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Archbishop Charles Brown, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, and Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista of Imus lead the pontifical coronation of Our Lady of Fatima de Binakayan at the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Fatima in Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite, May 1, 2025. DSPOLFB/FACEBOOK
By CBCP News
May 1, 2025
Manila, Philippines
One of the final acts approved by Pope Francis before his health declined was the pontifical coronation of Our Lady of Fatima de Binakayan, affectionately known as “Imang” by her devotees.
The revered image, enshrined at the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Fatima in Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite, was solemnly crowned Thursday, May 1, by Archbishop Charles Brown, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines.
The ceremony was witnessed by five other prelates, including Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista of Imus, dozens of priests, and myriads of guests from different places.
The statue joins dozens of others in the Philippines that have received an official papal coronation.
Fr. Julius De Sagun, shrine rector and parish priest, thanked all who contributed to the success of the event.
“We join the world today not in sorrow, but with profound gratitude for the life of Pope Francis. As we celebrate the pontifical coronation of Imang, we carry the Holy Father in our hearts,” De Sagun said.
“We undertake this in full fidelity to the Bull of Coronation, which mandates the coronation be held in nomine et auctoritate ipsius Summi Pontificis — in the name and authority of the Supreme Pontiff.”
“In doing so, we honor Pope Francis by celebrating the enduring light of his life and legacy. We move forward, grateful for the coronation he approved six months before he left us,” he added.
The image of Our Lady of Fatima, originally from Portugal, was gifted in 1966 to Rufino Cardinal Santos by an American couple, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Coneley.
Santos later entrusted it to Bishop Artemio Casas, then Bishop of Imus, in connection with the establishment of the Fatima Parish in Binakayan.
Since then, “Imang” has become a deeply venerated symbol of faith and hope, known for numerous reported miracles.
In 2009, the image was granted an episcopal coronation by then-Bishop of Imus, Luis Antonio Tagle, using a crown gifted by the Shrine of Fatima in Portugal.
Today, with the honor of a pontifical coronation, Imang shines even more brightly as a beacon of hope and comfort for the faithful — especially the hopeless.
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