Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

It all began with the birth of Maria Bernarda Balitaan who when she was born from her mother's womb was inside some kind of "bolang lamad" (a kind of soft tissue ball). This "ball" was given to the mother's cousin and she was ordered to throw the "ball" away. The cousin didn't throw it away because she felt that something is stopping her to do so. Instead she brought it to the Holy Mountain and left it there. She eventually returned three days later to the mountain and gave the ball to a midwife who broke it. Lo and behold, there was a little girl inside the ball.

Click image to enlarge.

Given this "mysterious and enchanted" beginnings, Maria Bernarda Balitaan would manifest extraordinary actions since she was three. Later in her life, she reached Mt. Banahaw and it was here that the samahan was established in 1873. Maria Bernarda Balitaan is believed to have been sent by the Lord Jesus in preparation of his second coming.

According to other sources the foundress of the ‘Ciudad Mistica de Dios’, Maria Bernarda Balitaan, was a Benedictine nun who left her convent to found the indigenous religious movement, and is now venerated by her followers as a saint.

Her lasting words were an assurance of religious salvation: “That a white dove shall descend from above and land at several chosen places to sow the seeds of change; that one day, a piece of bamboo would suddenly shoot up from the top of Banahaw from which a golden Philippine flag shall emerge, and from which a New Jerusalem similar to that of St. John’s vision would be formed.”

Click image to enlarge. Suprema Isabel Suarez.

Suprema Isabel Suarez.

After Suprema Maria Bernarda Baltaan died, other women were appointed Supremas. The actual Suprema, Isabel Suarez, says that the samahan do not discrimate against men who could also be appointed as Supremo; however, leadership of the samahan has always been with women until today. Since its beginnings, they have had women priests in the samahan who are tasked with officiating their liturgical celebrations. Priests do not necessarily have to be celibates, but Nanay Isabel chose not to marry.

A portrait of Suprema Isabel Suarez when she was younger.

Isabel Suarez took over as Suprema when she was 22 years old. When she was young she wanted to become a doctor. Despite the strong exhortations of her father - who served as guardian to the samahan - and the elders of the association who were unanimous in choosing her as Suprema, she refused and continued to live in Manila hoping to become a doctor. Then she got sick and for 20 days she was confined to a hospital where the doctor could not diagnose her with an illness.

Ultimately, her father visited Isabel in the hospital and advised her to try to climb the Holy Mountain. Upon reaching the top she felt that her body has fully recovered. She realized that her illness was connected to her refusal to become the Suprema. So she decided to accept the samahan's offer to become their new Suprema. She eventually also became a healer but because she has so much work in the samahan she leaves the healing to other members of the community.

Click image to enlarge.

A painting of Mount Banahaw and the Holy Places inside the National Park. People believe that Mount Banahaw is the New Jerusalem.

Source: Marc Greggy and Karl Gaspar with some minor corrections.

Comments

[Jay]

To all my co-members, let me remind all of us.., alam natin na sa pasimula pa lamang ng pagkakatatag at pagiging myembro natin na hindi maaring ikalakal ang ating samahan o mag-akit ng sino man o magpakita ng intensyon sa iba upang ma-engganyo na umanib sa ating samahang kinabibilangan, kahit sa ano mang grupo, sa filipina, asiatica, del ciudad at ilan pang samahan sa pangalan ng ating Ina. Batid din po natin na ang nagiging myembro ng samahan ay sa ibat ibang pamamaraan ng pagtawag ng ating Ina sa Pananampalataya. Ang paglalagay sa ibat ibang networking site ay isang paraan ng promotion, kaya ito po sa aking palagay ay bawal sa Doktrina ng samahan. Dahil po sa bilis ng teknolohiya hindi natin mapipigilan na may mag-feature sa ating samahan, ang magagawa na lamang po natin bilang mga myembro ay itama ang maling pahayag o pagsulat tungkol sa samahan. Subalit huwag na po nating ibigay ang ating contacts o ipahayag na mas maraming malalaman kung tayo ang tatawagan. Muli alam po natin na ito ay labag sa Doktrina ng samahan. 

Maraming salamat po at naway kung may nasabi akong mali ay ang inyong kapatawaran. 

[Jay]

let me correct the photos on this blog., The one on the caption saying "A portrait of Suprema Isabel Suarez when she was younger" actually, the one on the portrait is the foundress of Mistica, Nanay Maria Bernarda Balitaan. I am a member of this group, so i know it. Thanks.

[maximino a balingit]

kung nais ninyong makipag-ugnayan o nais malaman hinggil sa pagkakaisa ng mga mistica tumawag o magtxt sa mga sumusunod 09183859129,09236004883 at 09399148531 hanapin si kuya max
panahon na upang magbago ang ating bayan PAG-IBIG lamang ang sulosyon upang mawala ang gulo...

[maximino a balingit]

ang pagkakatatag ng samahang mistica sa pilipinas ay katuparan lamang ng hula ni juan sa apocalipsis ang pagbati sa pitong iglesia sa asia.May roong 7 iglesia o pitong mistica na nakatayo dito sa pilipinas na iisa ang fundadora o kinikilalang ina sa pananampalataya ang MARIA BERNARDA BALITAAN na ang layunin nito ay wakasan ang kasamaan sa mundong ito na inihasik ng palalong si LUZBER.Katuparan lamang ito ng pangako ng dios sa paraiso na walang iba na babae ang dudurog sa ulo ng ahas at ang ahas dudurugin niya ang sakong ng babae,ang pitong iglesia ang kahalintulad ng 7 prinsipe na lumaban sa langit upang ipagtanggol ang kaharian ng dios.Ngayon sinasabi sa apocalipsis sa aba ninyong nasa lupa si satanas ay nariyan na dala ang matinding galit.kailangang magkaisa ang 7 mistica kasama ang buong mamamayan ng pilipinas labanan natin ang kasamaan dito sa mundo sa pamamagitan ng PAG IBIG at PAGKAKAISA na tanging susi upang mawala ang gulo sa mundong ito.Pag-ibig na mag mumula sa ating mahal na ina na siyang sandata natin sapagkat...may hihigit pa ba sa pagmamahal ng isang ina sa kanyang mga anak?panahon na mga kapatid magkaisa tayo hindi reliheyon ang sulosyon imulat natin ang ating isipan alisin ang ulap na nakatakip sa ating isipan na dala ng mga dayuhang pananampalataya.meron tayong INA sa pananampalataya na handa tayong tulungan upang tayo ay magtagumpay kailanman ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.lahat ng tao ay galing sa INA kayat tanggapin natin ngayon na meron tayong ina na siyang hangganan ng lahat nating suliranin...magkaisa tayo mag-ibigan upang makamit natin ang kapayapaan sa mundo...

[Jose Joram Balingit]

its Suprema Isabel Suarez not (Alvarez)im a proud member of this Religion..lets talk...09228489141

[MAXIMINO A BALINGIT]

MARIA BERNARDA BALITAAN.siya ang ikatlong persona o DIOS ISPIRITO SANTO na ipinangako ni jesus o ISPIRITUNG MANGAALIW juan 14-16,17 at akoy dadalangin sa ama at kayoy bibigyan niya ng ibang mangaaliw upang siyang sumainyo magpakailan man.sa makatuwid bagay ang ispiritu ng katotohanan na hindi matatanggap ng sanlibutan sapagkat hindi nito nakikita ni nakikilala man siya siyay makikilala nyo sapagkat tumatahan sa inyo at sasa inyo.BABAENG DUDUROG SA ULO NG AHAS na ipinangako ng dios sa paraiso ng tuksuhin ng palalong arkanghel si eva.ang MARIA BERNARDA BALITAAN ina ng lahing pilipino upang bawiin ang lahing tao sa pagkakaalipin ni satanas.babaeng ipainangako sa paraiso.GEN.3-14,15 at sinabi ng panginoong dios sa ahas,sapagkat ginawa mo ito,sumpain ka ng higit sa lahat ng hayop at ng higit sa bawat ganid sa parang;ang iyong tiyan ang ilalakad mo at alabok ang iyong kakanin sa lahat ng araw ng iyong buhay.at pag aalitin ko ikaw at ang babae,ang iyong binhi at ang kanyang binhi,ito ang dudurog ng iyong ulo at ikaw ang dudurog ng kanyang sakong.Mga kapatid panahon na upang makilala natin na isang babae ang ipinangako ng dios upang wakasan ang kasamaan ni satanas isang Ina na mag aakay sa kanyang mga anak upang ibalik ang tao sa paraiso.hanapin natin o makipag ugnayan tayo sa mga taong mahiwaga o mistica na siyang bagong angkan dito sa bayang pilipinas.itinatag ang IGLESIA MISTICA FILIPINA dito sa ating bayan upang maipaalam sa buong mundo na narito sa pilipinas ang ikatlong persona na walang iba kundi ang ating mahal na ina KGG.ALTISIMA FUNDADORA MISTICA MARIA BERNARDA BALITAAN...

KUYA MAX
obispo SIRMI
(STA IGLESIA ROSA MISTICA INC.)

[kristoffer delosreyes]

kung interesado tayo upang malaman talaga kung ano ang kahulugan ng pananampalataya nasa sa atin din yun,.
hindi natin kailangan ng mga tao na magapapaliwanag at magtuturo sa atin,.
madami na sa kasalukuyang panahon ang lumalabas na iba't ibang relihiyon,
pero hindi natin alam kung alin ba ang nagsasabi ng totoo,
Pero ako alam kop na at nakita ko na ang totoo,.
sa matagal na panahon na ito ay nakatatag kakaunti pa rin ang nakakasumpong,.,
sabi ng mons.Damaso S.Cabral,
"ang tunay na ginto ay hindi inilalako"
ang simbahang Iglesia Misitica Filipina sa BAyanan2, CAlapan City Oriental MIndoro makikita at maaring magtanung kung ano ba talaga ang kahu;ugan ng tunay na pananampalataya,.
comments and suggestions:
09308869403
09273883488

[kristoffer delosreyes]

iglesia misica filipina will found at Bayanan 2, Calapan city oriental mindoro,.]
kung saan ang natatatnging babae na esposa ng kataas-taasang diyos ay ipinanganak,.
sya ang ikatlong eva na tatapos sa mga gawaing hindi natapos ng una at ikalawang eva,.,

[marlene]

my dear brothers and sisters,
Lot more about Nanay Bernarda Balitaan can be discover in Iglesia Mistica Filipina Inc. at Bayanan 2,Calapan Oriental Mindoro, if you are really interested.

thank you

[rose]

Hi, your photos are great. I was wondering, is it alright if I use some of your photos for my report? I'll be talking about Rizalista and this would really help others see the beauty of the place and religion, not just the eccentricity of the whole thing. I'd appreciate it a lot.

[Ferdz]

This is so interesting I had to trackback down and read the stuff. I'm not familiar with the religious group but their practices, attires is so different from a traditional catholic church. And from their altar, their symbol of the eye is quite similar to like Cao Dai's religion. Very interesting set and photo documentation

[Daisy]

Hi Sidney!

Thanks so much for sharing your pictures of Ciudad. As you already know I am very familiar with them and visited Banahaw many many times. Also familiar about the pwestos.

I was able to talk to Suprema a few times i was there.

GReat accomplishment that you are allowed to take photos. I dont have any except for the Durungawan and other sites. but not the churches and rituals! I am not one of them but assist students in understanding and learning our culture in the 1990s. now I am not able to see Banahaw and I miss it.

Such great series!

Thanks for sharing!!!

[luna miranda]

interesting and informative post, sidney.

[Otto K.]

Really interesting. Like that first portrait of her.

[dennis]

Your documentary on the quasi-religions of the Philippines is truly interesting. Congrats for wonderful pictures.

[myepinoy]

Happy Easter!

[standley]

I am following your documentaries with great interest Sidney.

[tomoyo]

I don't know, what an abusive god that is to make a person ill just to be a suprema. My God isnt like that, how about yours Sidney?

[haggis basher]

I feel that most of there religious belief stems from the abuse of the Spanish and the desire for independence from them and that there beliefs are almost that of the Catholic church with a bit of the arcane and mystic thrown in for good measure.

[pieterbie]

Very interesting.