CEBU, Philippines - As a fitting way to cap the Liturgical Year, the Archdiocese of Cebu yesterday blessed the main venue of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress on the solemnity of Christ the King.
Yesterday, the IEC Pavilion was officially unveiled to the public after Duros Development Corporation turned over the facility to the Archdiocese of Cebu last Saturday.
About 7,500 attended the celebration which serves as a dry run for the upcoming IEC next year. Also, yesterday marked the end of the observance of the Year of the Poor and the beginning of the observance of the Year of The Eucharist and the Family.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma Palma celebrated the mass and led the faithful in the public adoration of Jesus Christ with the Holy Eucharist. The Blessed Sacrament was brought in the Pavilion through a procession and ended with a prayer of consecration to Christ the King and Benediction.
In his homily, Palma said the IEC Pavilion is the humanity's gift to God.
"We consecrate this place to Christ the King," he said, adding that the church is ready for the international congress January next year.
Palma also urged the faithful "to be truthful and to be prayerful," and to make God the center of everybody's life.
The universal kingship of Jesus was proclaimed through the Eucharistic celebration.
"Nagtigum kita isip usa ka kasing-kasing ug tingog Ipagpadayag nato nga si Kristo hari natong tanan. Hari sa matag kasing-kasing ug tanang dioceses. Gitigum kita sa Ginoo aron siya maghari kanatong tanan," he said.
"Ang ginharian ni Kristo mao'y ginharian sa gugma. Ang gugma niya mamahimo untang facet sa atong kinabuhi aron moluntad ug molambo," he added. (FREEMAN)