Devotees walk to see miraculous Lolo Uweng in Laguna

For many Muntinlupa residents, the Holy Week meant a walking pilgrimage on Holy Thursday to the Diocesan Shrine of Jesus in the Holy Sepulchre in Barangay Landayan, San Pedro, Laguna.

The devotees, who also came from other areas, went to the shrine to see Lolo Uweng or the “miraculous image of Jesus in the Holy Sepulchre.”

The history of Lolo Uweng started when “the image of a dead Jesus was found by local fishermen on the shore of Landayan, San Pedro, Laguna,” according to the Lolo Uweng Shrine website.

Lolo Uweng or the “miraculous image of Jesus in the Holy Sepulchre” at the Diocesan Shrine of Jesus in the Holy Sepulchre in Barangay Landayan, San Pedro, Laguna (Photos from Lolo Uweng Shrine on Facebook)

Thousands of devotees outside the Diocesan Shrine of Jesus in the Holy Sepulchre in Barangay Landayan, San Pedro, Laguna (Photo from Lolo Uweng Shrine on Facebook)

“On the belief that the image is miraculous, they brought it up from the lake water, and placed it in a camarin inside a visita for veneration. This incident gave way to the devotion to Jesus in Holy Sepulchre, accompanied by miracle stories attributed to the image that were authenticated by local parishioners and devotees from neighboring provinces,” according to the marker at the entrance of the shrine.

Based on the book “Bagong Bisyon, Bagong Misyon – Pambansang Dambana ni Lolo Uweng,” the shrine stated that “there was no written document on the exact date of the discovery of the image. But a Spanish period bronze bell presently in the custody and care of the Parish reveals the most probable period of that discovery event. This artifact is now known as the Sto. Sepulcro Bell or Kampana ng Sto. Sepulcro.”

Every Holy Thursday, the National Road from Muntinlupa is filled with thousands of devotees on their way to the shrine.

One of these devotees is Fe Emocling, a Muntinlupa resident, who has been going to Landayan to see Lolo Uweng for 24 years.

“2001 pa ako nag-umpisa maglakad taon-taon na kada holy week 24 years na. Panata na para sa pamilya ko at para na rin sa sarili ko (I started walking every year in 2001, every Holy Week for 24 years. It’s a vow for my family and for myself),” Emocling told the Manila Bulletin.

Fe Emocling’s family in the shrine (Photo from Fe Emocling)

Emocling said she feels happy walking from Muntinlupa to the shrine.

“Masaya at pakiramdam ko lahat ng pinagdasal ko nadinig ng Diyos at sakripisyo para sa mga kasalanan ko na pinatawad ng Diyos (I’m happy and feel like everything I prayed for was heard by God and my sacrifice for my sins was forgiven by God),” she said.

She said even if it’s not Holy Week, she goes to Lolo Uweng as part of her devotion.

“Kahit hindi Holy Week every Friday napunta ako dahil sa dami ng pinagdadasal ko sa dambana ni Lolo Uweng halos lahat natupad kaya pag Holy Week panata ko na at sakrispyo na maglakad papunta ng Landayan (Even though it wasn’t Holy Week, I went every Friday because I prayed a lot at the shrine of Lolo Uweng, almost everything came true, so during Holy Week, I vowed to walk to Landayan),” she said.

Based on the “Biblio de ESDM de Landaian,” the shrine’s website stated that “many long-time devotees recall seeing the name Emmanuel Salvador del Mundo etched or carved on the image’s wooden camarin (bier) which was placed on top of a concrete platform at the back of the visita.”

“No particular person was credited to have given this name to the miraculous image. But devotees agree that he or she must have been someone very knowledgeable on the Holy Book. Emmanuel Salvador Del Mundo is rich in spiritual meaning,” it added.

It narrated, “‘Emmanuel’ is a Hebrew word which means ‘God with Us.’ ‘Emmanu’ means with us, while ‘el’ is God. ‘Salvador’ is a Spanish word which means ‘savior.’ ‘Del Mundo’ is also a Spanish word which means ‘of the world.’ The image has been called different names – Lelong Uweng, Mahal na Señor, Poon (Sacred Image), and most recently Lolo Uweng.”

Thousands of devotees outside the Diocesan Shrine of Jesus in the Holy Sepulchre in Barangay Landayan, San Pedro, Laguna (Photos from Lolo Uweng Shrine on Facebook)

“’Lelong Uweng’ was the image’s original name. Filipino elderly men in Tagalog Region provinces were usually addressed Lelong (meaning grandfather) as a gesture of respect and politeness. ‘Uweng’ was the common nickname for Emmanuel. Through time, the term Lelong lost its customary usage and was replaced by ‘Lolo’ which is the more contemporary term for grandfather. Most likely, Lolo Uweng will already be the name of the venerated image for all time,” the website added.