Saint Inday Potenciana of Bohol, Philippines

There is a hushed silence, here in the Shrine of Inday Potenciana, but that does not mean you are alone. This place, revered by the Andanons and other people, is filled with the presence of those who have visited and those who have yet to arrive.

The shrine houses the remains of Inday Potenciana. Every year, hundreds of thousands devotees undertake a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Inday Potencianat. It is open to all. So, have no fear wanderer...you will not be subject to the evil-eye by setting foot upon this hallowed ground.



 Potenciana Saranza, also known as Inday Potenciana, is celebrated as a saint by the devotees and believers in Bohol, Philippines.  The center of her veneration is in Barangay Tawid , a place of pilgrimage for  Anda, in Bohol, Philippines. Her historical existence has not been questioned; she was not declared saint by the Roman Catholic Church, but devotion to her revived in Bohol and other parts of Mindanao in Philippines. She was reputed to have promised very powerful indulgences to those who read her life, visited her shrine, or invoked her intercessions; these no doubt helped the spread of her cultus.


Life
Potenciana Saranza was born in Poblacion, Anda, Bohol, Philippines 19 May 1927, the daughter of Mamerto Cagata Saranza, a farmer, and Pilar Amplayo Escobal, a housewife. Both her parents were devout Catholics.

She finished elementary at Anda Central Elementary School and high School. Inday wanted to become a teacher but her parents were poor to support her education. Inday convinced her parents to send her to college. Seeing their daughter's determination to become a teacher, the family's rice field and carabaos were sold to support her studies at Central Visayas Institute.

At the age of 26, she was teaching at Bincalan Elementary School in Misamis Oriental, Mindanao, Philippines. According to those who knew her, she was so kind, helpful and hardworking.

A year later, on April 1, 1953, she was about to go to Poblacion of Misamis Oriental when she got a ride to a logging truck due to lack of transportation when the truck inevitably crashed on a coconut tree. Due to fast and powerful impact of the truck, Inday Potenciana was moved out from truck bumped on the coconut tree. She was dead on the spot in the cause of internal hemorrage.

Her uncle, Fortunate Amper took care and buried her body at Gingoog Cemetery. Her body was placed in a casket, which was sealed and buried in Mindanao. Nine years later, her parents had dreamed to bring her remains to Anda. Her remains were ansferred to Anda via motorized outrigger boat owned by Quirino Visaya.

She was again buried in their home ground in Poblacion near Quinali Beach. After one year, the regional health officer, Dr. Garcia had came to his attention that the body is decaying, thus, he’d seen an imperative defense by transferring her body to the municipal cemetery. They enlisted the support of the jail persons to move out from the ground. Finally, when the coffin was out from the ground, the community was startled what they had seen. It was exhumed and the body was found to be intact and uncorrupted just like few days ago she was buried. It was reported that the body sweated a perfumed liquid flowed from her hands and feet.

Dr. Garcia sprayed anti-bacteria to her body and then finally buried in the Anda Cemetery.

One month later, Dr. Garcia reportedly died of high blood pressure. But according to the townfolks and followers of Inday Potenciana, he was being terrified and dreamt of his being injustice and unbeliever. Though shrouded with mystery followers still amass themselves every Fridays and Mondays of April, in commemoration of her death anniversary and thanking her for her good deeds.

Since then her body (though her remains looks like steel), reposing in a glass reliquary, lies in shrine conveniently situated beside the town cemetery.

Veneration
Inday Potenciana's cult developed in Mindanao and spread throughout  Bohol after her death in 1953.

Miraculous cures of the incurably ill began to happen after her death and continue to this day.

Hundreds of thousands make the pilgrimage to Anda each year.

To those who want to go abroad or pass board exams, believers shared Inday Potenciana is still granting wishes.

People still offer candles and flowers. They touch the glass cover of the tomb and make a symbol of the cross. They even wipe the glass with their handkerchiefs because they believe that the "moist" from the glass has healing power.

While the Roman Catholic Church doesn't recognize Inday Potenciana as a saint, devotees and believers have never ceased to venerate Inday Potenciana honoring her on May 19.