Peñafrancia Fluvial Unfolds this Afternoon

It’s all systems go for the Peñafrancia fluvial and procession this afternoon.

The event rolls on at 2:30 P.M. with the recitation of the novena at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral. Tentative schedule here- Procession starts at 3:00 P.M.

At 4:00 P.M. arrival at the embarcation point- the place where the images are destined to be transferred to the barge. It will happen at the foot of the Tabuco bridge.

The image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia is given a tribute of prayers, and praises. Little children will shower flowers upon her and sing Marian songs. After which the singing of the Salve Regina starts. Only then the images will be transferred to the barge and the fluvial portion begins amidst the shouting of “VIVA LA VIRGEN!” in as many times as the people can endure.

At 5:00 o’clock in the afternoon, the fluvial begins.

This episode of the tercentenary brings focus the celebration from the streets to the Naga river. Since not too many can join the boat rides, devotees will meditate and just wait by the river banks then watch the images pass.

Others may charter their own small boats and accompany the adorned barge carrying the images. It is a known fact that only men are allowed to board the official barge that carries the images. There never was a time during the past that a woman was accommodated or allowed.

The fluvial is the enactment of the mutual care between the church and her disciples while the traslacion is for repentance. The fluvial procession is the celebration of victory from sin and selfishness.

After the Naga river boat ride the fluvial entourage arrives at the Peñafrancia Basilica Minore. It will be highlighted with a Pontifical Mass with the main celebrant, the Papal Nuncio Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams. He officialy represents the Pope on this event.

Sidelights of the procession:
Along the route of the procession are seven prayer stations. Processions are reminders that people are on a journey while in this world.

The Tercentenary Committee explained that Vatican II documents declare that we are a people on a journey of faith – from this world to the next world. It is a journey of return to our Creator. It is a pilgrimage.

Our Christian heritage of the past that one of the features of the pilgrimage is the presence of Prayer station where people stop for a while to pray and to do some reflections about the events in the history of salvation in connection his personal life.

It is in consonance with this concept that Prayer Station is being introduced in our religious practices and devotion to Ina. Hence the purpose of this prayer station is to remind people that we are on a journey of faith.

It is also a help so that the procession would truly be permeated with a prayerful atmosphere as opposed to the mentality that procession is something to be watched like a parade.

There will be a uniform tarpaulin for the seven stations under the charge of different schools in the City of Naga: at Station I under the charge of Naga College Foundation, Station II under the Trade School; Station III, under the Camarines Sur National High School;

Station IV, under the Universidad de Sta. Isabel; Station V, under the University of Nueva Caceres; Station VI, under the Ateneo de Naga University; Station VII, under the Mariners Polytechnic Colleges.


Photos by our Tony Abalayan, Jr.

2 thoughts on “Peñafrancia Fluvial Unfolds this Afternoon”

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