Peñafrancia fest begins; 1M devotees to attend

MANILA, Philippines - At least one million devotees are expected to attend the Peñafrancia Festival in Bicol starting Wednesday up to Sept. 20, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said. Fr. Luisito Occiano, vice rector of the Basilica Minore, made the assessment in a statement on the CBCP website. "The Archdiocese of Caceres is now preparing for the 2008 celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Patroness of Bicolandia this September with more than a million devotees expected to attend," Occiano said. The Basilica Minore is home to the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. Occiano said a series of seminars will be held in the different parishes in the city in preparation for the upcoming festivities. He said the seminar is aimed to brief the men devotees who will carry the image in processions in view of a more proper coordination and orderly activity. The religious festival officially kicks off on September 3, with the start of the novena to the Divino Rostro. It will end on September 12, with the Traslacion procession bringing the image of Ina from the Basilica Minore to the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral for the novena prayers. On September 20, the colorful fluvial procession will take place. Here, the miraculous image will be carried and brought around the city. The image will then be transferred to a waiting pagoda to take the image back to her basilica. This yearly activity dates back to the 17th century and has never failed to attract devotees, some of whom said they were cured of their diseases. "It is our wish to see to it that with the big volume of devotees coming to visit Ina, order and solemnity of the religious activities are observed while everyone is given the chance to visit, pray and honor her during the occasion," said Occiano. - GMANews.TV