Chinese mark feast of Ma-Tzu sea goddess

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union — Close to a thousand Chinese devotees from various parts of Luzon trooped to the Ma-Tzu Temple here for the annual celebration of the miraculous Virgin of Caysasay, a Chinese deity of the Sung Dynasty.

Victor Dy, officer of the Virgin of Caysasay Foundation, told The STAR that the celebration started on Friday with a pilgrimage of devotees carrying the six inches image of the Virgin which most Chinese believe is the reincarnation of their "sea goddess" — Ma-Tzu (Ma-Cho).

"Chinese communities worship and honor the Virgin of Caysasay because we believe she is the miraculous patron that provides us good luck," he said. 

Pilgrims started traveling at dawn Friday coming from this city to Taal, Batangas for a Mass at the Basilica of St. Martin where the Virgin was enshrined. They returned to the temple here on the same day for various activities where they conducted a "dragon parade" and procession around the city proper.

Dy said the celebration will end today after a series of cultural shows and offerings at the temple. The temple is a structure of mixed Christian and Taoist nestled atop a hill overlooking the sea and was built in 1976 in honor of Ma-Tzu.

Historical notes reveal that the Virgin was first seen by a fisherman in 1603 at the Pansipit River in Bgy. Caysasay, Taal, Batangas. The village is a sanctuary of "casay-casay" birds or kingfisher. Spaniards called them "caysasay."

Spanish prelates and authorities learned of the discovery of the image and immediately proceeded to the house of the fisherman. Upon seeing the Virgin’s image, the visitors made a vow and venerated her.

Since then, the image was enshrined inside the church in Taal where they honor her with Masses.

The creed of the Virgin, called by the Catholic Church as "Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception," was recognized by the Pope of the Catholic hierarchy in 1854.