The ecumenical Trinity of Shrines - marking the major calamities of the Philippines

Unknown to many Filipinos, three major disasters that occurred in the Philippines between 1985 to 1991 were accompanied by the establishments of three sanctuaries all linked to each other.

This Trinity of Shrines is located in Cadiz, Negros Occidental; O.B. Montessori Center in Greenhills, San Juan; and Palan, San Marcelino, Zambales, 13 kilometers away from Mt. Pinatubo.

Hunger in Negros

In the ’80s, when sugar prices dropped down suddenly in the world market, Negros Occidental became so impoverished that the people went hungry. To make things worse, insurgency escalated together with the tyranny of warlords. This was made prominent with the massacre of farmers in Escalante.

Through mystic-artist planter Punay Kabayao-Fernandez, the Blessed Mother and her Son Jesus requested that their statues, together with that of St. Francis of Assisi (whom Italians endearingly call “il poverello” – the beloved poor monk), be done to make up a special shrine in the family ancestral land of Faraon in Cadiz.

Together with psychic sculptor Pempe Floriano (who did the smiling statue of Ninoy after his 1983 assassination), Punay received detailed instructions to make it ecumenical. The Blessed Mother would look like a 25-year-old Jewish woman with no crown or rosary. A very handsome smiling Lord Jesus Christ, robed in white and holding up His hands in blessing, would stand close to her. Pilgrims and farmers around recount the miracles and manifestations of this shrine (now at the nearby Hacienda Tamsi) up to this day. I helped coordinate work on those three statues in Pempe’s studio in Caloocan when Punay would leave for Negros.

EDSA revolution

The following year, in February 1986, the EDSA Revolution took place. The O.B. Montessori school building, located a block away from EDSA in front of Virra Mall (now called V-Mall) in Annapolis, Greenhills was newly built. Before we could transfer from our old school in Sta. Ana during the summer break in April and May, Our Lord and Blessed Mother again directed Punay to request me if I would be willing to have a grotto shrine with Our Lord of Sacrifice and the World Mother. I readily set aside the budget for this and allowed Pempe to reside in the school to rush the project. Additional requests were the giant Angel with the Pointing Hand to stand on top of the grotto to represent the message “Be perfect like your Heavenly Father” and the smiling statue of Dr. Jose Rizal with two grade school students.

Punay and Pempe had just finished then three mystical wooden statues for the school’s prayer room also requested by the Holy Ones to help resolve the Gulf War that was going on in the Middle East. Our Lord of Wisdom and Compassion smiles and raises His right hand in blessing while He descends a few steps floating in the clouds. Instead of wearing the crown, He requested it placed on the wall right beside Him together with the chalice. Our Lady of Hope and Liberty, smiles with her arms outstretched in blessing. She holds a red lotus flower in her right hand while a loose amethyst crystal rosary is dangling down. They both project humility and ecumenism. Last is four-year-old Santo Niño Bonito, wearing a Montessori preschool uniform seated on a gold chair wearing a golden crown with a visor and holding a small globe. Both Blessed Mother and Child Jesus wear the Star of David pendant.

Amidst Mt. Pinatubo volcanic eruption, an easter gift to the nation

This coming Easter Sunday marks the 19th anniversary of the Hidden Temple Shrine of Mt. Pinatubo in Palan. On Easter Sunday of 1992, a thanksgiving ceremony to God for His coming to our land with His Mother was held. Eight O.B. Montessori student ballerinas performed the dance of the Brotherhood of Angels and Men. To Mayor Gordon “it was the combined effort of men and angels,” which has helped us survive the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. We sought God’s help to enable us to put together the former US Naval Base of Subic and Cubi Point so that the 40,000 skilled workers who were laid off can be re-employed.”

Four hundred pilgrims gathered around the 60-foot high hill shrine. The shrine shows Our Lord of Love and Redemption which is 13 feet high and a nine-foot tall Praying Blessed Mother whose eyes are closed in deep prayer while her dimpled face with a cleft chin beams a happy smile to all. Her son, Our Lord Jesus, stands a meter away behind her. These two massive holy figures in thick 14k gold capes blowing in the wind seemed to have resurrected in the middle of a lifeless, white lahar-filled desert. Truly, they are an Easter gift to the nation.

One mystic-clairvoyant from Pasig, Lori Petales foretold Pempe Floriano, who had just finished first the statue of the Praying Blessed Mother and never told others of the plan to add Jesus’ statue, “Pempe gagawin mo ang Kristong Hari” (Pempe, you’ll be making the statue of Christ the King next). Lori who had not yet seen the Shrine, then remarked, “Ito ang magiging altar ng bayan” (This will be the altar of the nation).

Two months later in Sta. Barbara, California the Praying Blessed Mother of Mt. Pinatubo spoke these words to me through the mystic Elizabeth Huffer: “It is with much pleasure that we come to you on your land. For it is not only a sanctuary in the visible, but a magnificent sanctuary in the spiritual. It covers much, much ground than what shows in the physical... You see, dear one, you are setting not only what is right in the eyes, and heart and mind of God. You are setting the stage for future civilizations. It is a mighty task to where your conscious mind cannot really conceive, but it will flower. Many, many thousands of flowers will grow from there before this earth, this world is done.”

How the Hidden Temple Shrine of Mt. Pinatubo started

The monuments of the Hidden Temple Shrine of Mt. Pinatubo were sculpted at the OB Montessori Center of Greenhills by Pempe Floriano, guided by the mystic Punay Kabayao Fernandez.

The Praying Blessed Mother and Our Lord of Love and Redemption, were transported to Palan, in San Marcelino, Zambales (just 20 minutes away from Subic) by a ten-wheeler trailer, then lifted to its hilltop site with the aid of a giant 35-ton crane, payloader and welder “borrowed” from the US Navy, courtesy of the Subic Base overall commander, Admiral Tom Mercer and Capt. John Lehman. This gesture was a “parting gift” of the Americans. The group of Rep. Kate Gordon, mystic Punay Fernandez and I, checked the site before the statue of the Blessed Mother appeared over the Palan sky. Her arms were raised high.

Our Lord of Love and Redemption is 13-feet high and weighs six tons. His smiling and dimpled face is framed by golden yellow hair. His eyes are purple blue. His lavender robe and golden cape are in big folds and widely blowing in the wind. The Star of David covers the knot of the sash tied around the waist. His right hand is raised in a blessing, while his left hand is raised higher holding a golden cross.

Our Lord of Love and Redemption was brought to the Palan Shrine to join His Mother on March 20 1992. His title, which our Lord mystically dedicated to Ms. Fernandez, echoes the papal encyclical letter of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, “Redemptor Hominis”, the Mystery of Redemption and the Dignity of Man.

The cross symbolizes the Son of the living God. The Church never ceases to relive his death on the Cross and His Resurrection, which constitutes the content of the Church’s daily mass.

Visionary from Pasig confirms the existence of the shrine

Right after the Easter Sunday thanksgiving ceremonies in the Mt. Pinatubo Hidden Temple Shrine in Palan, 40 pilgrims from Pasig and Rizal were mystically guided to the shrine at 3 p.m. They were led by Lori Petales, mentioned earlier, who is a mystic clairvoyant and healer. Unaware that we were having a large Easter Sunday ceremony at the shrine, she received a message on Good Friday from Our Blessed Mother. Lori was told to leave Manila at 3 a.m., Easter Sunday with her 15 assistants and friends. In Tagalog, Our Blessed Mother explained: “Kung gusto mong makita ang tunay kong anyo, inaanyayahan ko kayo sa Mt. Pinatubo. Mapalad ang naniniwala sa akin, ang sumusunod, lalong-lalo na ang naniniwala sa akin kahit hindi ako nakikita” (If you want to see how I look, I am inviting you this Sunday to Mt. Pinatubo. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me). (To be continued)