Feast Day of Our Lady Of Solitude Of Porta Vaga 2015

One of the most anticipated events in Cavite City is the Feast day of Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga. Our Lady of Porta Vaga is not just the patroness of Cavite City but of all the provinces in Cavite. It is a two-weeks celebration starting from the second and third Sundays of November. The Second Sunday or the Primera Fiesta De La Virgen is the grandest of them all. The icon is enshrined at San Roque Church in Cavite City. The devotion to Our Lady of Porta Vaga is one of the famous Marian devotions in the Philippines. They said that the icon was used to bless departing trade galleons plying the route between Cavite and Acapulco, Mexico, earning her the title “Patroness of the Galleons”, while stories of its miraculous powers thus earned it the title, “The Virgin of Thousand Miracles”. Prior to the Feast day, several activities and events are being held THE MOTORCADE The motorcade was held two days before the Fiesta. The parade of vehicles started from El Palacio hotel in Noveleta and passed through different streets in Cavite. Many locals from different church organization and devotees participated in this event. The Blessed Virgin Mary is depicted as garbed in black and white, kneeling as she contemplates the instruments of her Son’s Passion. Before her are the crown of thorns and the nails. The icon is painted on a canvas framed in carved wood. The painting itself is set in gold and silver accouterments with precious gems that are ex votos from her devotees. The image is also ensconced in a silver frame. The icon was carried by a float adorned with flowers. THE CARACOL  A Day before the much awaited Fiesta, a series of Caracol are being held all through out the city of Cavite. Caracol or Karakol is a traditional devotional-circumambulatory-dancing procession in honor of the patroness accompanied by a joyful music in the waltz rhythm played by a brass band.
n The City of Cavite, the Caracol is both done in the Sea and on Land. The Caracol Del Mar is where the icon is being taken on a boat that will sail towards the bay of Canacao where the apparition took place. The Caracol on land is done in the morning around 8am and in the afternoon around 2pm after a concelebrated mass.The original icon was carried on a fully decorated andas. The devotees will joyfully dance while carrying the andas on their shoulders.
The Caracol will pass through certain streets of Cavite City and will pass by two other churches including the Saint Peter Apostle and the San Antonio De Padua Church.Aside from the local devotees, people outside Cavite City also participated on this event including some devotees from Tondo Manila and more.
The procession ends in San Roque Parish church. Here’s the devotees waiting for the Icon’s arrival. The crowd was really overwhelming. They are so eager to either touch the image or to get at least any flowers from her Andas as they believe that these could bring them blessings from the miraculous image. Here’s a video showing the huge crowd and how they warmly welcome Our Lady of Porta Vaga on her arrival in San Roque Parish. The andas was carried inside the church so the image can be returned to the altar. It was not that easy though because the overwhelming crowds are very eager to touch the image.
The crowd welcoming the image inside the church.
Here’s another video showing the huge crowd inside the church. The crowd was just unstoppable.

THE FIRST PROCESSION
The first procession for the Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga was held the first night of the Fiesta. They also use the original image for the procession.
The fully decorated carozza of the Our Lady of Porta Vaga.

Check Out other Notable festivities in Cavite City 

Nuestra Señora Dela Soledad De Porta Vaga in GMP2014 │Feast Day of Our Lady of Porta Vaga 2014 │Feast of Black Nazarene Cavite │Live Via Crucis 2015 │Regada Water Festival 2015│Halloween Cavite City 2015