Viva Zamboanga!

The lovely City of Zamboanga – now known as Asia’s Latin City – takes on a festive mood in the month of October every year as it celebrates the grand religious feast of the Miraculous Our Lady of Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar.

The annual celebration draws thousand of native Zamboangueños devotees and countless pilgrims from all over the country including many of those who now return home for the grand feast of the Blessed Lady at the Fort whose feast day falls on October 12.

In recent years, the religious festivity is rushed in two-week long crowd-drawing activities featuring the city’s unique multi-cultural heritage and colorful street dances and floral parade dubbed as Zamboanga Hermosa Festival from October 1, and to culminate on October 11, eve of the feast.

Aside from the nightly cultural presentation dubbed as “WOW Zamboanga” at the National Museum Courtyard at Fort Pilar, other activities included arts exhibit, agricultural show at historic Plaza Pershing, job fair, popular regatta or colorful Vinta sail race on R.T. Lim Boulevard, varied sports activities, the 2008 Miss Zamboanga Beauty Pageant at Grand Astoria Regency, Chabacano Song Festival, Rep. Erbie Fabian Saver of the World Dog Show at the City Coliseum, Mascota de Zamboanga Show, Artes de Colores, and the sardine-eating activity covering almost the whole strtch of R.T. Lim Boulevard.

The religious festivity dates back to 1734. Since then devotes have been coming every year to this lovely city in the South to join the festivity in honor of Señora La Virgen Del Pilar. There are many enchanting stories of miracles attributed to her and retold through generations.

Because of the great devotion to Our Lady of the Pillar, the annual celebration of her feast (Oct. 12) overshadows the city’s official feast day, verily making her the popular patroness of Zamboanga, instead of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, whose feast day is on December 8.

Zamboanga has a rich heritage of culture and languages which have influenced the lives of our people. However, none can compare to the popular devotion to Our Lady of the Pillar in so far as the abiding faith and unshaken hope of Zamboangueños is concerned. Perhaps, Zamboanga City is the only place in the world where a fort, built for war purposes, has become a sacred shrine for peace and reconciliation.

Actually, Zamboanga’s unique identity has been linked with the stone fort and its religious significance influence not only the Christian but Muslims as well, for both respect the revered lady of the Fort.