Communal prayer, 10-Km candle light ceremony closes 40th day of mourning in Tacloban

Newsdig update from Cbanga360.net

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 16 — On Tuesday, the city of Tacloban and regions ravaged by destructive typhoon Yolanda, come full circle in honoring the lives of thousands of people who perished in the calamity. Thousands of Tacloban residents whose family members died due to Typhoon Yolanda will mark the 40th and final day of mourning by a communal prayer and a candle-lighting that will cover the 10-kilometer man road of Tacloban city on Tuesday.

Jeff Manibay, of “One Tacloban” which is spearheading the activity together with the Department of Tourism (DOT), said that in normal situation the unique Filipino tradition known as “Pa-Kuwarenta” gathers family and friends in churches or homes to pay a final tribute to their loved ones “ascending to the afterlife.”

However, with thousands that have perished as well as lose their homes, there is no fitting venue to do it.

“The synchronized memorial aims to provide symbolic closure to a tragic event that crushed the city but failed to subdue the will of its people,” he said.

The event will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with main roads from DZR airport to downtown to Anibong district- among the hardest hit areas of the city- as the area for the gathering.

Some 1, 200 colored candles will be provided by donors to be placed 10 meters apart at the right side of the road.

Those who wish to pay their respects are encouraged to put personal candles in between the colored ones. Flowers, names and pictures of their departed ones may also be displayed to mark the day they say goodbye.

Manibay also encouraged those joining the event to wear white to mark the solemn occasion. (PNA)

*26

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *