Theotokos, Perrelos, Carcar, Cebu, PhilippinesInspired by the visit of the Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima in 1989, Fr. John Rona obtained permission from Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu Island, to build a shrine to host the Perpetual Dawn Rosary, a Philippine devotion in which people gather before dawn to begin their day with prayer to Our Lady. He was unable to find an appropriate site, though, until several people dreamed it should be located on Perrelos Hill near the city of Carcar. Soon the property went up for sale at a very low price. The shrine complex, nestled between mountains and sea, includes a large pavilion with a stylized Virgin of the Sign icon, and a 20' white statue of Our Lady of Fatima. On Sept 9, 1992, when Cardinal Vidal blessed the statue under the title of Theotokos (Mother of God), many people witnessed the "miracle of the sun" dancing across the sky, spinning, and changing colors. This recurred for five months, attracting many vistors. (Information from Mary Anne D. Tolentino, maanspilgrimsite.blogspot.com/2006/02/theotokos-shrine-carcar-cebu.html/; photo from archipelagotours.org/carcar.html.) |
 |