Later, Jandy and I proceeded to to the back of the Chapel of the Virgin of Caysasay where we ascended the 5-m. wide Chinese granite (“piedra china”) stairway called Hagdan-Hagdan. This stairway was built in 1850 by Fr. Celestino Mayordomo to replace the original adobe stairs.
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| Hagdan-Hagdan |
After the first flight, we crossed over the railing and proceeded down a well-defined dirt path to the Twin Wishing Wells of Sta. Lucia. This is the spot where the 2 Marias found the image. It has a Chinese-inspired (supposedly erected by ethnic Chinese) coralstone arch with a bas-relief of the Virgin of Caysasay.
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| Twin Wishing Wells of Sta. Lucia |
Underneath are two wells, the waters of which are reputed to have miraculous healing and therapeutic powers. Devotees usually pray at the grotto to the Virgin at the back, wish and light candles and then take baths at the wells. The waters of the left well, said to cure head injuries, is for the initial bath and the waters of the second well, for healing the body, is for “rinsing.” Returning back to Hagdan-Hagdan, we reached the San Lorenzo Ruiz Arch, renamed after the first Filipino saint, after 125 steps and 3 flights.