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Naval book is a multifaceted feast'La Naval' book is a multi-faceted feast
By Ophelia A. Dimalanta
Contributor
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Posted date: October 06, 2008
MANILA, Philippines - This fabulous book, "The Saga of La Naval: Triumph of a People's Faith" (published by the Dominican Province of the Philippines, 357 pages, 2007), boasts of a working committee and editorial staff made up of some of the best historians, theologians, scholars and writers of the country.
It is "a systematic insightful tour of the byways and alleys of Philippine culture and history," quoting its editor, Lito B. Zulueta (who is an editor of this paper-Ed.).
While some essays are pure scholarly informative products of research, a number of them are creative nonfictional pieces of a superior level.
Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, OP, rector magnificus of the University of Sto. Tomas, brilliant writer and perceptive historian/scholar, meaningfully comments in his "La Naval: A Legacy of Faith and Heroism": "...we have a crisis of heroism but . . . with the miraculous intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval, heroism will never die among us."
Florentino Hornedo punctuates historical information with exciting narrative accounts of the naval battles between the Spanish-Philippine defenders and the invading Dutch fleet, the battles ending in a victory for the poorly armed defenders and heralding the devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval in Sto. Domingo Church.
The different images of the Santissimo Rosario provide Regalado Trota José with an interesting subject in his "Image Biography of Our Lady of the Rosary." He describes with meticulous attention to detail the Blessed Mother's typical poses, dress accessories, interspersing description with accounts of war. He also writes about the iconography of the Dominican saints in the traditional procession of La Naval.
Fr. Roland D. Mactal, OP, writes glowingly about Mary in the hearts of Filipinos. Quite importantly as well, he comments on the anthropological and social dimensions of Marian devotion in our country.
Fr. Isidro C. Abaño, OP, secretary-general of UST and director of its museum, speaks of "divine inspiration" as the sine qua non of sacred art.
"We should be ready to take the leap from the merely aesthetic to the theological level in regarding the features of our Lady's visage."
The state of the art in religious imagery is so detailed no mere review can come close to a comprehensive exegesis of Abaño's piece and the other pieces as well. Interesting to note is his perceptive conjecture that the Marian image bears the reflection of St. Thomas Aquinas' "Summa Theologica."
Ramon Villegas, in his account of the Virgin's jewels, notes that the jewelry of Our Lady and the Infant Jesus attracted not only devotion but greed and acts of defilement as well.
Maria Angelita R. Reyes' piece is about her mother Carmen Reyes, "the favored daughter" for having the privilege of being the camarera (custodian) of La Naval.
José Victor Torres writes about the life of a walled city, "Intramuros," with the skill of a scholar, historian and literary writer. He stresses the fact that Intramuros, once a dead city and finally restored, lives on as a symbol of our history and rich heritage.
Santo Domingo Church
Romeo Galang gives a history of the Sto. Domingo Church in Intramuros; the earthquake in 1599 that destroyed its artistic woodworks; the fire sweeping the city in 1603; and the eventual rise from its ruins in a series of renovations, climaxed by another fire during the war in 1941. He writes that some relics, holdings, archives, as well as the image of the Blessed Virgin were kept safe, "testimony of the faith of the brothers."
Architectural historian Manuel L. Noche writes also about Sto. Domingo Church, but this time as relocated in Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City, imposing in its "towering proportions and scale," becoming not only a shrine of the Lady but "the spiritual home of a community."
Fr. Rolando de Castro, OP, continues the narrative/descriptive thread by writing about Museo de Sto. Domingo, and Maria Lourdes Z. Banson writes about the builder of "the biggest church in Quezon City" - her dad, architect José Ma. Zaragoza,
Father De la Rosa's "Our Lady's Rosary (People's Prayer Across the Centuries)" is a history of the Rosary devotion, said to have been given by Our Lady herself to St. Dominic.
Fr. Lucio Gutierrez, OP, gives inspired and scholarly account of the Dominican missions in the country, which were instrumental in spreading the Rosary devotion.
More scholarship and historical information fortify the piece of Fr. Fidel Villarroel, OP, as he describes the missionary zeal with which the Dominicans fulfilled their task amid persecutions in Japan and elsewhere. In Japan, the Dominicans tried to spread the faith, accompanied by a layman, Lorenzo Ruiz, whose glorious martyrdom made him the Filipino protomartyr and saint.
UST Conservatory of Music professor and musicologist Julie Ann Hallazgo writes about the hymns in the La Naval repertory, especially about the two that have survived through the turmoils of war-"Regina Sacratissmi Rosarie" by Laetano Capocci, and "Despedida" by Hernandez, beautifully described by Nick Joaquin as "evoking an atmosphere of unthinkable excitement and vague joyousness."
Meanwhile, Eugene de los Santos writes about the Tiples de Sto. Domingo, "Our Lady's Choirboys."
Canonical coronation
Unquestionably, the spectacular canonical coronation of Our Lady of the Rosary in 1907 is considered one of the most significant events of the first decade of the 20th century, so writes UST history professor Eloisa Parco de Castro.
With historical and scholarly zeal, she pursues the recording of similar events and conflicts, the tale of "Three Cardinals," the canonical coronation itself, controversies that were not to be resolved until much later, ending in the Virgin's triumph and the Dominicans' vindication.
Pampanga history interlaced with interesting stories of local celebrations of La Naval is rendered by Erlita P. Mendoza.
In his essay on National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin, "Our Lady's Minstrel," Zulueta describes Joaquin's famous essay on La Naval as "robustly Rabelaisian, gargantuan in its literary significance, at the same time essentially theological, irenic and yet polemic."
Joaquin, supreme writer of prose and poetry, immortalized the Virgin's myths through his legends about the dying wanton and the Virgin's jewels, La Naval being Nick Joaquin's muse. Ultimate gesture of homage and devotion was his offering of his National Artist medallion to Our Lady at his deathbed. The medallion now graces the foot of La Naval.
A photographic survey of memorabilia, an extensive endnotes and bibliography, and and a comprehensive index close the book-the book is, in fact, a visual, intellectual and devotional feast from start to finish.
It is, indeed, one precious compendium of history, theology, culture, lore and much more. All the essays throb with meaning, gathered with loving care and attention to present more than history, scholarly studies, Marian accounts, verbal rituals.
More importantly, it is an expression of a "people's faith and hope, indefinable but ever present, ever clear, ever there," quoting the editor. Any reader ends up not only enjoying every page, feasting on the visuals, but also going through his own uplifting spiritual pilgrimage.
"The Saga of La Naval: Triumph of a People's Faith" is available at Bestsellers in Robinsons Galeria and other bookstores. Call 7126271-74 for book orders and information on the La Naval feast this month.
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Lito Zulueta's History of Sto Domingo
