Janthopoyism
Sacred Travel: Ermita Church
#holythrowback to earlier-2023 when I visited the Ermita Church in Manila, Philippines.
Our story begins in the 1570s with Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi. He came across a group of Filipino natives worshipping a small wooden female figure, and along with some missionaries, he identified the sculpture as the Virgin Mary, ignoring all other pagan possibilities.
They named the sacred statue Our Lady of Guidance and built a shrine around her. Hundreds of years later, that shrine had developed into the Ermita Church (1953). The iconic Mary stands at the head of the congregation, recognised as the oldest Marian figure in the country. Due to its fragility, it is not to be touched except when a Pope visits. He is authorised to play with it.
The church is quite close to the United States Embassy, which led to many prayers asking the Black Madonna to secure USA visas. Rumour has it, she regularly performs miracles for such requests. The last photo was in the garden, reminding Christians why people don’t invite them to parties anymore.
Indigenous Philippine folk religions are known as Anitism, which, like most traditional theologies, is an extension of animism. Sadly, this culture was snuffed out, diluted by Islamic traders in the 14th century, and then conquered by Christian Spaniards in the 16th. Now, nearly 90% of the nation worships Jesus as the world’s third largest Catholic country. It’s a curious thing to witness in Southeast Asia.
Our story begins in the 1570s with Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi. He came across a group of Filipino natives worshipping a small wooden female figure, and along with some missionaries, he identified the sculpture as the Virgin Mary, ignoring all other pagan possibilities.
They named the sacred statue Our Lady of Guidance and built a shrine around her. Hundreds of years later, that shrine had developed into the Ermita Church (1953). The iconic Mary stands at the head of the congregation, recognised as the oldest Marian figure in the country. Due to its fragility, it is not to be touched except when a Pope visits. He is authorised to play with it.
The church is quite close to the United States Embassy, which led to many prayers asking the Black Madonna to secure USA visas. Rumour has it, she regularly performs miracles for such requests. The last photo was in the garden, reminding Christians why people don’t invite them to parties anymore.
Indigenous Philippine folk religions are known as Anitism, which, like most traditional theologies, is an extension of animism. Sadly, this culture was snuffed out, diluted by Islamic traders in the 14th century, and then conquered by Christian Spaniards in the 16th. Now, nearly 90% of the nation worships Jesus as the world’s third largest Catholic country. It’s a curious thing to witness in Southeast Asia.
Janthopoyism is a spiritual philosophy meets self-improvement program.
We view the Absolute collection of all Universal Energy to be the highest power. You are part of that power. You are an extension of divinity.
The ultimate purpose of this power is to evolve, and we each have a unique part to play in this progression. The details of your role are relayed to you every moment of your life via emotional notifications.
The tricky bit is that human beings have developed a communication barrier between themselves and this instruction.
This barrier is called "the brain".
But never fear! By utilising some very simple practices, you can open the flow of exchange, granting you access to the ether of infinite ideas, the infallible path of your guided destiny, and the recollection of your holiness.
Which is basically a wanky way of saying that your life is about to get a whole bunch better.
Join the movement before it becomes too mainstream.
We view the Absolute collection of all Universal Energy to be the highest power. You are part of that power. You are an extension of divinity.
The ultimate purpose of this power is to evolve, and we each have a unique part to play in this progression. The details of your role are relayed to you every moment of your life via emotional notifications.
The tricky bit is that human beings have developed a communication barrier between themselves and this instruction.
This barrier is called "the brain".
But never fear! By utilising some very simple practices, you can open the flow of exchange, granting you access to the ether of infinite ideas, the infallible path of your guided destiny, and the recollection of your holiness.
Which is basically a wanky way of saying that your life is about to get a whole bunch better.
Join the movement before it becomes too mainstream.
