Albay mark the 1814 Mayon fury in Cagsawa Dos Siglos

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The ruins of Cagsawa church in Daraga town shares the stellar billing during the commemorative Cagsawa Dos Siglos celebration marking the 200th year when the church and its environs was buried by the overwhelming debris out of the eruption of Mayon volcano.

DARAGA, Albay, Feb. 2 — Albay folks commemorate the day when the almost perfect cone-shaped Mayon volcano burst its fiery temper, hurling superheated ash, sand and molten rocks that buried alive countless villagers who sought sanctuary inside the Cagsawa church in February 1, 1814.

After 200 years, Albayanos pay tribute to the people’s strength and resiliency during and after that fury.

Aptly tagged as “Cagsawa Dos Siglos,” the event pay tribute to the survival capability of Albayanos made to coincide with the annual Cagsawa Festival which opened Saturday morning at the ruins.

It stresses capability to face and rise from the wrath of “Mother Nature” from the 1814 eruption, recorded as the worst display fury of the volcano where villagers who took refuge and sought the sanctuary of the church all died when it was engulfed by a carpet of flowing lava and pyroclastic materials.

Governor Joey Salceda said the 200-year anniversary of 1814 Mayon eruption will feature traditional events and the way of life of the locals here.

“We celebrate today because we survived. And I am confident that those who passed away are happy that we survived (sic!). We have passed the test of nature and of time,” the provincial chief executive explained.

For two centuries, the Cagsawa Ruins has stood as a symbol of Bicol region’s impressive landscape, rich history and the people’s strength and resiliency to face and rise from the ravages of Mother Nature, he said. (from PNA story)

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