A Gem in an Island.

Chants of "Viva La Virgen de la Penafrancia" rang within the confines of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 as the Image of the Our Lady of Penafrancia emerged within sight of hundreds of faithful lined up outside the glassed gate.

The rhythmic chant continued as INA (Mother) was carried through the crowd into the parking lot where a specially-prepared SUV decorated with a wooden mount and floral bouquet waited for Her arrival.

Crowd at NAIA Terminal 3 greets INA.
ABOVE -Fr. Vic Flores, parish priest of San Andres Apostol shown carrying INA

The priest clutching INA and his entourage waved through the early afternoon crowd and didn't mind the various stops as people went near and touched the statue of the Our Lady of Penafrancia.

INA, as the Virgin of Penafrancia is lovingly called visited the San Andres Apostol Parish in Cainta last May 25, and was returned to her Basilica on Monday, May 27.

"Our Lady of Penafrancia (Spanish: Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia, and in Spain as Nuestra Señora de la Peña de Francia or Virgen de la Peña de Francia) is a wooden statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary copied from the one in Peña de Francia (Salamanca, Spain).

Tens of thousands of pilgrims, devotees and tourists come to Naga City, also known as the Pilgrim City and the Queen City of the Bicol region in the Philippines, every September for a nine day novena and festivities in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, the Principal Patroness and Queen of Bicol, endearingly addressed by Bicolanos as Ina (mother). The shrines in Naga, gathering more than two million devotees every year, is also one of the biggest Marian Pilgrimage Sites in Asia."

INA is the gem of Catholic Bicolandia. Revered as miraculous and a healer.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Penafrancia in Naga City, Bicol
Photo by Gener.

An astonishing island in the Caramoan Peninsula in the Bicol Province, home of Our Lady of  Penafrancia
Photo by Gener.

* Certain photos taken from the San Andres Apostol Parish facebook account.