In 1646, five successive naval battles were fought between the Dutch, with their eighteen warships, and the Filipino-Spanish forces, with only two merchant galleons to back them up.

Surprisingly, the Filipino-Spanish contingent won in this encounter, now known in history as the Battle of La Naval.

Catholic believers attributed the miraculous victory to the intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To show their gratitute, the commander and the crew of the victorious defenders made a pilgrimage to Sto. Domingo in Intramuros.

In 1662, the Cathedral Chapter of the Archdiocese of Manila declared the triumph a miracle.

As ordered by Pope Pius X, the image of the Nuestra Senora del Rosario La Naval de Manila was canonically crowned in October 5, 1907. This is the first Marian image to be accorded this acclamation in the Philippines and in Asia.

In celebration of the centenary, the canonical coronation was reenacted at the Sto. Domingo Church in October 4, 2007.

Photographer Estan Cabigas covered this reenactment.

Text by Estan Cabigas. Edited by Karla Maquiling for PinoyCentric.

See the slideshow.