More pilgrims expected for San Pedro Calungsod

CEBU, Philippines - Around 160 parishes across Cebu province are expected to participate in the second fiesta and anniversary of the canonization of Saint Pedro Calungsod on October 21.

The Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod administration hopes to increase the number of participating pilgrims in this year’s fiesta from the less than 40 parishes who attended the event last year.

Monsignor Vicente Tupas Jr., chairperson of the CSPC fiesta committee, said that they aim to promote the devotion to the Saint and boost the growing number of devotees.

Calungsod was canonized on October 21, 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican. The canonization day was designated as the fiesta for CSPC.

The theme for this year’s celebration is dubbed as “San Pedro Calungsod: My Saint, My Hero” which is inspired from the 2014 theme of the laity, “Filipino Catholic Laity: Called to be Saints, Sent Forth as Heroes.”

There will be a nine-day novena mass at CSPC from October 12 to October 20 with a total of 33 mass schedules. At 6 PM on October 15, a mass will be celebrated by the papal nuncio to the East African nation, Archbishop Francisco Padilla who hails from Cebu.

The Pontifical Mass on the feast day itself will be celebrated by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma at 10 a.m. Other fiesta masses on October 21 will be said by Msgr. Roberto Alesna, Msgr. Tupas, and Bishop Emilio Bataclan at 8 a.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m., respectively.

 Ricardo Mata, committee chair on pilgrims, said that they had sent letters of invitation to 158 parishes in Cebu. These included as far as Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Manlapay in Dalaguete, and Santander.

 “We have invited almost all parishes in the province to join us in the novena. For those who come from far municipalities, we try to accommodate them in earlier mass schedules so they can go back home earlier. Mas daghan karon,” he said,

 They had also invited local government officials and private organizations to participate in the activities.

 Mata said they intend to invite other parishes from neighboring provinces hopefully next year.

 The fiesta celebration will also be highlighted by the second Anniversary Run for St. Pedro Calungsod to be held on October 5 at the South Road Properties. Participants shall run in three-kilometer, five-kilometer, 10-kilometer and 21-kilometer distances. 

The event organizer shall give out cash prizes for the top three placers in the 10k and 21k categories. All finishers for all categories will also receive a medal at the finish line.

 There will also be a fund-raising activity dubbed as “An Evening for San Pedro Calungsod” on October 10 at the CSPC multipurpose hall. Tickets will be priced at P2 500. (FREEMAN)