MANAOAG, Pangasinan – For Salvacion Peralta, devotion to the Blessed Mother has been a constant companion from his childhood in the city of San Carlos in the Philippines to his new life thousands of miles away in San Diego, California.
A native of Pangasinan, Peralta grew up with a deep love for Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag, whom devotees affectionately call “Apo Baket,” a local term that literally means “old woman” but expresses deep reverence for the Blessed Mother as a venerable matriarch.
After marrying her husband, a soldier in the United States Navy, Peralta moved to California, where she began raising her family. Despite the distance from his homeland, Peralta said that his Marian devotion remained the center of his life, especially during moments of suffering.
Her faith is tested when doctors diagnose a malignant tumor in her thyroid. During that difficult period, she began to pray constantly in front of the replica of Our Lady of Manaoag’s Most Holy Rosary installed in her parish church in San Diego.
Peralta recalled, “There was not a single day that I did not pray to Our Lady of Manaoag and to Our Lord Jesus, who is truly our healer.”
After undergoing a series of medical tests, he said his physicians were surprised when a subsequent biopsy showed no trace of cancer.
According to Peralta, he initially kept both his diagnosis and treatment private. But his story finally came to light when a fellow Filipino-American parishioner approached him a day after Mass and said he had dreamed of the Blessed Mother inviting him to visit her shrine in Manaoag.
The parishioner shared that he had purchased an air ticket to the Philippines for the trip. Peralta, who had quietly arranged a visit with her husband to thank her for his treatment, was stunned by the unexpected confirmation.
News of her recovery quickly spread throughout the close-knit Filipino Catholic community in San Diego, and she soon found herself sharing her testimony with fellow Marian devotees.
On April 22, Peralta and her husband will be among millions of pilgrims in Pangasinan to mark the centennial of the canonical coronation of the image of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag enshrined in the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag.
A canonical coronation is a formal act of the Pope usually expressed through a papal decree or bull that grants the pontifical right to “crown” a specific, highly venerated image of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary or Saint Joseph.
Salvacion Peralta and her husband, Julio, in front of the sanctuary of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Manaoag in Pangasinan, Philippines. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Salvacion Peralta
A devotion rooted in centuries of faith
Devotion to the Lady of Manaoag originates from an alleged incident in 1605 when a peasant saw the Blessed Mother holding the Child Jesus atop a tree located on the current site of the basilica.
According to a long-standing tradition, the farmer heard a voice calling him by name. Following the sound, he saw a luminous cloud resting on a leafy tree. From there, the Blessed Mother identified herself as the Lady of the Rosary and asked that a shrine be built at that location so that devotees could come to seek her maternal protection.
Word of this apparition quickly spread to neighboring communities, attracting pilgrims to the site. Over time, the area came to be known as “Manaoag”, a term derived from the local expression “dimad virgen or manataoag”, meaning “the place where the Virgin calls.”
Missionary activity in the region was first initiated by the Augustinian missionaries who accompanied the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan. Later, the administration of the mission was entrusted to the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), whose members eventually built the church dedicated to the Blessed Mother.
The centuries-old ivory image of the Virgin Mary housed in the basilica has since become one of the most beloved Marian images in the Philippines. Devotees widely attribute countless accolades of healing, protection, and answered prayers to her powerful intercession.
The image was crowned in April 1926 by Archbishop Guglielmo Piani, then Apostolic Delegate of Pope Pius XI to the Philippines, in recognition of the deep and abiding devotion of the faithful.
Procession in honor of Our Lady of Manaoag at St. Mary Parish, National City, California, by devotees of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag-San Diego after May 24, 2025. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Salvacion Peralta
centenary celebration of faith
The centennial celebration is a historic milestone for Filipino Catholics and Marian devotees worldwide.
Father Felix Legaspi III, O.P., basilica rector, said in a statement that the celebration commemorates a century of faith and grace experienced by pilgrims who continue to offer their lives to the Blessed Mother.
“This historic celebration marks 100 years of faith, devotion and grace for the countless pilgrims and devotees who come to the shrine of the Blessed Mother and ask for her unwavering help and intercession,” he said.
A series of Novena Masses are being held in preparation for the commemorative liturgy on 22 April, marking the centenary of the 1926 canonical coronation.
The Holy Pontifical Mass will be presided over by Archbishop Charles John Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, and concelebrated by Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas. Cardinal Jose Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, will be the preacher. National and local dignitaries are also expected to attend the celebration.
A devotion shared across the oceans
Devotion to the Lady of Manaoag is thriving not only in the Philippines but also among Filipino communities abroad.
Peralta is one of several Filipino-American devotees who helped establish the Congregation dedicated to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag in the Americas, which also includes the Devotees of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag-San Diego.
The group gathers each year in May in San Diego’s San Rafael Parish, as well as during October, the month traditionally dedicated to the Holy Rosary, to celebrate the feast of the Blessed Mother.
This year, many Filipino-American pilgrims have traveled to Manaoag to join people in the Philippines and around the world to honor “the woman who calls.”
For Peralta, returning to the temple is more than a pilgrimage – it is an act of gratitude.
Her story, like countless others, reflects a faith based on faith and sustained by prayer – a devotion that continues to draw generations of believers to the shrine where, according to tradition, the Virgin Mary once called her people to come.
