Saint’s stand-in understands role, changed
-A A +ATuesday, July 17, 2012
FOR high school student Giovanni Mejorada, playing Blessed Pedro Calungsod during the drama presentation at the launch of the countdown to the latter’s sainthood also changed his life.
“I understood the hardships he went through,” Mejorada said.
He was part of the Parian Youth under the tutelage of choreographers Val and Ofelia Sandiego. Val told Sun.Star Cebu that the boy is one of his scholars.
Mejorada has been with the group for the last three years.
Mejorada, 16, closely resembled Calungsod’s image that was used as the backdrop of the stage in Fuente Osmeña during last Saturday afternoon’s activities, particularly when he is immobile and looks up to the heavens while he holds a palm branch.
Patient
The young man is also very patient. Last Saturday afternoon, he gamely posed for several photos with other young people at the venue.
The real Calungsod was only 17 years old when he was killed by Chamorros in Tomhom village in Guam, Marianas on April 2, 1672 with Blessed Diego Luis de Sanvitores.
They were beheaded and their bodies were thrown into the sea for teaching catechism
and administering the sacrament of baptism.
The first Visayan martyr was beatified in March 2000 and will soon be declared a saint after canonization rites on Oct. 21, 2012.
Background
Mejorada is the second child of a family driver and a housewife. He said they used to live in Barangay Tinago, Cebu City, but had just transferred after their house was demolished.
It was a challenge to play the teenaged martyr, but he was happy to be chosen for the role.
When asked how he was chosen, he said “Bisdak man ko.”
Mejorada said he wishes Pedro would be a role model for other young people.
“Many of them are abusive, they do not respect others,” he said in Cebuano.
He said the role changed him, too. He is more helpful to others and respectful of his elders.
Someday, he hopes to be a guide for wayward young people, and would want to become a policeman.
“Para mawala ang kagubot sa kalibutan,” he said.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 17, 2012.
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