Reviving the Walled City: The Establishment of the Grand Marian Procession in Post-War Intramuros

By Rio Rose Pamela H. Nival, Lee Joshua S. Sia, and Steven G. Villaspin

Note: This is a paper produced under the Internship Program of the IA Center for Intramuros Studies.

Abstract

After the events of the Second World War, Intramuros was dead. It sat in rubble and ruin with barely an engagement from the people outside its walls. The Intramuros Administration became the primary body that leads the restoration of the Walled City. While the restoration is ongoing, they also saw the need to revive the life inside it. One of their most successful attempts is launching the procession for the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Grand Marian Procession is a beautiful spectacle of hundreds of Marian images from all over the country in honor of the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception. Since its first launch to the public in 1980, the participation of people increases annually. It became one of the most successful and longest-running events of Intramuros. The paper aims to give a comprehensive history of the Grand Marian Procession by reconstructing the historical events that preceded its establishment and identify the factors that led to its establishment. Since 1980, the celebration of the Grand Marian Procession has been an uninterrupted event inside Intramuros. Its growing number of participations from both devotees and non-devotees directly impacts the revival and development of Intramuros. The study highlights the contribution of the Grand Marian Procession in reviving the devotional life inside Intramuros. It also examines the role of the event in ramming up the interest of people that then resulted in the development of the Walled City.

Keywords: Intramuros, Intramuros Grand Marian Procession, Cofradia de Inmaculada Concepcion, Intramuros Administration, Development, Revival

To get a copy of the paper email [email protected]

About the Interns

This research paper was completed in September 2021 under the internship of By Rio Rose Pamela H. Nival, Lee Joshua S. Sia, and Steven G. Villaspin

Rio Rose Pamela Nival is a third-year student of Bachelor of Arts in History at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Her topics of interest include the Pre-Colonial Philippines and the History of Philippine Theater. She also has a growing interest in Heritage Laws and Museum work.

Testimonial: “Being a part of the Intramuros Administration’s internship program was both an honor and an enlightening experience as a third-year college student. Although I have to admit that before our internship, I had very little knowledge about Intramuros Administration. However, with the supervision of Mr. Arcilla, he was able to teach us about the duties of the Intramuros Administration while guiding us throughout our research papers. In my time as an intern at Intramuros Administration, I was able to experience new things and be involved with activities that I have never participated in before. A personal favorite was the Town Hall Meeting on September 6, 2021, aside from learning the plans and actions of IA to further improve their management of Intramuros I also get to hear how the Walled City is perceived by different people from different backgrounds. As a researcher, I get to experience things that we do not usually do at school like interviewing research participants. Interviews are both insightful and nerve- wracking, however, it is fulfilling to conduct something that we don’t normally do during our research at school. Finally, I am grateful to my research group with whom I have spent this whole internship and our supervisor who guided us along the way.”

Lee Joshua S. Sia is an undergraduate student in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Manila’s BA History department. His academic writing interests include culinary history, cultural history, archeology, and Latin American history. Lee was the former Vice President of Finance for the Department of History’s official organization, Samahan ng Mag-aaral ng Kasaysayan.

Testimonial: “It has been a pleasure for me to be a part of the Intramuros Administration, even if only for a short time. Internships are held online owing to the pandemic that the world is now experiencing. Despite the fact that the meeting was held online, Mr. John Arcilla was able to provide me with assistance and mentorship in carrying out my tasks as an intern at this institution. I was able to pick up abilities that I can apply in the workplace. I am now able to declare and use what I have learned in my new opportunity after performing research and developing my communicational abilities through interviews. It is a privilege for me to do my internship in Intramuros Administration under the guidance of Mr. Arcilla.”

Steven G. Villaspin is a BA History undergraduate at the Polytechnic university of the Philippines – Manila. His research interests include Pre-16th Century Philippines, Architectural History, Urban History, and Heritage Conservation. For the past three years, Steven is an active member of the PUP Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Kasaysayan as a Year Level Representative. In his free time, Steven likes walking around the streets of Manila, which formed his interest in heritage and architecture. Aside from this, he is also an Altar Server at Sto. Domingo Church, Quezon City.

Testimonial: “Being an intern in the Intramuros Administration is a dream fulfilled for me. Although everything was held online, it was something that I wanted, to be an intern in the old city with a rich history. The internship is a worthwhile learning experience, especially in terms of mentorship. Through the guidance of Mr. Arcilla, I was able to learn something new about the Intramuros. Aside from this, I was also able to maximize my professional skills in academic research and communication skills. It was indeed an opportunity worth taking.”

Internship Mentor: Rancho Arcilla, M.A.

Learn more about the Internship Program of the Center for Intramuros Studies

Interested in applying for an internship at the IA Center for Intramuros Studies? Email us your CV with cover letter via [email protected]. Address your letter to Rancho Arcilla, Coordinator, Center for Intramuros Studies, Intramuros Administration. For more information on our Internship Program go here.

Note: The opinions expressed by our interns in their papers and presentations during their internships with us do not necessarily reflect any statement, stand, or position of the Intramuros Administration or of any of its personnel. Moreover, inclusion of research papers or project proposals in the online database of the Center for Intramuros Studies or the website of the Intramuros Administration do not necessarily constitute as an endorsement.

For more information contact the Center for Intramuros Studies via [email protected]
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