As a way of giving thanks for the year that was, I always set out on a Christmas Journey every December 27, Feast of St. John the Apostle, because of whom I coined the term Johannine Pilgrimage. It started in 2005 out of a random trip to somewhere in Manila, and ever since, became one of my yearend activities. This year's Johannine is the tenth, so to make it more memorable, I decided to go out of town.
And so, I, together with my close friend Angelo Mangahas - himself a fervent devotee of Our Lady, went for Taal, Batangas, one of the famous centers of devotion to Our Lady, aside from their delicious Tapang Taal and Balisong. Our pilgrimage this year centered on two well-known churches, the Basilica of St. Martin de Tours at the Town Center, and the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay with its nearby well.
Our Lady of Caysasay is not a new thing to me, having learned of the image's story in a novena booklet given to me roughly ten years ago. In its history, the image was caught by Juan Maningcad while fishing in the Pansipit River. Called as the Wandering Virgin o Birheng Gala, the image was said to have miraculous attributes. People flock to her little shrine in Taal, and to the well of spring water nearby, to ask her intercession for many needs. Cures were given to the faithful who pray to Our Lady, and the affection of the townsfolk is really remarkable, that's why she is known as one of the celebrated images in the Philippines.