By: Raydes B. Barcia
Naga City —Nine days after the novena of Bicolandia’s grand patroness, tens of thousands of devotees of Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia pay homage on Saturday two years after the hiatus due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Devotees from all walks of life throng in the pilgrim city of Bicol to join the culmination of the ninth day novena of the miraculous image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. The fluvial procession is done today after the nine-day novena for Ina.
The nine-day novena for Ina started a week ago (Friday afternoon) and of Divino Rostro following the traslacion 2022 that draws 500,000 crowd estimates or devotees of Ina.
Traslacion is the transfer of the miraculous image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia from the Peñafrancia Basilica to the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral.
Today, the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, mounted on her andas, has left the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral on her way to the Danlugan where a fluvial procession is done.
Along the streets where the image of Ina is passing through, tens of thousands of devotees from all walks of life throng in Naga to join with the journey of miraculous image where the soldiers and cops encircled and stood guard around the Our Lady of Peñafrancia.
At 02:00 pm, a eucharistic celebration on the ninth day of the novena in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia was held at the Quadricentennial Arch of the Metropolitan Cathedral and Parish of St. John the Evangelist, Pilgrim City of Naga.
The mass was offered for government leaders and workers with the theme for today’s novena “Promoting the welfare of society through solidarity, justice and love of country.”
After the mass, the procession with the images of Ina and the Divino Rostro followed through and a fluvial procession along the Naga River marking the completion of the nine-day novena in honor of Ina.
Along the river banks, devotees of Ina and of Divino Rostro are waving white handkerchiefs and lighting a candle as they pray the rosary and chanting “Viva la Virgin” and “Viva Divino Rostro”.
While the voyadorees and government forces accompany the pagoda carrying the image of Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia and Holy Face of Divino Rostro as they travel through the river, from the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral back to the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Peñafrancia.
As early as 4:00 PM, devotees and pilgrims of the miraculous image of Ina and of Divino Rostro are congregating already at the Basilica Minore in anticipation for the arrival of Ina and Divino Rostro from the Naga River.
Subsequently, after the procession at around 06:00 pm, a vigil mass in celebration of the solemnity of Our Lady of Peñafrancia will be held at the grounds of the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Pilgrim City of Naga.
Reflecting on the theme, “Mary accompanies us in our journey towards a synodal Church,” the solemn pontifical concelebrated mass will be presided by His Eminence, Jose F. Cardinal Advincula, Jr., DD, Archbishop of Manila along with the Bicol bishops and Kidapawan prelate Jose Colin Bagaforo.
The Bicolanos were able to commemorate once again the nine days novena and fluvial procession of Our Lady of Penafrancia two years after the hiatus following the global pandemic. The Solemn Feast of Our Lady of Penafrancia is on September 18.
Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia is a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary venerated in Naga City since 1710. Pope Benedict XV granted the image a decree of canonical coronation May 13, 1920, and declared Our Lady of Penafrancia as the regional patroness of Bicolandia.
The rite of coronation was executed on Sept. 24, 1924 with apostolic delegate, Guillermo Piani. Thus, declaring Our Lady of Penafrancia as the regional patroness of Bicolandia. The venerated image is housed at the National Shrine and Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Penafrancia.
Strict observance of the celebration is being imposed to protect the devotees from Covid-19 and so as to avoid the repetition of the “Fall of Colgante Bridge” wherein at least 138 devotees lost their lives due to tragedy.
It will be recalled that in September 16, 1972, more than 100 hundred devotees were killed when the Colgante Bridge in Barangay Peñafrancia collapsed from the weight of devotees waiting for the pagoda of Bicolandia’s grand patroness to pass through but halfway to its destination during the fluvial procession along the Naga River.
The tragic collapse of Colgante Bridge that killed over 100 hundred devotees occurred a few days before the declaration of totalitarian or martial law by then strongman Ferdinand Marcos 50 years ago here.