04/08/2024
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
Pray for us.
AM DYK: The Philippines' two Gold olympic medalists and their Marian connection
Last night, the Philippines saw history as Carlos Yulo won the Gold in Gymnastics, the second for the country in the modern Olympics, the first being Hidilyn Diaz. But what makes it special is that these two Gold medalists is connected to a particular devotion in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In Tokyo 2020 (which took place in 2021 due to the pandemic), after winning Gold for weighlifting, Hidilyn Diaz showed her Miraculous Medal, showing to the world her Catholic faith. Fast forward to this year, Carlos Yulo won Gold in the Men's Floor Gymnastics. After winning, he made the "Signum Crucis".
Upon research, Yulo was a student at the Admason University and the Church located in the University, the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Miraculous Medal. This comes just days after it was announced that the venerated image of the Miraculous Medal de Manila would receive her own gold in the form of a diadem during the rite of Episcopal coronation, which will take place in a date to be determined.
What's more interesting, Carlos Yulo got Gold at the Paris Olympics, with Paris being the place where the devotion to the Miraculous Medal began in 1830, when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Catherine Laboure and introduced the said devotion.
May we see in our lifetime more Catholics glorifying God in their moments of winning while remaining faithful and patient in their times of losing and despair. And with one Devotee showing her love to the Blessed Mother, she will, in a way, return the favor.