Santa Maria Church founded by Franciscan Friars as a visita by Father Francisco Javier, OFM under the parish of Saint Martin of Tours in Bocaue. The materials was initially made of cogon and bamboo and later stronger materials. Then by 1792, Santa Maria de Pandi gained independence from its matrix and the construction of a bigger church commenced. The church was renamed Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Image of La Purísima Concepción
The church is home to an image of the Virgin Mary that is believed to be miraculous. There are two local legends as to how the image arrived in Santa Maria: first is that it was brought to the town by the Franciscan Friars, second is that it was sculpted out of wood from a galleon. The image has been stolen in the 1930s and was retrieved in Nueva Ecija by a man named Teofilo Ramirez who claimed that the Virgin Mary appeared in his dream and gave instructions as to where the image can be found. The image was returned to the town on a February and the townsfolk accordingly adjusted their feast day to the first Thursday of February except when its falls on February 2. The image was first granted an Episcopal Coronation on March 3, 2018 by Bishop Jose Oliveros of Malolos. On March 28, 2019, Pope Francis granted the Canonical coronation of the image of La Purisima Concepcion. The coronation is set to take place on Saturday, February 1, 2020.
Holy Week
Hermandad y Cofradía de la Sagrada Pasión y María Santísima de la Esperanza Macarena handles the solemn procession of Holy week in Santa María, Bulacan. This is the line-up of the Good Friday Procession 2019: 1. San Pedro Apóstol 2. San Nicodemo 3. San José de Arimatea 4. El Bautismo 5. Las Bodas de Caná 6. La Samaritana 7. La Penitente 8. La Resurrección de Lázaro 9. Santa María de Betania 10. San Lázaro de Betania 11. Santa Marta de Betania 12. La Sagrada Entrada en Jerusalén 13. La Última Cena 14. Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Oración en el Huerto I 15. Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Oración en el Huerto II 16. El Beso de Judas 17. El Cautivo 18. Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Columna 19. Nuestro Padre Jesús Desmayado 20. Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Paciencia 21. Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Sentencia 22. Nuestro Padre Jesús Llevado de la Cruz 23. Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno 24. El Encuentro de Hijo con Su Madre 25. Nuestro Padre Jesús Ayudado por Simón de Cirene 26. La Verónica Limpia el Rostro de Jesús 27. Santa Verónica 28. Las Mujeres de Jerusalén 29. Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Tercera Caída 30. Nuestro Padre Jesús Despojado de Sus Vestiduras 31. Nuestro Padre Jesús del Calvario 32. Ecce Mater Tua 33. El Sagrado Descendimiento 34. La Piedad 35. Nuestro Padre Jesús en Su Traslado al Sepulcro 36. Santo Entierro de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo 37. Beata Juana de Cuza 38. Santa María Jacobé 39. Santa María Salomé 40. Santa María Magdalena 41. San Juan Apóstol y Evangelista 42. Nuestra Señora de los Dolores The Hermandad de la Sagrada Pasión is still looking for qualified Camareras to complete and illustrate the sorrowful passion of Christ.
