Religious Antique Relic in Lakewood, Zamboanga Peninsula for sale

Deskripsiyon
This is a more than 200 years old statue of San Antonio de Padua or Saint Anthony of Padua.
Wood: possible Brazilian Rosewood; carved polychromed wood
date: more than 200 years ago
found: Zamboanga (Mindanao), Philippines
current location of religious relic: Zamboanga City, Philippines
obtained by: family inheritance
A brief history:
My great great grandfather set out to hunt for food in the mountains of Mindanao (Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines). It was a usual routine of his; but, on that particular day of hunting there was a storm and he could not find his way back home. It was already dark and he seemed lost from his usually path and to add to such difficulty, it was stormy. He did not expect to be too far from home and he was not prepared to such storm. He did not even brought a lamp. He tried to look for the way but he just got farther. Eventually, when daylight came, he was totally oblivious of his surroundings and indeed he was lost. He left his family at home so he was determined to find his way back home. Unfortunately, he was strayed more and more away from his home. The mountain and jungle seemed to be an endless maze. He was lost for 10 years in the mountain (although he already lost track of time and day). Every day for 9 years he tried finding his way home but odds seemed to be endless to find the right path. He travelled only by foot. Sometimes he would be able to have a sea view. Sometimes he would end up in a cliff and below is just sea water. One day, at his amazement, he saw a vessel. From a far view of his, he thought he saw three people riding the vessel. His hope of going back home rekindled. He know that these people could save him since it has been years (he lost count of the days but he knew it was very long time since he had seen his home and other people). Looking at the vessel, he followed it and he went down the mountain heading to the direction of the possible rescuer that he saw. When he reached the shore, he was puzzled to find huge plank of wood with three statues because from afar it really looked human and a small ship. He picked up three statues and took his chances on just embarking the plank of wood and float out to sea. He took some coconuts and fruits for food. He remained adrift at sea for 7 nights and 6 days. On the 7 day, he arrived at the shore of Labuan (presently part of Zamboanga City).
To the bewilderment of people who found him, they could not believe that he was alive. It has been 10 years, and they thought he was long gone, perhaps eaten by wild animals in the mountains. His beard was already below his chest (almost near his navel). His wife he left for 10 years at home already married to another man and already had children. Nobody expected that he was alive since they are aware that the mountain is a treacherous place to be lost in since it has intertwined puzzling paths.
He told his story of his adventures to find his way home and how he found the three statues. Accordingly, a missionary priest asked him one of the statues (“The Lourdesâ€) and the plank of wood he used to remain adrift at sea. The San Antonio de Padua he kept (it is the statue now in our possession by inheriting it from our grandfather (my mom’s father)) and the Virgin Mary statue is presently with a relative of my grandfather which they also inherited from their ancestors (a family of my great great grandfather). Supposedly we have to rotate the two statues among the family tree as such as what they did decades ago but despite time and distance, the statues permanently stayed safely in our home. There were also attempts years back of people trying to steal and sell the statues that we own. There was even a time a foreign antique collector offered 1 million pesos to by the San Antonio Padua for collection. There were also other offers from people who are into witch crafts, amulets, and potion-making. Our family had kept it safe for so long now.
The last news we received regarding the third statue (The Lourdes) and the wood, they are now in Rome, Italy. The priest brought is there. Some say he sold it there. We been searching for so long for the Lourdes hoping to be able to reunite the three statues because these are already religious relics and somehow part of the Philippine heritage.
When my grandfather (my mother’s father) died, my mother asked on his deathbed to give the statue to her as a form of inheritance since my grandfather is a poor man. He has no material possession of great value; only the statue of San Antonio de Padua which I believe is priceless since it has been centuries in the possession of our family.
The story of how my great great grandfather acquired the statues was a story passed by family to family especially to those who will be inheriting the statue. Honestly, I am a skeptical person but knowing such statue is in our possession and it has been centuries, I would say that this statue that we have in our possession (San Antonio de Padua) is genuine and legitimate. People tried to persuade us to give them the statue, but my aunts and uncles, including my mother, somehow hoards the statue because they believe that it is worth keeping since it has been in the family for so long.
Claims about the San Antonio de Padua statue that we have:
- can help you find lost things and animals. According to my grandfather, they use the statue to help them find lost things and animals. They usually lit a candle and give a short prayer. The flame of the candle will flicker to the direction of the lost object and points to the direction of the object
- when they pray, they would easily find lost things
- praying to it would also help relieve sickness and diseases such as cancer
- people who possess it lives longer. My grandfather was the last person who died among his family and siblings. He died of a natural death (of old age) without encountering serious diseases
- usually keeps our home safe.
- there was a time, when the room it was placed was burned, the statue did not burn and remained intact
- it has healing powers
- the Baby Jesus would often get lost (as if it would walk) and they would find it inside the rice container, under the table, inside the pot, or under the bed. (This was during the years it was with my uncle --- brother of my mother).
- it also help solve problems such as money and relationships (which I honestly profess are true)

The Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Anthony de Padua on June 13, the day he died in the year 1231. The popular belief about the saint is that he can find lost things for us. Tradition reveals that Anthony lost his missal one day and felt very sad until an angel brought it back to him. But the saint is also known as a miracle worker because he seems to be able to solve all kinds of problems like sickness and even financial difficulties.
According to some historians, Valentine’s Day in the Philippines has no roots in tradition, belonging only to recent times. The traditional advocate of Filipino lovers was San Antonio de Padua, to whom Filipino girls prayed to find a true lover or to recover a straying one.
Theories about the origin of the statues:
a. It appeared miraculously at shore to help my great great grandfather to find his way back home since for 10 years he never missed praying and hoping that he would one day go back home to his family and that he would be spared to all harm in finding his way and for the rest of his life. (Our family believes in this claim)
b. The statues came from Spanish vessels or ships that were destroyed by Moro pirates. According to some historians and some researches I did, Spanish in the early centuries tried to convert Mindanao to Christianity. Unfortunately there were struggles and difficulties faced to convert Muslim tribes in Mindanao which were also linked to other Muslim tribes from Southeast Asia. Perhaps the statues belonged to Spanish invaders who tried to spread Christianity in the Philippines and was shipwrecked at sea or the people who possessed it before experienced resistance from the locale and the chaos and wreckage, the statues remained adrift at sea until my great great grandfather found it and brought it back home. Perhaps this is something considerably miraculous too since what are the chances and possibilities could have happened for him to find those statues drifting to shore towards him and somehow help him find his way back home unharmed due to divine intervention.
supported article:
Most Philippine communities, with the exception of the Muslim sultanates in the Sulu archipelago and Mindanao, were fairly small without a great deal of centralized authority. Authority of Muslim sultanates governing Mindanao at that time was wielded by variety of individuals including headmen or the datu, warriors of great military prowess, and individuals who possessed spiritual power or magical healing abilities. The Spanish were unsuccessful in converting Muslim Sultanates to Christianity, and in fact warred with Muslim Filipinos throughout their 300 year colonial rule from 1521 to 1898. Islam had been present in the southern Philippines since some time between the 10th and 12th century. It slowly spread north throughout the archipelago particularly in coastal areas. Had it not been for Spanish intervention, the Philippines would likely have been a mostly Muslim area.
Ciudad de Zamboanga became the main headquarters of the Spaniards in 1634 upon approval of King Philip IV of Spain.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamboanga_City#cite_note-early_history_1500.27s-16 Thousands of Spanish troops headed by a Governor General from Spain took the approval to build the first Zamboanga fortress (now called Fort Pilar) in Ciudad de Zamboanga to forestall enemies in Mindanao like Moro pirates and other foreign invaders. The Zamboanga fortress became the main focus of a number of battles between Moros, Chinese and Spaniards while the Spanish ruled the region from 16th to 18th centuries. While the region was already dominated by Catholicism, Muslims kept up a protracted struggle against the ruling Spaniards in the country into the 18th century.
In the Year 1831, the Custom house in Ciudad de Zamboanga was established as a port, and it became the main port for direct communication, trading some goods and other services to most of Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
If you are interested to see the statue, feel free to contact us.
We just want to share this to the rest of the world