Traslacion Over, Mass Held Outside Cathedral

(NOTE: This post has been revised/updated.)

Here are some images of the on-going mass that started before 6:00 o’clock in the evening at the grounds and infront of Naga Metropolitan Cathedral, specifically at the quadricentennial arch, with Archbishop Leonardo Zamora Legaspi, O.P., D.D., His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, among other high-ranking and Catholic Church personalities of the Bicol region and visiting cardinals from other countries.

Earlier, at noon, the procession started out from the Plaza de Padre Miguel de Covarrubias (the Peñafrancia shrine patio). It was dampened with a downpour which actually cooled the air.

The throng of people that heared the mass, the crowd waiting outside the church and at the sideways of the Peñafrancia avenue where the procession passed got some relief from the previously prevailing sweltering afternoon heat.

It must be recalled that the traslacion procession went back to its original route, from the Peñafrancia Shrine to the Cathedral on September 11, 2009. The order of procession was organized in ways to give more time to students and religious organizations to actively participate.

The carriage that were used to carry the images of Our Lady of Peñafrancia (Ina or Mother) and the Divino Rostro was higher than the previous year’s. Still, the devotees were not contained, some were able to grab all the flowers that adorned the carriages until everything were gone.

Devotees that joined the procession and those just waiting and standing by for the images at the sidewalk were throwing towels and shirts that were wiped on the carriages, with the belief that since the structure and images were blessed will eventually bless the cloths wiped on them.

The Cofradia de San Jose (Voyadores) that joined the Traslacion has been organized previously in the different parishes in the 11 vicariates of the Archdiocese of Caceres. It started from a mere 2,348 members (more were added) who have undergone formation prior to the procession.

From the thousands of Cofradia de San Jose members, the parish priests chose the “Guardias de Maria,” the Honor Guards of Ina- able-bodied voyadores who were made responsible in taking care of the sacred image of Peñafrancia during the traslacion and again on the coming fluvial procession.

The concept of using a wheeled carriage (andas) came up and “debuted” last year. Today an improved version was used, the structure was many times higher than the one pictured above.

The new “andas” used for the first time during this year’s festivities has the height of 4.2 meters with a diameter of 3 meters. It weighs 1, 422 kilos (3,134.97 pounds).


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