NO EXTRAVAGANT celebrations such as street parties and beauty pageants to celebrate the Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City staring this year.

This, as the Catholic Church in Bicol and local authorities agreed to ban such activities since it deflects public’s attention from the church’s celebration.

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Based on the agreement signed by Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Legazpi and Naga Mayor Jesse Robredo, there will be no “Bicolandia Beauty Pageant” within the fiesta days that start with the “Traslacion procession” on September 11.

“The Peñafrancia fiesta will no longer feature street parties and beer plazas,” said Fr. Jay Jacinto, spokesman for the archdiocese of Caceres.

“These arrangements are deemed in keeping with the celebration for the tercentenary of Peñafrancia devotion,” he added.

On the other hand, the activities that will be allowed include the holding of a Perdon Procession on September 16, the Voyadores Festival on September 17, the Military Parade on September 18, and the Thanksgiving and Fluvial Procession on September 19.

The prelate noted that the essence of the celebration is the renewal of faith and understanding of the devotion to Mary.

Jacinto added that commercialism that had tarnished the religiosity of the country’s only regional fiesta.

With this, the church officials in Naga City are looking forward to a simple and solemn celebration of the tercentenary of the Peñafrancia devotion. (FP/Sunnex)