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Monday, April 17, 2006
Thousands renew baptismal
THOUSANDS of Cebuanos renewed their baptismal rites at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral on Easter dawn, signifying a fresh start to their lives on the Catholic Church’s most important religious holiday.
Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal officiated the rites in a 5 a.m. mass and a Sugat 2006 held just outside the church.
The cardinal asked Catholics gathered for the mass whether they were willing to ward off evil and if they believed in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
After this, Vidal blessed those gathered with holy water.
“Ang Diyos, ang gamhanan nga amahan sa atong ginoong Hesu Kristo nihatag kanato og bag-ong pagkatao pinaagi sa tubig og sa ispirito santo og nipasaylo sa tanan natong mga sala,” Vidal announced during his Easter mass.
Easter, an annual Church celebration commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is considered the most important celebration for the Catholic Church.
“Christ’s resurrection confirmed everything He has done and through His resurrection, He fulfilled the promise of the Old Testament...the promise of a Savior,” said Vidal.
“The resurrection also confirmed Christ’s divinity, freeing us from sin and bringing us new life,” he added.
This is why the cardinal encouraged Cebuanos to unite, rejoice and be happy, despite being “a wounded people,” both politically and economically.
And while only a few saw the risen Christ, Vidal encouraged the faithful to see Christ through their individual faith.
“As long as you are convinced and encouraged in the risen Christ, a new age has dawned, the long reign of sin has ended, the broken world has been renewed and we are once again made whole,” said Vidal in his homily.
He also noted that Filipinos “have developed some beautiful, religious celebrations at Easter.”
Vidal was referring to the traditional Sugat or the dramatization of the meeting of the Virgin Mary and her Son for the first time after His resurrection.
At the Cathedral, Sugat was portrayed by the meeting of the images of both Jesus and Mother Mary.
While the meeting of the Mother and the Son was not lengthily described in the Gospel, Vidal said that Filipinos have developed the scene to portray the miracle that transformed Mary’s sorrow after losing her Son to joy.
Citing the celebration of his jubilees this year— his 75th birthday, his ordination as a priest 50 years ago, his episcopacy 35 years ago and his 25th year in Cebu, Vidal greeted devotees not just a happy Easter day but a happy Easter season.
This is an encouragement that people continue to be happy and renewed the whole year and beyond.
The devotees that attended the dawn dramatization of Sugat 2006 and Easter mass that followed ranged from infants who have yet to learn to walk and the elderly who now could barely walk. (JGA)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (April 17, 2006 issue)
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