FEAST OF OUR LADY OF CANDLES
February 2 - Jara, Iloilo City
The biggest and most opulent religiuos pageanty in Western Visayas. The blessing of candles and the yearly procession of the patroness, the Nuestra Senora de Candelaria is followed by the fiesta queen and her court which highlights the celebration.
The highlight of the fiesta is a grand parade lead by the young women of the elite Jaro families and followed by the blessed Mother Mary in her several personas. This year 2009, the Jaro Fiesta Queen is Angelica Chan, youngest daughter of songwriter/businessman, Jose Mari Chan and Mary Ann Ansaldo.
The Jaro Fiesta is also known for its multi-million Cock Derby, which attracts cock fighting enthusiasts from all over the country.
The Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Candles
The enshrined image of Our Lady in Jaroís Cathedral is said to be miraculous. People believe that the image grew from almost a feet tall to now more than six feet and growing. To where it was originally framed, one could compare how much the image had grown.
Legend has it that a long time ago, a fisherman discovered the image in the banks of Iloilo river in 1587. It was very heavy amidst of its size which was almost a foot high. Many people attempted to lift it but was unable to. Only until the people agreed to bring the statue to Jaro church, which eventually became the home of the Lady did a single person managed to carry it.
The statue was placed in front of the Cathedral letting her see the entire town.
This convinced the townsfolks that the Lady has miraculous powers as strange incidents in the surrounding of the image. In the old days, people say, the image suddenly dissapear early in the morning and mist would miraculously fill the pediment of the Cathedral. During this time, a beautiful lady with long hair would be seen with a child in her arms buying for oil for lamp and in the plaza where she would bathe her child at the artesian well.
Soon, townsfolk started to bathe in the same well and believed to have cured from their ailments.
The Lady of the Candles is the only female image to have displayed along the walls of the cathedral.
