Official Pedro image’s journey begins
-A A +ATuesday, October 16, 2012
CEBU CITY –-- The pilgrim image of Blessed Pedro Calungsod will be flown to Rome, Italy today, Tuesday, for the Visayan martyr’s canonization rites on Sunday (October 21).
Before the departure, a procession and a motorcade at 4:30 a.m. will bring the image of the second Filipino saint from the Archdiocesan Shrine of Blessed Pedro Calungsod on D. Jakosalem St. to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral for a sendoff mass.
By 8 a.m., a motorcade will accompany the image to the Mactan Cebu International Airport for the 12:30 p.m. Cathay Pacific flight.
The three-foot-tall image, which will be enclosed in a red case, will be taken aboard the plane at 10 a.m.
At 5:20 p.m. Monday, about 100 devotees joined the procession bringing the image from the archbishop’s residence to the Archdiocesan Shrine of Blessed Pedro Calungsod, just within the archbishop’s residence compound.
At 6:30 p.m., about 500 people turned up at the shrine for the novena mass that followed the procession.
In his homily, Msgr. Cayetano Gelbolingo said that once canonized, Blessed Pedro Calungsod will become a “model, intercessor for some devotees, especially Filipinos, especially the youth among us, especially the catechists.”
Gelbolingo, chair of the Calungsod Commission, gave a historical background on the Visayan martyr.
Mission
A teenaged catechist, Calungsod was part of a Jesuit mission sent to teach catechism in Ladrones Islands or the Marianas Islands in Guam in the late 1600s.
He served as the sacristan of Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores. They were killed by the natives in Guam when they tried to baptize one of the natives.
Calungsod was beatified by Blessed Pope John Paul II in March 2000.
On October 21, Calungsod will be one of the seven blessed or beatified persons to be canonized or recognized as saints.
Calungsod will be the second Filipino saint after San Lorenzo Ruiz.
At least 5,000 Filipino pilgrims are expected to witness the canonization rites at St. Peter’s Basilica, including some 200 cardinals, archbishops, bishops and other priests.
Government officials from Manila and Cebu, including Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, will also witness the canonization at the St. Peter’s Square in Vatican on October 21.
Personal
Although he will represent the City Government during the canonization, Rama said he will not use government funds for his travel. He is set to leave today, Tuesday.
“I’m using personal funds,” he said in an interview Monday.
The mayor will be out of the country for more than a week and will be back in City Hall on October 24 yet. He will be accompanied by some friends.
When asked what his personal prayer to Calungsod is, Rama said he doesn’t have one because he only wants “peace and tranquility” for the city.
As for his reelection bid in the 2013 midterm elections, Rama said he already lifted it up to God.
In earlier interviews, Rama said he wants to witness the canonization of Calungsod, saying that when the Visayan martyr was beatified more than 12 years ago, then mayor Alvin Garcia also went to Rome to represent the City.
If the former mayor attended the beatification, Rama said he has more reasons to represent the City for the canonization this time.
Two councilors of Mandaue City will also witness the canonization rites.
Send-off
Councilor Nenita Layese left the country last October 3. She filed her certificate of candidacy for councilor a day earlier. Councilor Demetrio Cortes Jr. will leave for Rome within the week. Cortes, a Beato Pedro Calungsod choir member, is in charge of the send-off procession for the pilgrim image of the Visayan martyr.
At 5:30 a.m. today, Tuesday, Msgr. Roberto Alesna will celebrate the last send-off mass at the cathedral.
The motorcade to the airport will start at 8 a.m., passing through M.J. Cuenco Ave., Barangays Subangdaku, Tipolo and Mantuyong, the National Shrine of St. Joseph, Plaridel St. and the first Mandaue-Mactan bridge.
From Rome, the pilgrim image of San Pedro Calungsod is expected to arrive in Manila on October 24.
The image will then be taken on a pilgrimage to various dioceses around the country.
The pilgrimage, called Duaw Nasud, will end on November 27.
On November 30, a national thanksgiving mass will be held at the South Road Properties. (RSB/PDF/Sun.Star Cebu)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on October 17, 2012.
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