DECREE on the Celebration of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus in the General Roman Calendar (26 January 2021)

San Lázaro con sus hermanas Marta y María, Maestro de Perea, 1501-1525

CONGREGATIO DE CULTU DIVINO ET DISCIPLINA SACRAMENTORUM

Prot. N. 35/21

DECREE

on the Celebration of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus

in the General Roman Calendar

In the household of Bethany the Lord Jesus experienced the family spirit and friendship of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, and for this reason the Gospel of John states that he loved them. Martha generously offered him hospitality, Mary listened attentively to his words and Lazarus promptly emerged from the tomb at the command of the One who humiliated death.

The traditional uncertainty of the Latin Church about the identity of Mary - the Magdalene to whom Christ appeared after his resurrection, the sister of Martha, the sinner whose sins the Lord had forgiven - which resulted in the inclusion of Martha alone on 29 July in the Roman Calendar, has been resolved in recent studies and times, as attested by the current Roman Martyrology, which also commemorates Mary and Lazarus on that day. Moreover, in some particular calendars the three siblings are already celebrated together.

Therefore, the Supreme Pontiff Pope FRANCIS, considering the important evangelical witness they offered in welcoming the Lord Jesus into their home, in listening to him attentively, in believing that he is the resurrection and the life, and accepting the proposal of this Dicastery, has decreed that 29 July be designated in the General Roman Calendar as the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus.

The Memorial must therefore appear under this title in all Calendars and Liturgical Books for the celebration of Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours; the variations and additions to be adopted in the liturgical texts, attached to the present decree, must be translated, approved and, after confirmation by this Dicastery, published by the Episcopal Conferences.

Anything to the contrary notwithstanding.

From the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 26 January 2021, Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops.

Robert Card. Sarah

Prefect

✠Arthur Roche

Archbishop Secretary

Download: Adnexus (Latin)

Rosas ng Pateros

Rosas ng Pateros

Music and Lyrics: +Alfie C. Valladarez

Piano: Josh Nathaniel Pablo

Devotional Material (Filipino)

Devotional Material in Filipino

• Santa Marta
• Santa Marta ng Pateros
• Panalangin, Nobena, at Triduo
• Larawan (PNG)

SANTA MARTA, ALAGAD NG PANGINOON

Si Marta (mula sa Arameo, “babaeng tagapamahala ng tahanan;” may nagpapalagay din na maaaring mula ito sa salitang Arameo na ang ibig sabihin ay “palmera”) ay taga-Betania, at kapatid nina Lazaro at Maria. Ipinapalagay na siya ang pinakamatanda sa magkakapatid at nangangasiwa sa kabahayan. Ang magkakapatid na ito ay mahal ni Hesus (tingnan Jn. 11:5) kaya’t madalas dumalaw si Hesus sa tahanan nila, at si Marta ay laging handang maglingkod sa kanya. Ang katotohanang ito ay malinaw na nalarawan sa pangyayaring nasalaysay sa ebanghelyo ayon kay Lucas (10:38-42), na kung saan ay hiniling ni Marta kay Hesus na sabihan ang kapatid niyang si Maria na tulungan siya sa gawaing bahay. Si Maria noon ay nakaupo sa paanan ni Hesus at nakikinig sa kanyang turo. Ang naging tugon ni Hesus ay: “Marta, Marta, naliligalig ka at abalang-abala sa maraming bagay, ngunit isa lamang ang talagang kailangan. Pinili ni Maria ang lalong mabuti at ito’y hindi aalisin sa kanya” (Lc. 10:41-42). Batay dito, si Marta ay naging halimbawa ng Kristiyanong paggawa, at si Maria, ng Kristiyanong pagninilay. Nang si Lazaro ay namatay, si Marta ang sumalubong kay Hesus nang dumating ito sa kanilang nayon, samantalang si Maria ay naiwan sa bahay (tingnan Jn. 11:20). Ang pangyayaring ito ay naging isang pagkakataon para kay Marta na ipahayag ang kanyang matibay na pananampalataya kay Hesus. Nang tinanong siya ni Hesus kung naniniwala siyang si Hesus “ang muling pagkabuhay at ang buhay,” ipinahayag ni Marta, “Opo, Panginoon! Nananalig ako sa inyo. Kayo po ang Anak ng Diyos, ang Mesias, na inaasahang paparito sa sanlibutan” (Jn. 11:25-27).

Batay sa isang tradisyon, si Marta, kasama ang kanyang mga kapatid at ilan pa, ay isinakay sa isang bangkang walang sagwan at layag. Nagpalutang-lutang sa karagatan ang bangka hanggang sa mapadpad ito sa baybayin ng Provence sa Pransiya, sa patnubay ng Diyos. Sa lugar na ito ay nagtayo sila ng isang oratoryo na naging isang simbahan noong ika-9 na siglo at nakilala sa tawag na Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer. Naghiwahiwalay ang mga magkakasama upang ipangaral ang Mabuting Balita sa lupaing iyon. Si Marta ay nagpunta sa Tarascon, na kung saan ay tinalo niya ang Tarasque, isang dragon na nakatira sa ilog at nangangain ng tao, sa pamamagitan ng benditadong tubig at krusipiho. May ginawa din siyang mga himala, tulad ng pagbuhay sa isang lalaking nalunod sa paglangoy habang tumatawid ng ilog upang makapakinig sa pangaral ni Santa Marta. Dito na rin siya namatay at inilibing. Nang sumalakay ang mga Saraceno noong ikawalong siglo, tinabunan ang libingan ni Santa Marta upang ito ay hindi mawasak dahil sa nasabing pagsalakay. Muli itong natagpuan noong 1187. Ang pagkatuklas na ito ang nag-udyok sa mga tao na magtayo muli ng isang simbahan sa ibabaw ng lumang simbahan. Ang Simbahan ni Santa Marta ay itinalaga ng Arsobispo ng Arles noong ika-1 ng Hunyo 1197.

Ang paggunita kay Santa Marta ay tuwing ika-29 ng Hulyo. Ito ay inilagay ng mga Franciscano sa kalendaryo noong 1262, at sinunod naman sa Roma noong huling bahagi ng siglong nabanggit. Ito ay nagsisilbing oktaba ng kapistahan ni Santa Maria Magdalena (Hulyo 22), batay na rin sa maling paniniwala noon na si Maria Magdalena at si Mariang kapatid ni Marta ay iisa. Pagkatapos ng pagpapanibago sa liturhiya ng Vatican II (1962-65), binigyang linaw na si Maria Magdalena ay hindi ang Mariang kapatid ni Lazaro. Sa nirebisang Martyrologium Romanum ng 2001, hindi na tinukoy si Magdalena bilang kapatid nina Marta at Lazaro, at nagtakda na ng hiwalay na paggunita para kay Mariang kapatid ni Marta. Si Santa Maria ng Betania at si San Lazaro ay ginugunita na sa kasalukuyan tuwing ika-29 ng Hulyo, kasama ni Santa Marta. Si Santa Marta ang patrona ng mga maybahay, labandera, matatandang dalaga, tagaluto, nutrisyunista, kasambahay, nangangasiwa ng kainan, bahay-panunuluyan, bahay-paupahan at ospital, at mga naglalakbay. Pinamimintuhuan siya sa Provence – sa Aix at Tarascon – at maging sa Tuscany. Sa banal na sining, siya ay madalas na inilalarawan sa ganitong paraan: may kumpol ng mga susing nakasabit sa kanyang pamigkis, may hawak na sandok o walis, may dalang banga o pitsel at basket ng pagkain (prutas o tinapay), o may hawak na pangwisik ng banal na tubig at krusipiho habang nakatapak o may katabing dragon na nakatali sa kanyang pamigkis.

SANTA MARTA NG PATEROS

Ang Pateros ang pinakamaliit na bayan sa Kalakhang Maynila, at dito nagmula ang pag-iitik at ang industriya ng balot na itinuro noon ng mga Tsino. Noong 1572, itinatag ng mga Kastila ang bayan ng Pasig na binubuo ng labindalawang Barangay, at isa sa mga ito ang Barangay Aguho, ang tawag sa Pateros noon dahil sa maraming puno ng Aguho na matatagpuan sa Pateros noon. Noong 1742, ang Aguho ay naging visita ng Taguig na itinatag ng mga Prayleng Agustino noong 1587. Walang malinaw na tala kung kailan at paano nabalik sa Pasig ang Aguho.

Pagsapit ng 1799, ihiniwalay sa Pasig ang Aguho upang maging isang bayan ng Provincia de Manila. Ipinahayag naman noong 1801 na ang Aguho ay tatawaging Pueblo de Patero (Bayan ng mga Mag-iitik), na pinaikli ng mga prayle sa “Pateros” na siyang tawag sa nasabing bayan hanggang sa kasalukuyan. Noong ika-2 ng Agosto 1815, itinalaga ang unang kura paroko ng Pateros na si Fray Andres Vehil (Veil). Dumating si Fray Andres sa Pateros noong ika-7 ng Agosto 1815. Ang napiling titular ng bagong parokya ay si San Roque. Si Fray Andres ang nagpasimula sa pagpapatayo ng simbahang bato at ng kampanaryo ayon sa plano ni Fray Santos Gomez Marañon. Natapos niya ang pagpapatayo sa kumbento, samantalang ang pagpapatayo ng simbahan ay natapos ng mga humaliling pari. Kinikilala noon ang simbahan na may magandang arkitektura.

Isang malaking bahagi ng mayamang kasaysayan ng Pateros ang pamimintuho kay Santa Marta. Ipinapalagay na lumaganap ang pamimintuhong ito dahil sa pangunahing kabuhayan noon ng mga taga-Pateros, ang pag-iitik at balutan, at ang pangangailangang maipag-adya ang kanilang kabuhayan mula sa mga buwaya sa ilog. Sa paglaganap ng pagdedebosyon kay Santa Marta, maraming taga ibang bayan ang dumadayo sa Pateros upang mamintuho. Marami ring anyo ng pamimintuho ang umusbong tulad ng mga sumusunod: pag-aalaga sa imahen ni Santa Marta, padamit sa imahen, pasiyam (nobena bago ang kapistahan tuwing Pebrero at Hulyo, o sa loob ng siyam na Martes), pagoda (prusisyon sa ilog noon), pasubo (paghahagis sa mga deboto ng nakabalot na pagkain), bayani at buwaya (isang lalaking sagisag ng bayaning tumalo sa buwaya sa pagoda sa ilog), pandanggo (pagsasayaw ng fandango sa prusisyon bilang panata o pasasalamat), pamisa de gracia (pag-aalay ng misa bilang pasasalamat), at pahalik. Ang pamimintuho rin kay Santa Marta ay lumaganap sa ibang lugar (tulad ng Rizal at Laguna) dahil sa mga magbabalut. Naging patrona rin si Santa Marta sa Kalawaan, Pasig at sa Wawang Umboy sa Santa Cruz, Laguna. Dinala rin ng mga taga-Pateros na nangibang-bansa ang debosyon kay Santa Marta sa mga bansang pinuntahan nila. Kaya’t may pagdiriwang ng kapistahan ni Santa Marta sa Chicago, Illinois; sa New York; sa New Jersey; sa Los Angeles, San Francisco at San Diego sa California; at sa Winnipeg, Toronto, at Edmonton sa Canada.

TANGING PANALANGIN SA KARANGALAN NI SANTA MARTA

Nihil obstat: Reb. Padre Reginald R. Malicdem

Imprimatur: ✠Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, D.D.

O Diyos na makapangyarihan, dahil sa dakila mong pagmamahal sa sangkatauhan ay nagkatawang-tao ang iyong Anak at nakipamuhay sa amin at sinumang tumanggap at sumampalataya sa kanya ng pinagkalooban mo ng kaligtasan. Natagpuan niya sa iyong lingkod na si Santa Marta ang walang pasubaling pagtanggap sa kanyang tahanan nang may masiglang paglilingkod at galak sa pakikipagkaibigan. Sa hapag ni Santa Marta ay magiliw na hinandugan si Hesus ng pagkain at inumin na kanyang kinalugdan. Sa hapag ng Eukaristiya ay makabahagi nawa kami tuwina ng pagkain na hatid ni Hesus na nagbibigay ng buhay na walang hanggan.

Basbasan mo ang aming mga puso na maging laging bukas sa mabuting pagtanggap kay Hesus na ang nais ay ang pakikinig sa kanyang Salitang nagbibigay-buhay at tinawag na pinagpala ang lahat ng nagsasabuhay nito.

Pakumbabang iniluluhog namin na ibuhos mo ang Iyong masaganang pagpapala sa amin na nakakaalala sa malalim na pag-ibig at pananampalataya na ipinakita ni Santa Marta sa iyong Anak. Alang-alang sa mga panalangin ni Santa Marta ay ipagkaloob mo ang aking kahilingan (tumahimik sumandali at banggitin ang kahilingan) kung ito ay para sa kagalingan ko at kaluwalhatian mo.

Sa halimbawa ng ulirang pananalig ni Santa Marta, ay maging buo ang loob namin na ipahayag si Hesus ang Mesias, ang Anak ng Diyos, ang aming Buhay at Muling Pagkabuhay.

At sa wakas ng aming paglalakbay dito sa lupa, ay masapit nawa ang tahanang inihanda ni Hesus para sa amin sa langit at mamalas ang iyong kaluwalhatian kasama ng lahat ng mga banal at ng lingkod mong si Santa Marta.

Hinihiling namin ito sa ngalan ni Kristong aming Panginoon. Amen.

O Martang pintakasi namin, kami’y iyong idalangin. 

ANG PAGSISIYAM SA KARANGALAN NI SANTA MARTA

Nihil obstat: Reb. Padre Jorge Jesus A. Bellosillo

Imprimatur: ✠Francisco C. San Diego, D.D.

Upang makamtan natin, ani San Agustin, nang buong kapanatagan at kasaganaan ang pag-aampon ng mga Banal ay kinakailangang sila’y tularan. Sapagka’t kapag nakita nilang ginagawa natin ang mga kabanalang kanilang ginawa ay para bagang lalo silang napipilitan na idalangin tayo sa Diyos.

Ito ay dili iba ang dahilan na sa bawa’t isang araw ay aking nilagyan ng isang pagninilay-nilay sa kabanalan na totoong ginanap ng Santa, at lalong kinakailangan natin; nguni’t sa ikawalong araw ay pinili ko sa lahat ang pagdedebosyon sa bunyi nating Pintakasi, na kabanal-banalang Birhen na totoong kinalulugdan ng kanyang Anak. Ayon kay San Bernardo ay niloloob ng Diyos na ang lahat ng napapakagaling ay sa pamamagitan ni Maria. Laki nga ng natatamo sa tunay na pamamanata kay Maria! “Tunay na pamamanata” ang wika ko, sapagka’t nais kong tukuyin yaong tunay na nagpipilit sa paglayo sa mga kabanalan.

Kaya nga, ang wika ng naturan ding Banal sa sinumang tao ay ganito: Kung ikaw ay ipinagtatanggol ni Maria ay walang pagsalang di ka makararating sa kaharian ng kaluwalhatian. Datapuwa’t laking kasaliwaang palad noong walang debosyon o nagpapawalang halaga sa pag-ibig kay Maria! Sapagka’t ito, kung hindi magbabagong buhay, ay isang malinaw na tanda ng kanyang pagpapakasama! Dapat matalastas na isa sa mga lalong kinalulugdang debosyon ni Maria ay ang pagdarasal araw-araw ng kamahal-mahalan niyang Rosaryo na di dapat talikdan ng sinumang Kristiyano.

Sa ikasiyam na araw ay inilagay ko ang pamimintakasi sa maluwalhati at kapalad-palarang Esposo ni Maria, sapagka’t sa panahong ito’y ipinakikita ng Makapangyarihan ang walang kawangis na kalakasan ng kanyang pamamagitan dahil sa lubhang marami at kagila-gilalas ang mga biyayang ipinagkaloob sa mga tumawag sa kanya. Hindi rin mabilang ang mga iniligtas niya sa malalaki at kakila-kilabot na mga panganib. Dahil dito’y mapagtatalastas nating totoong ikinaliligaya ng Diyos na pintuhuin natin si San Jose, at daingan natin sa mga karalitaan, hilahil, at kapanganiban.

Panalangin: O Diyos na aming kagalingan at kabuhayan, dinggin Mo po kami, nang kung ang kapistahan ng maluwalhating Birhen Santa Marta ay makapuspos sa amin ng banal na kaligayahan ay gayon din naman ipagkamit namin ng alang-alang kay Hesukristong Panginoon namin. Amen.

Download: Ang Pagsisiyam sa Karangalan ni Santa Marta

TATLONG ARAW NA PANANALANGIN (TRIDUO) KAY SANTA MARTA

Coming soon.

LARAWAN (PNG)

Devotional Material (English)

Devotional Material in English

• Saint Martha
• Pateros Legend
• Prayer, Novena, and Litany
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Saint Martha, Disciple of the Lord

29 July

Saint Martha, Salterio hunterian 

Saint Martha is commemorated each year on 29 July. From her diligence, we learn not to allow ourselves to be so overcome by daily duties that we neglect love; from her profession of faith we learn that life in God makes us experience wonders that we could not believe possible.

We learn about Saint Martha from the Gospels. She was from Bethany, a village a few kilometers from Jerusalem. The sister of Lazarus and Mary, she was considered diligent and meticulous; she was certainly one of the first to believe in Jesus. The Lord was often a guest in her home, especially during the time of His preaching in Jerusalem.

Saint Luke especially is able to “draw us a picture” of Saint Martha, describing her daily life. In his Gospel, relating one time when Jesus was visiting His friends in Bethany, the Evangelist writes: “As they continued their journey He entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed Him. She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to Him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to Him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.’ The Lord said to her in reply, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.’”

The Master helps her to understand that even praiseworthy labour can risk obscuring the interior life. It is a warning that causes one to reflect on how important it is to nourish the spirit, to listen to the Word of God, because it is the Word of God that gives meaning to our daily activities. Nonetheless, on account of her admirable dedication to doing the work necessary to offer a guest a comfortable respite, the Church recognizes Martha as a model of industriousness.

And so Martha and Mary are serve respectively as examples of the active and the contemplative life; the life of external activity and the life of prayer. In the life of a Christian, neither should be lacking; activity and contemplation should be seen as complementary, and not opposed to one another.

Martha’s profession of faith

Saint Martha has also left us a strong witness of faith. We see, in her response to Jesus’ questions after the death of her brother Lazarus, a total belief, a faith that does not hesitate, does not doubt. Martha has complete confidence in God, even in the face of what seems impossible on a human level: “When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. [But] even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.’” It is already an extraordinary profession of faith; but the colloquy between Martha and Jesus continues. And from this simple woman of Bethany, we come to understand what it means to believe in Jesus Christ: “Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise.’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.’” It is the essence of Christianity; Martha, in her answer, condenses the whole of the faith into a simple confession of belief, which in turn is the faith of every believer; a simple answer in which every Christian can recognize the meaning of life.

The origins of her liturgical memorial

Tradition tells us that, after the first persecutions of Christians, Saint Martha, with Mary, and Lazarus, and other disciples, left their own land and went to France, arriving in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, in Provence, where they brought the Christian faith. The liturgical memorial of Saint Martha was begun by Franciscans, in 1262, who celebrated her feast on 29 July, eight days after the feast of her sister, Saint Mary Magdalene. In Bethany (now known as El-Azariyeh, “the place of Lazarus”), one can find the tomb of Lazarus, as well as a sanctuary built upon the remains of Byzantine and Crusader structures -- themselves constructed on top of a pre-existing structure. This is believed to be the house of Martha. The church, with its sanctuary in the form of a Greek-cross, is embellished with beautiful mosaics, that portray the episodes related in the Gospel that refer to Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.

Source: Vatican News (Dicasterium pro Communicatione)

The legend behind ‘Rosas ng Pateros’

April 21, 2019

Santa Marta de Pateros is the patron saint of duck-raisers and alfombra/abalorio makers. The shrine is located at the Pateros Church, alternately called San Roque Parish Church, on B. Morcilla Street, built in 1815.

According to folklore, Saint Martha (who tamed Tarasque – a fearsome legendary dragon-like mythological hybrid that inhabited Provence, France – with hymns and prayers) in 1700s was invoked by the people of Pateros to vanquish a giant crocodile that attacked their ducks in the nearby river.

The image of Pateros’ patron saint, Santa Marta, is shown crushing a crocodile with her dainty feet based on what was believed to be miracle in 1700 that led to the rise of the town’s duck-raising industry.

According to folklore, Saint Martha (who tamed Tarasque – a fearsome legendary dragon-like mythological hybrid that inhabited Provence, France – with hymns and prayers) in 1700s was invoked by the people of Pateros to vanquish a giant crocodile that attacked their ducks in the nearby river.

One evening, under a bright full moon, a brave local decided to slay the monster. On his way, at the banks of river, he saw a brilliant light surrounding the figure of Saint Martha; the giant crocodile was never seen again after that and the duck-raising industry flourished.

People of Pateros attribute this miracle to their patron saint and a grand fluvial procession is traditionally held in memory of the miracle. Thus her image shows crushing a crocodile with her dainty feet.

Variably, the local feast in honor of Santa Marta de Pateros was held in the months of January, February or March – based on the abundance of balut and rice harvests, coinciding with a full moon that illuminates the surroundings as there was no electricity yet.

However, the feast was fixed to second Sunday of February in the 1960s, following economic and environmental changes to the municipality. Moreover, there was a move from the parish priest to change the date to July 29, Saint Martha’s liturgical feast in the Catholic Church.

The church is the only major shrine dedicated to Saint Martha in the whole of Southeast Asia to date, and there is a proposal to elevate it to the status of National Shrine of the Philippines.

Even with the loss of a fluvial procession, the Santa Marta de Pateros Fiesta remains an old-fashioned fiesta in urban Metro Manila. Devotees form a long line to offer their petitions and touch the image of the town’s patron saint in the church patio. After the mass, a roving band of musicians play fandango music while a group of strong men carrying the image dance to the beat, as the crowd chant the song for “the savior” of their livelihood.

Source: The Manila Times

Prayer to Saint Martha

Nihil Obstat: Msgr. Jose N. Jovellanos

Imprimatur: Msgr. Justino C. Ortiz

O glorious virgin Saint Martha, I come to thee to ask for a favor and help. Thy devotion and fervor in the service of the Divine Master, Jesus Christ, have merited for thee graces which made thee a powerful intercessor before His Divine Throne.

Obtain for me the grace of which I am in need, if it will not be an obstacle to my spiritual welfare.

O almighty and everlasting God, who didst draw to Thyself Saint Martha, even from her tenderest years, making her Thy beloved friend, grant we beseech Thee, that imitating her example we may be made like unto her, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Novena to Saint Martha

The novena is to be said 9 consecutive Tuesdays with a lit blessed candle. One often obtains what one desires before the ninth Tuesday.

O admirable Saint Martha, I have recourse to thee and I depend entirely on thy intercession in my trials. In thanksgiving, I promise to spread this devotion everywhere. I humbly beg thee to console me in all my difficulties. By the immense joy that filled thy soul when thou didst receive the Redeemer of the world at thy home in Bethany, be pleased to intercede for me and my family, in order that we may keep God in our hearts and therefore, deserve to obtain the remedy to our necessities, especially the present situation that overwhelms me (mention your request). I implore thee, O auxiliatrix in all our needs; help us to overcome our difficulties, thou who so victoriously fought the devil. Amen.

Then say: One Our Father; One Hail Mary; One Glory be; and three times the invocation: Saint Martha, pray for us.

Litany to Saint Martha

Are you a workaholic person? A housekeeper? A cook? Yes, these are the few words that describe the identity of this humble house maiden of Bethany who have defended the sublime dignity of work and housekeeping, before Jesus. Eventually by God’s grace, she turned into an illustrious powerful maiden in Paradise, the House of the Father! Come, pray, and experience Saint Martha’s powerful generosity of intercession especially to the strangers who might want to experience similar generosity that she herself have rendered to Jesus Christ, The Master himself!

Personal Composed Litany Prayer as a Grateful Tribute to Saint Martha of Bethany (Patron of Cooks, Housekeepers, and Busy People) by Fray Bobby S. Castellano Jr., OP

This Litany Prayer is dedicated to the zealous devotees of the lowly virgin of Bethany!

Novena Period: July 20-28/Feast Day: July 29

S-elfless oblation to the God of Work, pray for us.

A-ffable servant who generously served the noble guest, Jesus, pray for us.

I-lluminated by Christ that her sister Mary have chosen the better part, pray for us.

N-otable model of generosity for serving guests, pray for us.

T-eacher par excellence of sublime dignity of work, pray for us.

M-agnanimously chosen by the Triune God, to intercede for her beloved brother Lazarus, pray for us.

A-dvocates of cooks, butlers, and housekeepers, pray for us.

R-esplendent model of holiness, pray for us.

T-rue mistress of hospitality and guest accommodation, pray for us.

H-umble disciple of her Master, Jesus Christ, until death, pray for us.

A-dvance in divine wisdom to recognize that Christ is the Son of God, pray for us.

O-ne with the Suffering Christ in serving the person of strangers and homeless, pray for us.

F-ortified by the Paraclete in taming the beast Tarasque, pray for us.

B-ore the name, Martha, which in Aramaic means “mistress or lady”, pray for us.

E-xcellent model of attaining sanctity through dutifully attending to menial labors, pray for us.

T-actful preacher of the gospel in Provence, France, pray for us.

H-eart filled with compassion in attending the needs of the visiting Jesus, pray for us.

A-dmonisher of sloth, laziness, and mediocrity, pray for us.

N-otable loving sister to her brother, Saint Lazarus, and sister, Saint Mary, pray for us.

Y-ielder of multitude of miracles, anchored on her meritorious power, before the Son of God as narrated in the gospel of John, pray for us.

V. Pray for us, O Saint Martha of Bethany.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Almighty Father, you bestowed to your beloved handmaid, Saint Martha of Bethany, the gift of valuing the sublime dignity of work as a means of glorifying the God of Work. By the help of her unfailing prayers, we too be truly faithful to our Christian duty by working for the salvation of our souls and tilling labors to save the soul of others, despite the difficulties it entails. Through the inexhaustible merits before the throne of the Triune God, of our beloved advocate, Saint Martha, grant us a sound health of body and soul. And in return we can become God’s instrument to unconditionally serve the Suffering and Poor Christ in the person of strangers and homeless. By the powerful patronage and protection of the lowly house maiden of Bethany, turned, an illustrious, powerful heavenly maiden of Heaven, The House of the Father, Saint Martha, may we be preserved from all the assaults of the adversaries of faith, continue to grow in the spirit of charity and generosity until we can gratefully greet her in Paradise someday. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Saint Martha of Bethany, pray for us. (3X)

Santa Marta de Pateros (PNG)

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ANG ORATORIO DE LA PATRONA

Updated December 16, 2023

Ang Oratorio de Santa Marta de Pateros o mas kilala sa tawag na Oratorio de la Patrona ay ang tahanan ng Imahen at Banal na Relikya ni Santa Marta sa Barangay Aguho, Bayan ng Pateros, Kalakhang Maynila. Ito ay ipinatayo ni Ginang Cresencia Tenorio-Castillo (1925-2019) sa tabi ng kanilang tahanan noong dekada 1980 nang siya ay mahirang bilang “Camarera de Honor” ng matandang imahen ng Santa Marta de Pateros.

Sa loob ng mahigit na dalawang dekada, ito ang naging tahanan ng pamamanata kay Santa Marta sa pamamagitan ng pagtitirik ng kandila at pag-aalay ng mga bulaklak. Matatandaan na ang matandang imahen ay pagmamay-ari ng Pamilya De Borja-Dayco (hanggang sa kasalukuyan) kaya makikita lamang ito tuwing ika-29 ng Hulyo, Dakilang Kapistahan ni Santa Marta. Dito nagmumula ang “Traslacion” o paghahatid sa imahen patungong simbahan para sa pagsisiyam gayundin ang sunduan sa tuwing may hihiram ng imahen para sa “Pamisa de Gracia.”

Ang Oratorio ay matatagpuan sa kahabaan ng P. Herrera. Ang unang altar nito ay isang urna na yari sa kahoy na may aparador sa ibabang bahagi kung saan itinatago ang mga antigong gamit at damit ng imahen. Pinalitan ito ng sementadong altar noong dekada 1990 na ginagamit hanggang sa kasalukuyan. Mula noon, orihinal ang istruktura nito sa nagdaang apat na dekada.

Sa pagbabalik ng matandang imahen sa Pamilya De Borja-Dayco noong 2004, iniluklok ang imahen ng Poderes de Santa Marta de Pateros na naging dambanang imahen noong 2009. Ang Oratorio ay isinara sa publiko sa kadahilanang walang pagmamay-aring imahen ng Santa Marta de Pateros ang Pamilya Castillo na mailuluklok sa altar. Ang nasabing dambanang imahen ay pinalitan ng panibagong imahen na kaloob ni Padre Estelito Villegas noong 2019 at maraming kasapi ng nasabing samahan ay ang kasalukuyang bumubuo ng Ministry on Popular Piety and Devotion o Team Pintakasi ng Dambanang Pangdiyosesis ni Santa Marta.

Dahil sa natatanging bahagi nito sa kasaysayan ng pamimintuho kay Santa Marta sa Pateros at sa ala-ala ni Ginang Cresencia Castillo at ng mga Camarera de Honor, napagpasyahan ng kanyang mga anak na muling buksan ang Oratorio de la Patrona at magluklok ng bagong imahen. Ang muling pagbubukas ay binasbasan ni Padre Felix Maria Dueñas, FI, JCL, noong ika-29 ng Hulyo, 2019. Maliban sa imahen, makikita rin ang banal na relikya – piraso ng buto – ni Santa Marta at iba pang mga banal katulad nina San Roque, San Antonio ng Padua, at San Pio ng Pietrelcina.

Layunin ng muling pagbubukas ang mga sumusunod:

Pangalagaan ang istruktura at sinupan ng Oratorio bilang nalalabing ala-ala ng pamimintuho kay Santa Marta bago ang pagtatatag ng Dambana,

Pagpapahalaga sa pamanang tradisyon ng mga “Camarera de Honor” sa pamamagitan ng pagsunod sa kanilang halimbawa mula sa pag-aalaga ng imahen hanggang sa pagtanggap sa mga deboto bilang pagpupugay,

At pag-ingatan ang kasaysayan ng pamimintuho kay Santa Marta para sa susunod na salinlahi at laban sa mga nais gumawa ng kanilang sariling kasaysayan gamit ang Oratorio.

Ang Oratorio de la Patrona ay bukas tuwing Pistang Bayan ng Pateros (ikalawang Linggo ng Pebrero) at Dakilang Kapistahan ni Santa Marta para sa mga deboto na nais magtirik ng kandila at mag-alay ng mga bulaklak sa imahen at banal na relikya ni Santa Marta habang nagbabalik-tanaw sa nakaraan.

Oratorio de Santa Marta de Pateros

939, P. Herrera Street, Aguho, Pateros, Metro Manila

Facebook: @OratorioPH

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oratorioph@gmail.com