Maria Bambinella: The Immaculate Daughter of Lola Ana

In 2019, the image of the Blessed Mother under the title Immaculate Conception of Mary was episcopally-crowned by Most Rev. Romulo Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao, in Sta. Ana Shrine Parish, emphasizing the deep relationship of Saint Anne with Mary, who immaculately conceived and bore her with Saint Joachim.

Two years after, in 2022, as fate would have it, the then-parish priest of the Shrine Rev. Fr. Jose Junar dela Victoria, with Bishop Abel Apigo of Mati, late Bishop Ronald Lunas of Pagadian, and Archbishop Julius Tonel of Zamboanga, all sons of Davao, came upon an image of the baby Blessed Mother wrapped in white linen in a religious store in Rogate. Quickly, this captivated them, as the image fully embodies the picture of the Blessed Mother as a baby born of Saint Anne.

The Baby Virgin Mary, popularly known as Maria Bambinella, is a famous devotion in Italy, but was not yet known locally. Emphasizing once again the special bond between our parochial patron, Saint Anne, with the Blessed Mother, the image of Maria Bambinella arrived to the parish on July 20, 2022, and was joyfully welcomed by the parish staff and parishioners, who carried her like their own child.

Fr. Danny Montaña, Rogationist, whose founder St. Hannibal is known to have deep devotion to the Infant Mary, contributed to the understanding of the devotion to this image of Mary when he was invited to give a recollection to the parishioners on September 5 to 6, 2022.

On September 8 of the same year, Most Rev. Romulo Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao, celebrated the Pontifical Mass for the Feast of the Nativity of Mary in Sta. Ana Shrine Parish, establishing officially Maria Bambinella as one of the devotions in the parish. Since then, parishioners and pilgrims from across the Archdiocese and beyond flock the parish to see, venerate, and pray through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Maria Bambinella. To this day, the devotion is growing, and awareness of the image is slowly developing in Davao through various activities such as the Sta Ana Shrine Parish Youth Marian Fest, Marian Procession, and of course the celebration of the Feast Day Mass.

Viva Maria Bambinella!

(By Noel Anrada)