr. Mariano Balbago Jr. relinquished the title of parish priest, but was appointed Rector and Parish Administrator, assisting Bishop De Leon in his duties. Upon the departure of Msgr. Balbago from the shrine and parish, Bishop De Leon was also appointed rector by the Bishop of Antipolo, but this time assisted by vice rector and parish administrator Fr. Reynante U. Tolentino.
Assisting in the Pastoral Team of the parish are as follows: