The Monastery of the Holy Eucharist, also known as the Our Lady of Lindogon Shrine and commonly known as the Simala Shrine or the Simala Parish Church is a Roman Catholic pilgrimage church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Sibonga, Cebu, Philippines.[1][2]

Simala Shrine
The shrine in 2023
Religion
AffiliationRoman Catholic
ProvinceCebu
PatronMary, Mother of Jesus (as Our Lady of Lindogon)
StatusCatholic pilgrimage site
Location
LocationSibonga, Cebu
CountryPhilippines
Geographic coordinates9°58′45.1″N 123°35′59.7″E / 9.979194°N 123.599917°E / 9.979194; 123.599917
Architecture
FounderMarian Monks of Eucharistic Adoration (MMEA)
Date established1998

History

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Simala Shrine was built in 1998 by the Marian Monks of Eucharistic Adoration from Pampanga.[3]

Cultural significance

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Shrine interior in 2023

The Simala Shrine is a Roman Catholic pilgrimage site. The site hosts the image of Our Lady of Lindogon, which is believed to be miraculous by devotees of the Virgin Mary; subsequent to its reported shedding of tears, it was credited with the healing of those who were afflicted with dengue in the area in 1998.[4] The image has since that time reportedly shed tears on four more occasions, the latest being on September 8, 2016.[5]

The image, originally assigned as that of Our Lady of Fatima, was donated to the Marian Monks by Terry Brooks from Pampanga. The construction of the Simala Shrine is also believed to be the realization of a prediction by Ingko Niyong Villamor that the hills of Lindogon, the current site of the shrine, would become "holy" once a "miraculous white lady reign in the place".[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Video production group from Cebu captures stunning aerial night shots of Simala Shrine". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  2. ^ Ruaya, Rhobie Alburo (September 8, 2021). "Mama Mary Churches and Shrines in Cebu". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  3. ^ Quieta, Racquel. "This castle church in Cebu looks straight out of a fairy tale". GMA News. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  4. ^ sparksph (February 19, 2022). "Simala Shrine: The Miraculous Castle Church of Mama Mary". Suroy.ph. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Lopez, Herty B. (September 11, 2016). "Virgin image in Simala 'sheds tears' again". SunStar. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
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