An event as historic and majestic as a coronation day requires garments fit only for a queen. And Our Lady of Aranzazu, our Patroness and Queen, deserves no less on her Canonical Coronation.
Aranzazu’s Vestment and Cape
On her coronation day, the image of Our Lady of Aranzazu stood out, shining in an old rose and blue garment, tailored by Bordados de Manila under Arnold Reyes.
The image wore a cape, which bears 5 logos: the Augustinian logo (bearers of Christianity in San Mateo), the Jesuit logo (bearers of the devotion to Our Lady of Aranzazu in San Mateo), the Dominican logo (in reference to the Devotion to Our Lady of Aranzazu in Colegio de San Juan de Letran), the Franciscan logo (caretakers of the original shrine in Oñate, Spain) and the Papal logo, which symbolizes that this event is a Pontifical Coronation.
Brooches and scepter
Aranzazu glowed even more with her accessories. She’s wearing three brooches, each signifying Our Lady of Aranzazu as Mother, Queen, and Patroness of San Mateo, Rizal.
Aranzazu glowed even more with her accessories. She’s wearing three brooches, each signifying Our Lady of Aranzazu as Mother, Queen, and Patroness of San Mateo, Rizal.
Our Lady of Aranzazu as Mother
The first brooch shows a stylized logo coming from the flag of San Mateo. The branch with 15 leaves, signifying the 15 barangays, is intertwined with the Sun.
Our Lady of Aranzazu as Queen
The second brooch, which bears the motif present in the canonical crowns, shares its meaning with them.
Our Lady of Aranzazu as Patroness
The third brooch bears the seal of the Parish which signifies the Devotion of the people to Aranzazu over the centuries.
Aranzazu’s scepter is a symbol of power which shows that regardless of a person’s position in the government, they are still under the protection of Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth.
What would be the celebration for without the crown? The crowns of Aranzazu and the child Jesus are made by Joyas by Tecnica Bordados Artesanales under Rouel Dionisio and Noli Manalang. Both crowns have the same design in which it is a combination of vermeil silver and gold.
The crown of Mary is designed with a flower in the middle, a representation of the flower on the tree in Oñate, Spain, where Mary appeared in front of Rodrigo. The flower in the middle is surrounded by three more flowers, symbolizing the celebration of Our Lady of Aranzazu’s 300 years. The three flowers also signify our May flower devotion to Mary.
Combining the three arches represents Mary’s relationship with the three personas in the Holy Trinity: the child of the Father, Mother of the Child and the spouse of the Holy Spirit. We can also see in the crown the four carvings of the images of St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and the patron of the entire Catholic Church.
The image of St. Matthew, the first patron of our town before Aranzazu, can also be seen in the crown. It signifies the unity of San Mateo in their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
St. Ana and St. Joaquin are also in the carvings. The two saints are the parents of Mary, symbolizing the old devotion of the people to Aranzazu.
