Century-old Our Lady of Guibang image restored in Pampanga

MANILA, Philippines — The more than 100-year-old image of Our Lady of the Visitation of Guibang, revered at her national shrine in Gamu, Isabela, and one of Northern Luzon’s most venerated images of the Blessed Mother, has been restored to her original beauty.

The restoration was completed in June, two weeks before the start of the novena Masses leading to her July 2 feast, which drew thousands of pilgrims from across Isabela and neighboring provinces.

Carried out through the Rev. Fr. Edmundo Castañeda, administrator of the Diocese of Ilagan, with the assistance of the Rev. Fr. Ian Kenneth Mamauag, rector of the Our Lady of the Visitation Seminary, the restoration brought renewed strength to a devotion that started in 1905.

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It was in that year that a young man discovered the image along the riverbank of Barrio Guibang. He brought the image to the home of Francisco and Maria Noble, who initially hesitated to receive it because of their poverty.

Eventually, they welcomed the image and prayed. One evening, the couple smelled a “mysterious sweet fragrance,” which they said came from the image, believed to have resisted leaving the village.

On one occasion, the couple wanted to bring the image with them on a trip, but it became too heavy to lift. When the young man who discovered the image returned, he was able to carry it alone and brought the image from house to house.

More than 100 years later, on June 8, 2026, the image was brought to Pampanga for restoration, which lasted three days, in keeping with the request of the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Visitation of Guibang.

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The Kapampangan encarnador restored the image based on old photographs and the remaining traces of original paint visible on the image to preserve its historic character, especially since it was crowned by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, the Most Rev. Carmine Rocco, in 1974.

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The image was received a few days later and was presented to devotees on June 23 through an enthronement rite that marked the opening of this year’s novena Masses and the start of the annual July 2 festivities.

The image also graced the procession on July 1 that preceded the first Fiesta Mass. /dm

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