Birhen del Remedio

Birhen del Remedio in Ambao, Hinundayan, Leyte is known to be miraculous. A lot of people come to be blessed and be touched by the wooden carved statue of Mama Mary and Baby Jesus. They also sell healing oils, which get grabbed by visitors who purposely come here to find cure for their illnesses. How the blessing works is that you kneel by the altar stairs. The chapel caretaker will take the statue and run it around you head, shoulders, arms. It lasts for less than a minute each person.

Here's an image of the Adaro Family Tree, showing their descendants Regino and Maria, who discovered the miraculous wood. The story apparently started in the 18th Century. The wood supposedly carved itself slowly over time and formed the images of Mama Mary and Baby Jesus. Regino or Maria (not sure which) would dream about the Virgin Mary telling them to create an altar for her, so they did.

Birhen del Remedio

Remarks:

• We all have different beliefs. We can only respect other people's culture and faith because to some, their whole life is built around that. We cannot question or debate them as long as they have done no harm to us.
• We came here and got blessed as well, offered our prayers, and even got the 'lana' or healing oils. It wouldn't hurt to try, my companions said. 
• Of course, stories can change as they pass on to generations. We choose to believe what we want. In the end, it's between you and God, not between you and man anyway ~ Mother Theresa