CEBU, Philippines - It has been finally decided that the national thanksgiving Mass to celebrate the canonization of Cebuano martyr Pedro Calungsod will take place at the South Road Properties (SRP).
The site development for the construction of the “templete” will start next week.
Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop Emeritus of Cebu, in a press conference yesterday said that SRP will be the venue for the thanksgiving and the site development will be undertaken by SM.
Vidal added that the templete is a temporary structure.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said that the site can accommodate at least one million people. The site development is expected to be finished in three months.
Based on fact sheets released to the media, there will be 50 church dignitaries who will attend the festivities.
There would also be 100 government and civil society leaders, 300 archbishops and bishops, 700 clergies, 2,000 choir members and 200 orchestra members.
Aside from the approximately 1,500-square-meter-templete, the venue will have a vesting area, operation center, press center, police and security center, power lines, media stand, Blessed Sacrament chapels, souvenir stores, first aid stations, water stations, food stalls, and portable toilets.
Off-site, a parking area will be provided for vehicles of church dignitaries, vehicles for elderly and persons with disability, buses for out of town and Cebu pilgrims and emergency vehicles.
Money is not a problem
Palma was also happy to announce that money is no longer a problem.
Palma however did not specify how much is the budget for this event as well as the amount of donations they have already received.
“We are almost there. Money becomes secondary. We have to savor the event. This is a once in a lifetime event,” Palma said.
Msgr. Roberto Alesna, chairman of the finance committee, said that they are so happy that many generous people are donating.
The donors are not just the Cebuanos, but the entire Filipino people including those who are living abroad.
Alesna said that in order to raise more funds, they are tapping 147 parishes, 376 diocesan priests to come up at least P10 million donations.
Catholic schools in Cebu will be given envelopes in order for the parents, teachers, non-teaching personnel and students to donate.
Alesna also said that as part of their fund-raising activity, the commemorative Calungsod statue designed by Kenneth Cobonpue was unveiled last May 23 wherein 100 people bought the statues at P25,000 each. Each buyer has a chance to win one BMW 3 series, a BMW 1 series and an SUV.
Duaw Nasud
Father Marvin Mejia, assistant secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines announced that a nationwide “Duaw Nasud” will be launched upon the arrival (either October 23 to 24) of Calungsod’s statue from Rome.
The statue will do a stop-over in Manila, Vigan, Bicol, Samar, Northern Mindanao, Negros, Iloilo, and Bohol.
Calungsod’s statue will arrive in Cebu three days before the thanksgiving Mass on November 30.
Activities
Calungsod will be canonized in Rome, Italy on October 21 by Pope Benedict XVI.
Palma also announced that a 100 days countdown before the canonization will also be launched this July 14 at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.
Palma added that within the 100 days, there will be concerts, movies, and drama presentations, among others.
Msgr. Trinidad Silva, chairman social communications said that to date, they do not have any idea as to how many church delegates will be going to Rome for the canonization but hinted it will be more than enough to fill the Vatican.
Calungsod (c. 1654 – April 2, 1672) was beatified on March 5, 2000 by Blessed Pope John Paul II at Saint Peter’s Square in Rome.
The Holy See officially approved the miracle qualifying Calungsod for sainthood by the Roman Catholic Church last December. — with Ryan Christopher J. Sorote/NLQ (FREEMAN)