Our Lady of Guidance
| Our Lady of Guidance Nuestra Señora de Guía | |
|---|---|
The original icon at the Manila Cathedral. | |
| Location | Ermita, Manila, Philippines |
| Date | 19 May 1571 |
| Witness | Unknown |
| Type | Molave wood |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Shrine | Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guidance, Ermita, Manila |
| Patronage | Navigators, travellers, seafarers, Overseas Filipino Workers |
| Attributes | Pandan leaves, open hands, marshal's baton, dark skin, Chinese features |
| Feast day | 18 December |
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The Our Lady of Guidance (Spanish: Nuestra Señora de Guía) is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a 16th-century Marian image depicted as the Immaculate Conception and widely venerated by Filipinos. The wooden Black Madonna is considered the oldest extant Marian statue in the Philippines. Locally venerated as patroness of navigators and travelers, the image is enshrined at the Ermita Church in the city of Manila.
Due to its fragility and value, the original Marian image does not leave the premises of its inner sanctum except when the pontiff visits the country. A modern proxy image (called “Vicaria”) is used for exposed church services instead.