During the Japanese occupation, the image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage was brought down from Antipolo to Quiapo Church in Manila where it was kept. After the war, the image was brought back to its permanent shrine in Antipolo. In 1978, a group of devotees retraced the route, bringing the image from the Antipolo Cathedral to Quiapo Church by motorcade. Then, after the 7 p.m. Mass, the image was brought back in a procession joined by other devotees along the way all the way to Antipolo, arriving there before dawn at 3 a.m. Thus, a tradition was born. Twice a year, on Holy Thursday and on April 30, the eve of the traditional Maytime festival, pilgrims from Manila trek up the 14-kilometer road leading to Antipolo. This penitential walk came to be known as "Ang Banal na Paglalakbay" (The Holy Journey).
The late Jaime Cardinal Sin was so inspired by this devotion to Our Lady that he envisioned building a network of 20 shrines to be called The Way of Mary, featuring the 20 mysteries of the Holy Rosary, along the pilgrims’ route, from the EDSA Shrine in Ortigas, along Sumulong Highway, and on to the Antipolo Cathedral. In 2005, the Shrine of the Annunciation, the First Joyful Mystery, was blessed by Cardinal Sin at the Edsa Shrine, one of the last functions he attended. A week before the Cardinal’s death, Bishop Gabriel Reyes of Antipolo blessed the Fifth Glorious Mystery, The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the Antipolo Cathedral. A year later, on April 30, 2006, four more shrines were blessed, featuring the second, third, fourth, and fifth joyful mysteries – The Visitation, The Birth of our Lord, The Presentation, and the Finding in the Temple. The shrines are located along Ortigas Ave.: at the corner of Meralco Ave.; at Frontera Verde; at the corner of Pasig Blvd. Ext.; and at the corner of De Castro Ave.
The mysteries are rendered in bas relief by renowned Angono artist Nemi Miranda using steel and concrete and measuring four-feet wide by six-feet high and six-inches thick. "The mysteries are color-coded," Nemi explains. "The Joyful Mysteries are in blue tone; the Luminous Mysteries, a pinkish red; the Sorrowful Mysteries, gray; and the Glorious Mysteries, violet. They were designed to be lighted at night for a dramatic effect." The bas reliefs are mounted on six-foot pedestals designed by architect Joey Amistoso, who is known for his liturgical art, including the newly-built majesty altar retablo of the Antipolo Cathedral. Nemi Miranda did the retablo painting that serves as backdrop at the Antipolo Cathedral, as well as the main mural at the Edsa Shrine.
The Way of Mary traverses one of the busiest and much traveled thoroughfares in the metropolis, which is just as well. "The Cardinal wanted to bring Mama Mary close to the people," says Louie Reyes, a trustee of the Board that’s overseeing the completion of the project. The construction of the first five shrines, the Joyful Mysteries, was made possible through the generosity of people, including Ricardo Pascua and the Ortigas family. But the rest of the shrines still need funding. Each shrine costs from P300,000 to P400,000 depending on its location. All the shrines are positioned on the right side of the highway going to Antipolo.
Individuals or organizations may send their donations and contributions to The Secretariat, Institute for Solidarity in Asia, 24/F Yuchengco Tower One, RCBC Plaza, 6819 Ayala Ave., Makati City. Contributions can also be made by sending a text message to 2600. The Text Mary Community program allows the faithful the chance to use religious services, like novenas, Masses, rosaries, church alerts and other prayers through the short messaging system (SMS) of their mobile phones. For example, for novena prayers, text "NOVENA" and send to 2600.
"The shrines will remind the passersby of the presence of Mama Mary," says Fr. De Guzman. "They can pray one Hail Mary, or make the sign of the cross, or even just one glance is enough."
It must be by some divine design that the Edsa Shrine is dedicated to Our Lady of Peace, and the Antipolo Cathedral is the permanent shrine of the image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.
"Peace is what our country needs most during this time of turbulence," Fr. De Guzman says.
And so we pray: "Mama Mary, please bring peace to our land."