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Pacquiao, Sulaiman honor Filipino champs, eye PH-Mexico tiff
Invited by Manny Pacquiao to the Elorde-Pacquiao Boxing Awards, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman announces that he will stage a dual meet involving the Philippines and Mexico.....»»
Blow-By-Blow Okada: Bacosa posts 3rd straight KO victory
Tall and rangy lightweight Eman Bacosa posted a third-round stoppage over Jan Clyde Langahin during a special presentation of Manny Pacquiao Presents: Blow-By-Blow Sunday at the Okada Manila......»»
Bacosa headlines Blow-By-Blow boxing card at Okada
Crowd favorite Eman Bacosa headlines a special presentation of Manny Pacquiao Presents: Blow-By-Blow on Sunday at the Okada Manila......»»
POUND-FOR-POUND — Good guy Gibbons gives Filipino boxers the chance to shine
If you’re a talented fighter nursing dreams of becoming a world champion, there is one guy you need to get in touch with. If you’re a promoter who has got a bevy of promising fighters but with no strong connections to the guys who matter in the world of big-time boxing, you have to meet the fellow who makes things happen. That dude is no other than Sean Gibbons, who heads MP Promotions and a sprinkling of other influential outfits in the United States that gives boxers from all over the opportunity they deserve. Having trouble with your boxer’s stagnant world rating? Call Sean Gibbons. Can’t seem to get the big breaks? Call Sean Gibbons. Being given the run-around by a scammer, give Sean Gibbons a call. You see, Gibbons is a do-it-all boxing man who is a big daddy to just about any major Filipino fighter. He has got a deep knowledge of the fight game since he used to fight during his heyday. But before you start conjuring up images of Gibbons battling it out with boxing’s marquee names, pinch yourself first. Gibbons never achieved greatness as a boxer. He was more of a pretender than a contender, having racked up a 14-7-3 win-loss-draw record with seven knockouts before finally calling it a day in 1996. He never even fought in Las Vegas and instead showcased his wares in obscurity, hopping into one small town and city after another. After spending his first five pro bouts in Oklahoma City, Gibbons brought his act elsewhere and in places he never knew existed: Hugo, Purcell, Waubeek. A year before he retired in 1995, Gibbons, now 56, even traveled to Germany and fought and lost by knockout to local boy Ruediger May. Two more bouts on American soil — the first in Des Moines, Iowa, and the second in Miles City, Montana — paved the way for one final stop in Denmark against Peter Madsen. Gibbons would lose that by stoppage again and decided that enough was enough. Pretty soon, Gibbons got himself doing odd jobs in boxing through a relative — uncle Pat O’ Grady — father to former world lightweight champion Sean O’Grady. “I got the boxing bug from him. I would set up the ring, help sell tickets and train fighters… I started from the bottom,” Gibbons, born in Long Beach, California, said, noting that the first fighter he trained was heavyweight Wimpy Halstead. Oftentimes, Gibbons “would jump in as one of the fighters in the card and I was able to travel the world.” He also got aligned with Top Rank and credits Hall of Fame Bruce Trampler and fight coordinator Pete Susens as his mentors and takes great pride in his close association with eight-division legend Manny Pacquiao. Gibbons actually came to the Pacquiao show rather late. But his seven-year stint working for Pacquiao was the most memorable, saying it doesn’t compare with the 35 other years of involvement with boxing. “Seven years I spent with him were better than the other 35 years,” Gibbons, who graduated from Simi Valley High, said. Gibbons revealed that after Australian banger Jeff Horn elbowed and butted and wrestled his way in carving out a controversial points win in Brisbane in July 2018, “Pacquiao had pretty much been left for dead by some people.” It was right at this time when Gibbons entered the scene as Pacquiao’s go-to-guy for meaningful fights while also providing other Filipino boxers the break they need to become successful. Gibbons didn’t disappoint and was instrumental in striking a deal for fights involving Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman that resulted in a “tremendous run.” The victory over Thurman would go down as an epic as it made Pacquiao the oldest to win a world welterweight crown in July 2019 in Las Vegas. Now that Pacquiao has sailed into the sunset, Gibbons is dedicating his time and effort to the betterment of the other talents under MP Promotions, the Pacquiao-owned company that has majority of the country’s top ring talent under contract. And this is where Gibbons wields his expertise and proof of his savvy can be seen on Jerwin Ancajas, Pedro Taduran, Rene Cuarto, Mark Magsayo and current two-belt world super-bantamweight titleholder Marlon Tapales. Also under Gibbons’ care are Jonas Sultan, Vincent Astrolabio, Jade Bornea and Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist and Asian Games silver medalist Eumir Marcial. Though not every one of them managed to win a world title, Gibbons draws utmost satisfaction from the helping hand that he had extended to them. “The most satisfying thing is to change lives of the fighters and take fighters who wouldn’t normally get these opportunities.” Also, Gibbons points to Pacquiao as a reason why he was able to pull it off. “I had the name Manny Pacquiao promotions and Manny Pacquiao was behind me but the biggest, biggest key was Al Haymon and he took my word for guys like Jerwin Ancajas, Mark Magsayo, Jonas Sultan and many, many others.” And there is no stopping Gibbons from doing the same thing especially when his clients’ welfare is on the line. A few months ago, Gibbons earned the ire of a state commission and got slapped with a ban. Still, Gibbons swears it is his way of showing that he always got his clients’ back. So how does he want people to remember him? “I would like to be remembered as someone who gave his all, no regrets. Just you know, when I work with someone, I put all my heart and soul into it. I got suspended for five for screaming at referees but I would like to be remembered for a guy who always had his client, fighters and boxers’ back and that when we went at it, we gave it our all.” If you end up going to war, you’d certainly want somebody like Sean Gibbons right by your side. The post POUND-FOR-POUND — Good guy Gibbons gives Filipino boxers the chance to shine appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Floyd Mayweather Jr. says Manny Pacquiao continues to fight because he has to
A little over five years after the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. bout, people still wonder if there's ever going to be a sequel. Since that highly-anticipated 2015 bout between arguably two of boxing's biggest stars, Pacquiao and Mayweather's careers have gone in vastly different directions. Following his 12-round loss to Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao beat Timothy Bradley in a trilogy bout, retired for half a year, and then came back to beat Jessie Vargas and capture the WBO Welterweight World Championship. Pacquiao would lose that title to Jeff Horn in a controversial decision in Australia, before bouncing back by beating Lucas Matthysse to become a world champion once again. Just last year, Pacquiao put on two impressive performances in his title defense over Adrien Broner and his WBO (Super) Welterweight World Championship-clinching win over Keith Thurman. Now, at 41 years old, Pacquiao is still in the conversation of top opponents for welterweight stars like Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. After beating Pacquiao, Mayweather Jr. wrapped his career up with a win over Andre Berto to retire undefeated in 2015. Two years later however, Mayweather Jr. came back and claimed his 50th professional boxing win after defeating UFC star Conor McGregor by tenth-round TKO in a big-money superfight. Save for a three-round exhibition bout against Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in Japan on New Year's Eve of 2018, Mayweather has remained retired. So whenever Pacquiao earns a big win or whenever Mayweather does anything remotely related to a boxing ring, rumbles of a rematch always begin to appear. Asked if he was interested in a rematch however, Mayweather sort of shot the idea down. Asked if a rematch against McGregor was on his radar, Mayweather told rapper Fat Joe that he was more interested in fighting guys who has whole countries behind him. "I’m a businessman now. I already proved, years and years ago, that I was the best, period. I’m talking pound-for-pound, I already proved all of that," Mayweather Jr. said. "At my age now, I’m a businessman, so I’m not gonna be out there competing and fighting guys that only got a small city behind them. You got a lot of American fighters that are good, but they got little cities behind them. I’mma fight guys that got a whole country behind them. So, I know I can demand and get what I want to get." "So that's Pacquiao?" Fat Joe responded, looking for clarification. Mayweather Jr. responded by saying that he made more in the McGregor fight. (READ: Pac-Mac at super middleweight? Conor McGregor has interesting response to Manny Pacquiao's birthday greeting) "Listen, I made more with McGregor," Mayweather Jr. said. "My faculties and everything that I got comes first. We just talked about “Your health is your wealth”, and that’s why I got this towel on, I was working out today." "Money" followed up by saying that the difference between himself and Pacquiao is that Pacquiao needs to keep fighting. "Pacquiao fight because he have to. Once again, I fight if I want to, so there’s a difference." Was that a no? Was it a maybe? What did Mayweather Jr.'s statements mean? Mayweather Jr. also hit back at those saying that Pacquiao wasn't in his prime when they met back in 2015. "We keep on saying ‘at our prime’, I’m older than Pacquiao by two years. We keep on saying ‘in your prime’. When I beat Pacquiao, they say he wasn’t in his prime. I’m older than [him]. When I fought Oscar de la Hoya, me and Oscar, we both was in our thirties. They keep on…no matter what happens, it’s never good enough for anyone." Right now, it appears that the 50-0 fighter is happy staying retired, but he did share that he has something cooking alongside Japanese promotion Rizin for this year. .....»»
On This Day: Manny Pacquiao beats Keith Thurman to become WBA (Super) Welterweight World Champion
Today, even at 41-years of age, eight-division boxing world champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao remains a sought-after target in boxing’s stacked welterweight division. It’s not because he’s an aging big name that’s over the hill. Rather, it’s because that even at his advanced age (in terms of boxing), Pacquiao remains one of the best in the world and is still a legend that anyone would love to have on their professional record. The attention that Pacquiao is getting now, is thanks largely in part to a performance he put a year ago wherein he stunned an erstwhile-undefeated champion in Keith “One Time” Thurman. The Lead Up Prior to getting matched up with Thurman, Pacquiao showed flashes that even in his 40s, he was still a force to be reckoned with. In January of 2019, Pacquiao returned to action and successfully defended his WBA (Regular) Welterweight World Championship against Adrien Broner in a one-sided unanimous decision. As impressive as that was, the quality of opponent that Broner was still gave people doubts as to if Pacquiao could compete with the best of the best in the division. By May of 2019, it was confirmed that up next for Pacquiao would be a shot at then-unbeaten Thurman, the reigning WBA (Super) Welterweight World Champion. Once the fight was announced, it didn’t take long for Thurman to unleash a barrage of trash talk aimed at the Pinoy icon. Thurman spoke about ending Pacquiao’s career and crucifying Pacquiao inside the ring, among other things. Pacquiao remained his usual, soft-spoken self, but the people around him confirmed that Thurman’s words did indeed light a fire under the sport’s only eight-division titleholder. Fight Night Heading into the bout, people believed that Thurman, who was a full-decade younger than Pacquiao, would likely outwork the Pinoy star and early on, it looked to be the case. That was until Pacquiao dropped Thurman in the opening round, which set the tone for the 12-round contest. The two top-tier welterweights battled back and forth in the succeeding rounds, before Pacquiao once again landed big, connecting on a body shot in the 10th round. After 12 rounds, Pacquiao walked away with a 113-114, 115-112, 115-112 split decision victory. The Aftermath Following Pacquiao’s stellar performance over Thurman, it was clear to many that while he may no longer be in his prime, he was still good enough to be among the elite. As such, names like Mikey Garcia, Errol Spence Jr., Josh Taylor, and even Terence Crawford all want a piece of Pacman. After absorbing just the first loss of his career, Thurman is raring to run it back with Pacquiao and has, on multiple occasions, called for a rematch. .....»»
Mikey Garcia confident he can give Manny Pacquiao problems inside the ring
Four-division world champion Mikey Garcia is confident that he can give Filipino boxing star and eight-division world champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao problems inside the ring, if they do get matched up. Garcia has long been a name linked to Pacquiao as a possible opponent, and while the American top contender understands the magnitude of a possible Pacquiao versus Terence Crawford bout, he still would like to have the opportunity to share the ring with Pinoy boxing icon. Garcia is coming off a decision win over former world champion Jessie Vargas, bouncing back from his first and only career loss to IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol Spence Jr. back in March of 2019. The 32-year old sees a potential Pacquiao bout as a better matchup for him, given physical differences compared to Spence. "He doesn’t have the height and reach advantage like Errol, so I think that makes it a better fight for me,” Garcia told Fox Sports (via BoxingScene.com). “I know he’s going to engage and I know he’s going to fight hard. He’s a great fighter. He's a living legend, and I would love to add that to my resume.” Much like most fighters today, Garcia sees facing the legendary Pacquiao as a way to boost their legacy, apart from the challenge of course. “Fighting the great Manny Pacquiao would be tremendous for my legacy," said Garcia. At 41 years old, it’s hard to claim that Pacquiao is still in his peak, but what he did prove was that he was still one of the best in the world, as evidenced by his performances against Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman in 2019. Those two wins, especially the one against Thurman, has made Pacquiao a coveted bout for the welterweight division’s best. Garcia, who’s undoubtedly one of the division’s top contenders, believes that he can defeat Pacquiao, who’s the reigning WBA (Super) Welterweight World Champion. "If I'm capable of securing a victory over him and that definitely adds to what I want to accomplish with my legacy and those big triumphs. I’m excited if we can get that fight, that would be the best fight,” Garcia stated. “I know there are other opportunities for him, there's other options that you mentioned like Keith Thurman, maybe Errol Spence or Danny Garcia. I'm sure all of these are big fights for Manny, but I would love the opportunity as well. It's a great fight, the fanbase would love that. I have a lot of fans and he’s obviously the biggest draw,” Garcia added. While Pacquiao is among those seriously being discussed for Crawford’s return later this year, a bout against Garcia still isn’t out of the realm of possibility, and Garcia says that if he does get the fight, he won’t squander the opportunity to do something big. "So I think it would be a great fight. If I get that, I’m definitely taking care of business and I'm not gonna let this pass me by. I hope we secure that and look forward to it,” Garcia said, even comparing himself to a former Pacquiao rival in Juan Manuel Marquez. “I can fight really well. I feel that my boxing style can complicate things a lot for him similar to the way Marquez complicated things for Manny in all those fights." .....»»
41-year old Manny Pacquiao shows off uncanny hand speed
In his prime, eight-division boxing champion Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao was known for his speed. Now, at 41 years old, the "Pacman" may no longer be at the peak of his powers, but it's evident that he's still one of the best in the world, especially after wins over the likes of Adrien Broner and the previously undefeated Keith Thurman. Currently the reigning WBA (Super) Welterweight World Champion, Pacquiao remains one of the most sought-after opponents by today's top champions and contenders, all of them significantly younger than the Pinoy boxing legend. It's not because Pacquiao is in the tail end of his career, but it's because even at this age, Pacquiao is still one of the world's greatest, and clips like these show why: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Manny Pacquiao (@mannypacquiao) on Jun 26, 2020 at 2:10am PDT Pacquiao shared a post of himself hitting the punching bag with uncanny hand speed, something that most 40-year olds could only dream of having. This is why, even at this stage of his career, Pacquiao is being discussed as a possible opponent for the some of today's pound-for-pound best like Terence Crawford and Gennady Golovkin. Could Pacquiao be back in the gym training for an upcoming fight? .....»»
Mikey Garcia still wants Manny Pacquiao fight, says Pac-Crawford would be big
As eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao’s boxing career presumably nears its twilight, each fight that the Filipino boxing legend has becomes more and more special. After the 41-year old’s impressive performances against Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman in 2019, many believe that Pacquiao - while no longer in his prime - can still very much hang with the best of them inside the ring. As such, a who’s who of boxing stars have been discussed as potential future Pacquiao opponents, from the likes of welterweight champions Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford, even much bigger guys like middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin. Among those names, while arguably not as high-profile, is that of Mikey Garcia. Garcia has an impressive 40-1 professional record with 30 wins coming by knockout. In that 41-fight stretch, he’s managed to capture world titles in the featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight, and welterweight divisions. He has also beaten former Pacquiao opponents in Broner and Jessie Vargas. His lone loss was against reigning IBF Welterweight World Champion Spence. Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s long-time trainer, has said that he likes the idea of a Pacquiao-Garcia matchup. Garcia, for his part, says that Pacquiao indeed remains his top target once he can return to the ring. “We haven’t discussed any names, everything got put on hold,” Garcia said in an interview with FightHype.com. “That would be my number one name, the target I would go after, but we have no clue.” Garcia admits that he has no idea as to how things might play out in the future, but maintains that he still does want a fight with “Pacman.” “Originally, we talked about it, his team was excited for it, now, being that all this happened, who knows? He might want to take something else. He might want to fight someone else. He might just decide to retire, I don’t know, I have no control over what he decides to do. But if he’s still available by the time boxing resumes, then I will definitely be excited for a fight with him.” While Garcia has long been linked to Pacquiao, a name that’s getting a lot of traction now is fellow welterweight Crawford, the reigning WBO Welterweight World Champion and one of the best pound for pound today. Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s former long-time promoter and CEO of Top Rank Boxing has spoken about the possibility of a Pacquiao-Crawford clash, and Crawford himself also has the Pinoy boxing icon in his sights. While it certainly might not do him any favors, Garcia knows just how massive a Pacquiao-Crawford bout will be. “Him and Crawford, I saw the Instagram posts, Twitter and stuff. I think that would be a big fight for both, meaning that Pacquiao - at his age - he already proved to everybody just by beating [Keith] Thurman, so people are still kind of like ‘Wow!’, surprised that that that happened the way it did.” “I think Crawford has all the skills and talent to make it an awkward, difficult fight for Pacquiao based on height and reach and his IQ, so I think it would be a great fight for both. Can Pacquiao do it one more time? After beating Thurman, can he do it again? Back-to-back against Crawford? Or is he now finally too old to do it? That’s the question,” Garcia added. The 32-year old California-native even went on to say that after the Thurman bout, he believes Pacquiao can be the one to end Crawford’s undefeated streak. “I would probably still side with Manny. A little while ago, I think Crawford would have won, but after seeing [versus Thurman], I’m kind of leaning towards Manny, and only because of what I’ve seen with Thurman. Prior to that, I would have said Crawford.” As for challenging fighters in heavier weight divisions, Garcia believes that Pacquiao has what it takes to play with the big boys, so to speak. “He’s already fought up to 154, I think two fights at 154 or right under 154, so if he wants to fight some of the bigger guys, or make them come down to 156, 154, he might be able to pull it off,” he stated. Even a crazy superfight at middleweight? Like one against GGG? “He’s done it all, so I wouldn’t be surprised. F*ck it, do it! Go for it. He’s already a legend as it is, and he’ll only be greater if he accomplishes something like that. That feat would be f*ckin’ undeniable, one of the greatest achievements in boxing,” Garcia concluded......»»
Freddie Roach advises against Manny Pacquiao going up to 160-pounds for Golovkin bout
At 41 years of age, eight-division boxing world champion and reigning WBA (Super) Welterweight World Champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao has shown that he can still hang with the best in the world. Pacquiao is coming off a masterful victory over Adrien Broner and then handed the erstwhile-undefeated Keith Thurman his first career loss to capture the WBA’s primary welterweight crown. Now, the Filipino boxing legend continues to draw attention from potential opponents. Former long-time Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank Boxing has spoken about the possibility of a massive welterweight unification bout between Pacquiao and reigning WBO Welterweight World Champion Terence “Bud” Crawford, while WBC Welterweight World Champion Errol Spence Jr. has also been touted as a possible opponent. (READ ALSO: Manny Pacquiao has been on Terence Crawford’s radar since 2015) Long-time Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach has also weighed in on some potential future Pacquiao opponents. Speaking to Chris Mannix on his DAZN podcast, Roach mentioned the likes of Mikey Garcia and Robert Garcia as fights he likes for “Pacman”. "Mikey Garcia has called him out a couple of times, I think that’s a good fight for him, of course,” Roach said. "Robert called him out on one of your shows, that made me smile because I like that fight for Manny, I think it’s a great fight.” The biggest name - literally and figuratively -being thrown around as a possible Pacquiao opponent is that of reigning IBF and IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin. "The thing is Manny maybe might want to go a little higher and fight GGG or one of those guys who is supposed to be one of the best in the world today,” Roach shared. The hard-hitting Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KO) has ruled the 160-pound division since capturing the WBA (Regular) Middleweight Championship in 2010. Golovkin went on to rack up 17 more wins and capture the WBO, WBC, and IBF titles to become, at one point, the undisputed middleweight champion of the world. Golovkin suffered his lone loss against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in 2018. Since then, ‘GGG’ had reclaimed the IBF crown and captured the IBO crown. "There are always good fights out there. The one thing about Manny is he doesn’t want to beat anybody, he wants to beat the best out there. He wants to fight the top guys," Roach said. "Pacquiao still desires to be the best there is,” Roach added. A match-up with Golovkin would require Pacquiao to jump up to at over at least 154-pounds. The heaviest that Pacquiao has gone in his career is 144.6-pounds when he defeated Antonio Margarito for the WBC Super Welterweight World Championship back in 2010. Pacquiao has since remained at welterweight for the remainder of his career. "I would not advise him to go 160-pounds, that would be a little crazy. But putting him at 147 lbs was a risk at one time," Roach stated. A dream match against the much bigger Golovkin could bring Pacquiao his unparalleled ninth world title in as many weight divisions, but it’s not without its risks. Watch the full interview with roach HERE. .....»»
Get kids jabbed versus pertussis, parents urged
Get kids jabbed versus pertussis, parents urged.....»»
Gathering of champions
The stars descended on the Okada Grand Ballroom last Sunday as former world boxing champions gathered to celebrate the launch of the 1st Pacquiao-Elorde Awards Night with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman as guest of honor and speaker......»»
PMI, ARQ, ZIP Sanman boxers feted in first Elorde-Pacquiao Boxing Awards
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Central Visayas was well-represented during the inaugural Elorde-Pacquiao Boxing Awards at Okada Manila last Sunday, March 24th. This was after 13 of Central Visayas’ best boxers from Cebu and Bohol were feted for their achievements in 2023. They were headed by none other than former World Boxing Organization (WBO) world minimumweight.....»»
'How do you deal with a neighbour...': Jaishankar slams Pakistan over 'industry level' terrorism
Singapore, March 24 (ANI): Emphasising the complex situation of dealing with a neighbour like Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that Islamabad uses terrorism as an instrument of statecraft and does not even hide from the fact. He affirmed that India will not skirt this problem anymore and the mood in the country is not to overlook the issue of terrorism. The EAM, who is in Singapore as part of his thre.....»»
DepEd s SHS vouchers fall short of decongesting public schools, helping poor learners
"It's a waste that we don't solve the problem of congestion because we are randomly giving the voucher program to students," the senator said......»»
Br. Manny’s Playground 2
Br. Manny’s Playground 2.....»»
'How do you deal with a neighbour...': Jaishankar slams Pakistan over 'industry level' terrorism
Singapore, March 24 (ANI): Emphasising the complex situation of dealing with a neighbour like Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that Islamabad uses terrorism as an instrument of statecraft and does not even hide from the fact. He affirmed that India will not skirt this problem anymore and the mood in the country is not to overlook the issue of terrorism. The EAM, who is in Singapore as part of his thre.....»»
Earth Hour 2024 Calls for Filipinos to Switch Off Lights and Switch Off Single-use Plastics
Filipinos can help in solving two of our planet’s biggest problems, biodiversity loss, and climate change, by doing their part in conserving energy and putting an end to the problem of plastic pollution. Earth Hour 2024, set on March 23, Saturday will once again bring together millions of people across the world so they can […].....»»
Stars galore in Bacolod
Like their kuyas in the PBA All-Star Game, the league’s young guns have no intention of wearing kid gloves when they duke it out in the Team Greats versus Team Stalwarts match today at the University of St. La Salle......»»
Miracles of a medal from Paris
There’s a small chapel in the center of Paris which I visit without fail every time I find myself back in the city. The trip happens, no matter if it’s for crucial work or a laid-back holiday, regardless of the changing seasons and the length of stay. It is but imperative I drop by as a thanksgiving pilgrimage for safely bringing me back to one of my favorite destinations. [caption id="attachment_148667" align="aligncenter" width="525"] A facade detail of the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal | Photo by Guilhem Vellut (CC BY 2.0)[/caption] Situated in the historical less-than-a-kilometer-long street named Rue du Bac, it seems to have an enigmatic yet magnetic force that pulls me to a right turn to face the welcoming arch, where I once again lay my eyes on the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. With the famed address of #140, it used to be a part of the Hotel de Châtillon, the once-upon-a-time home of French nobility and aristocracy. [caption id="attachment_148666" align="aligncenter" width="800"] The Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal | Photo by Ketounette (CC BY-SA 4.0)[/caption] Formally called The Chapel of Graces of the Miraculous Virgin, it was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and served as the Motherhouse of the Order of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. Colored with a storied past, the most popular association with the house of prayer is Catherine Labouré, a simple farmer’s daughter. She was just nine years old when her mother passed on. It is said that she, whenever she passed by a favorite statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, kissed it while uttering the words, “Now you will be my mother.” [caption id="attachment_148660" align="aligncenter" width="287"] PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF Public Domain | SAINT Catherine Labouré.[/caption] At age 24, the then-novice of the order, Labouré received three visits from Mary the Mother of God. The last apparition was revealed on 27 November 1830. During her evening meditation, Mary with a ray of light in her hands appeared inside an oval frame, standing upon a globe, with the words, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” As the image rotated, a depiction of 12 stars, a large letter M surmounted by a cross, and the stylized Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary underneath likewise manifested. Our Lady then requested the dear Sister to “Get a medal struck after this model. Those who wear it when it is blessed will receive great graces, especially if they wear it about the neck. Graces will be abundant for those who have confidence.” [caption id="attachment_148668" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] The incorrupt body of Saint Catherine Labouré[/caption] Adrien-Jean-Maximilien Vachette, an official jeweler of Louis XVIII’s court, was tasked with this monumental task. He began with a modest batch of 2,000 medals. [caption id="attachment_148658" align="aligncenter" width="525"] The Miraculous Medal | Photo by Xhienne (CC BY-SA 3.0)[/caption] The Daughters of Charity started to don these more-than-just-a-talisman and handed them out to the elderly and sick. In quick succession, miraculous cures and healings swept the community. This caused a clamor for this coveted object not only in France, but throughout the world. Not long after, it has been dubbed as the Miraculous Medal. Upon hearing these stories, the Archbishop of Paris requested for the first-print run, while Pope Gregory XVI notably placed one on his desk crucifix. During the World War II, 10 million civilians and military members signed up to be a part of Mary’s Kneeling Army of Prayer, who all wore the medal as they prayed for peace and protection of America’s defenders. Those who returned from war have credited their well-being through this act of grace. Here are five details you should appreciate during you visit to the hallowed ground: Reimagine Visions: Altar’s Fresco Situated on an arc just above the main altar, the painting shows the Virgin Mary sitting on a chair, talking to the young Labouré herself, as both are surrounded by angels in a starry evening backdrop. Miracle Bringer: Mary’s Chair The postulant Sister witnessed the Mother of God in her regal flowing robes on a chapel seat. This red-lined chaplain chair remains in the church, where it has become instrumental for several miracles. Whisper Prayers: Gilded Altar The grand altar stands at a cove, with a huge statue of the Mother of Mankind with a gleaming crown of lights that reflects the rays of the sun, reminiscent of her radiant apparitions in the past. [caption id="attachment_148659" align="aligncenter" width="525"] The altar of the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal | © Peter Potrowl (CC BY-SA 4.0)[/caption] Pay Respects: Labouré’s Remains See the golden glass coffin with the incorrupt body of Saint Catherine Labouré, which has not decomposed. Above is another sculpture of the Virgin atop some clouds while holding a globe. Religious Pilgrimage: Marillac and de Paul The bones of Saint Louise de Marillac are contained in a wax effigy, while a reliquary carries the heart of Saint Vincent de Paul. They both co-founded the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. [caption id="attachment_148669" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] A wax effigy of Saint Louise de Marillac[/caption] These are our five magical postcards. What’s yours? The post Miracles of a medal from Paris appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»