THOUSANDS of devotees of St. Therese of the Child Jesus venerated her relics which held her 5th visit to Bacolod City and Province of Negros Occidental on February 28 to March 2, 2023.
The Veneration of the Pilgrim Relics: A heart-to-heart encounter with St. Thérèse on those dates wherein Bacolodnons and Negrenses were again blessed with the Fifth Visit of our dear sister, St. Thérese of the Child Jesus, in Bacolod.
The Diocese of Bacolod in its public statement cites, “Joy comes to our hearts when someone we love, and who loves us in return, is arriving. Let us make these days a time of loving communion with Little Thérèse, in our silent heart-to-heart encounter with her. She is our loving sister who will listen to us and will inspire us as a Synodal Church journeying together towards communion, participation, and mission. To welcome the pilgrim relics of St. Thérese is to welcome the saint herself. In the presence of and contact with her mortal remains, God had received from her so many acts of love when she was still alive here on earth, is pleased to manifest His love through the remains of her humanity. With her desire to travel the whole world to preach Jesus and even to the most remote isles. We ask her,” they said.
The pilgrim relics arrived in Bacolod City from the Diocese of Jaro through the Dumangas Port to Bacolod City via the BREDCO port. A motorcade was held from the port to San Sebastian Cathedral to welcome the reliquary. Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon officiated the mass in the presence of other priests. There was a veneration of the relics for the San Sebastian and Alijis vicariates.
The relics were then transferred to the Carmelite Monastery in Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City for the welcome rites and concelebrated mass. Bishop Buzon was still the main celebrant in the mass offered for the relics of St. Therese after the mass was the conduct of the veneration up to 10 p.m.
On Day 2, (March 1), the pilgrim relics were transferred to the St. Therese of the Child Jesus Quasi Parish in Cameroli in Barangay 35, Bacolod City at 5 a.m.
There was a concelebrated mass at 6 a.m. for the Sum-ag vicariates.
The pilgrim relics were then brought to the St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Hinigaran for the Bago City, La Carlota City, and Hinigaran Vicariates.
The pilgrim relics were then brought to the Triumph of the Holy Cross Parish in Camingawan. It passed through the La Carlota, Murcia, Mansilingan, Bakyas, New Government Center, and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) headquarters Chapel.
It was then transferred to the Redemptorist Shrine for the concelebrated mass and veneration of the pilgrim relics until 10:30 p.m.
On Day 3 (March 2, 2023), the pilgrim relics departed from the Redemptorist Shrine at 7:30 a.m. and dropped by the Shrine and Parish of San Nicolas de Tolentino in Talisay City and then proceeded to the San Diego Pro-Cathedral for the farewell mass and veneration for the Silay and Victorias vicariates.
It then proceeded to the Our Lady of Victory Parish in Victorias City and the turnover of the pilgrim relics to the Diocese of San Carlos was held at the Our Lady of Victory Parish in Victorias City.