LONDON - The month of September is special for Marian devotees all over the world because of the nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the 8th of September.

In London, Marian devotees, mostly nurses at Charing Cross hospital celebrated the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary and commemorated the apparition of Our Lady of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace in Lipa, City Batangas to Marian visionary Sister Teresing Castillo.

The group headed by the Filipino Community  Prayer of West London organized a procession, followed by  novena prayer and a mass at Charing Cross Hospital Chapel.

“Kailangan continues tayong nagdadasal. It’s very important and I think one unique characteristic of the Filipino community,” said Madelaine Carandang, a nurse in the UK.

Some of the nurses here continue their devotion to the Blessed Virgin because of a covenant they had with Mary.

“We promised that if our Lady would allow us to work in London we will continue to do the things we used to do when we were back in Batangas,” said Joseph Chavez, a nurse who came all the way from Oxfordshire.

Chavez has become more devoted to his faith since his fervent wish to be able to work in the UK was granted by Our Lady of Maria, Mediatrix of All Grace.

Our Lady of Mary, Mediatrix of all Grace became famous because of the petal showers in Lipa City, Batangas and the Blessed Virgin’s apparition to Carmelite Sister Teresing Castillo.

In 1948, the Blessed Mother was reported to have appeared 19 times to then novice in the Carmelite order, Sister Teresing Castillo.