Diocese of Legazpi marks 250 years of devotion to Nuestra Señora de Salvacion

By Rhaydz Barcia

TIWI, ALBAY --- The Diocese of Legazpi celebrated the 250th anniversary of devotion to Nuestra Señora de Salvacion and the golden anniversary of her canonical coronation as Patroness of the Diocese during a solemn ceremony here on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026.

Adorned with yellow and white flowers, His Eminence Jose Cardinal F. Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, together with Most Rev. Rex Andrew C. Alarcon, Archbishop of Caceres, and Most Rev. Joel Z. Baylon, D.D., Bishop of Legazpi, reenacted the solemn crowning of the new regalia of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion during the 50th anniversary commemoration of her canonical coronation.

The celebration also marked the Marian Jubilee Year 2026–2027.

The 250-year-old wooden image, affectionately called “Ina” by devotees, was adorned with new regalia in commemoration of the 250 years of devotion to Our Lady of Salvacion and the 50th anniversary of her declaration as Patroness of the Diocese of Legazpi.

The historic canonical coronation of Ina took place on Aug. 25, 1976, led by the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, then Archbishop of Manila, during the bicentennial celebration of the devotion to the Marian image. The Joroan church in the upland village of Joroan was subsequently proclaimed a diocesan shrine.

Fifty years later, Cardinal Advincula, together with Archbishop Alarcon and Bishop Baylon, reenacted the crowning of the new regalia of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion.

The celebration was attended by Bishop Emeritus Lucilo B. Quiambao of the Diocese of Legazpi, priests, religious sisters and more than a thousand pilgrims and devotees from different parts of the country.

Court of Appeals Associate Justice Ramon A. Cruz and his family also attended the historic celebration as devotees of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion.

Thousands of pilgrims and devotees, particularly from Albay, Camarines Sur and Sorsogon, continued to arrive in Tiwi to visit and pay homage to the revered image.

In his homily, Cardinal Advincula said the image of Ina, carved from a simple tree in the 1770s, symbolizes Mary’s maternal closeness to her children and her role as a constant companion of the people, particularly during times of natural disasters such as Mayon Volcano eruptions and typhoons.

“If we’re brought back in the 1770s, the image was carved from a simple wooden tree. She is the shield against the typhoon and the erupting volcano. Mary intervened and closely watched our suffering. In 1895, her chapel was flattened to the ground, but her image had no single trace of bruises. She is our companion all the time,” he said.

“She is the great mother of mercy. She carried Jesus Christ while her other hand was holding the hand of a human, pulling them away from the ground. We need to work together and take care of each other, especially the weak and the helpless in society. The moment we rally behind the poor, we put a diamond into Mary’s crown,” Cardinal Advincula said.

The iconography of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion depicts Mary holding the Child Jesus in her left arm while her right hand holds a human figure, symbolizing her maternal intercession and role in guiding humanity away from sin toward her Son, Jesus.

The 250-year-old image has been at the center of a centuries-old tradition of devotion and gratitude in Albay. Devotees believe the image, also known as Our Lady of Salvation, brings strength, hope and inspiration.

The religious icon, believed by many devotees to be miraculous, has drawn thousands of pilgrims from across the country to Tiwi, where Catholics gather to honor the revered image and celebrate its spiritual and historical significance.

Every third Saturday of August, the Diocese of Legazpi holds the grand Diocesan Fiesta in honor of Our Lady of Salvation in Joroan. The province welcomes pilgrims from different parts of the country throughout August and September.

The third Saturday is traditionally marked by the shrine feast, highlighted by the “Aurora in the Sea” maritime procession. Boats from coastal towns in Albay and even from Camarines Sur join the procession, carrying the image through the sea before it is brought to the hilltop shrine.

On the last Saturday of August, devotees participate in a nine-kilometer procession from St. Lawrence Church in Tiwi to the Diocesan Shrine in Joroan. The procession culminates in a 4 a.m. Mass at the shrine.

The devotion to Nuestra Señora de Salvacion dates back to the 1770s, with devotees attributing various miracles to the image during the Spanish colonial period. According to local narratives, coastal residents sought refuge in the hills of Joroan during pirate attacks and prayed for protection before the image of the Virgin Mary.

According to tradition, Mariano Dacuba cleared a portion of land and discovered a tree whose leaves did not wilt. Sculptor Bagacumba later carved three religious images from the tree: Nuestra Señora de Salvacion, San Antonio de Padua and Nuestra Señora de Soledad (Our Lady of Sorrows).

On Aug. 25, 1776, the devotion to Nuestra Señora de Salvacion was formally established, beginning a centuries-old tradition that continues to draw pilgrims to Joroan, Tiwi, every year.