San Pedro Calungsod's image to arrive in Pangasinan

SAN FABIAN, Pangasinan -- The pilgrim image of newly proclaimed Filipino saint Pedro Calungsod will arrive in Dagupan for a two-day visit from November 4 to 5, according to Fr. Oliver Mendoza, parish priest of San Fabian town and spokesman of the Lingayen-Dagupan archdiocese.

Fr. Mendoza said this will give a chance for the Catholic faithful in Pangasinan to have a close look at the image of Pedro Calungsod, now the patron saint of the youth and overseas Filipinos.

Calungsod, who died as a Christian martyr at the age of 17 sometime in the early 1600 while in the company of Jesuit missionaries, is the second Filipino saint after San Lorenzo Ruiz.

Fr. Mendoza said the image of the new saint will come from the north and will make a stop-over at the San Fabian Church before being brought to the Manaoag Church and later to the St. John the Evangelist Metropolitan Cathedral in Dagupan, the seat of the Lingayen-Dagupan archdiocese.

Masses and processions will be held in these churches to be attended by thousands of Catholics to welcome the image of the new saint in its first pilgrimage to the province of Pangasinan, Fr. Mendoza said.

It is the same image that was brought to Rome from Cebu and blessed by the Holy Father during the canonization of Saint Pedro Calungsod. (PNA)