The theft and recovery of the "Birheng Patrona"

In 2013, one lunchtime, the people noticed a strange van parked near the Adoration Chapel. The people seemed not to mind this strange van, until it was discovered that the "Birheng Patrona" was stolen. Initial efforts was made for the recovery of the image, yet it was no avail, at that time. With no trace of who stole the image for the meantime, a replacement image was commissioned from Paete which is will be intended for the Bicentennial Jubilee Celebration of the Parish in 2015. This image was called "The Bicentennial Image".

The search for the stolen image ended in September 2017, four years after the theft. The devotees saw some photos of the lost image of the "Birheng Patrona" on social media site Facebook from a Marian Exhibit that was held in one of the malls in Manila and later in a special Pilarica exhibit in preparation for the then upcoming Canonical Coronation of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila that same year.

After months of much careful study and verification to the custodian of the image, it was finally identified that it was the lost Venerada of Alaminos. The image made a triumphal return to her home on February 25, 2018 with much rejoicing of the people of Alaminos. To commemorate this historic return of their Patroness, the current Parish Priest decreed that February 25 will be known as the "Pyestang Pangbabalik" to commemorate the return of the "Birheng Patrona" to her home. Months later, the "Birheng Patrona" had a major restoration because it was discovered that that when she was stolen, the encarna of the image was sacrilegiously sanded off to reveal the details of the image to sell the image to antique collectors.

The image at present is kept in the Parish Baptistry and locked for safekeeping but visible to devotees. The gates of the Baptistry are opened on Saturdays and Sundaysafter the 6:30 am Mass for public veneration called “Pahalik sa Birheng Patrona”.

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