The 25th Sambali Festival will open at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Visitation of Piat on June 23 at 7 a.m.
Sambali recounts the conversion of the Itawes tribe to the Catholic faith through the intercession of Our Lady of Piat.
The image of Piat was brought by the Dominican friars from Macau in 1604 to the country; it was enthroned in Lal-lo, Cagayan, the ancient seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia that covered Northern Luzon.
The image was later brought to Piat, a town in the Itawes region.
Today, the patroness of Cagayan is enthroned in the Basilica Minore in Piat.
Novena Masses begin on June 23 at 3:30 p.m. followed by Holy Mass at 4 p.m. The Masses will be held until July 1.
Tuguegarao Archbishop Sergio Utleg will lead the concelebrated Mass at 5 p.m. on July 1. Grand procession follows at 6:30 p.m. Successive Masses will follow every hour: 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.
On fiesta day, July 2, Holy Masses will be celebrated in succession from 3 a.m. to 12 noon. In the afternoon, there will be hourly Masses, 1:30 to 5:15.
Piat in Sto. Domingo, QC
Devotees of Our Lady of Piat in Metro Manila will gather at the Sto. Domingo Church on July 5 for the 9 a.m. concelebrated Mass with Auxiliary Bishop Ricardo Baccay of Tuguegarao as main celebrant.
The Mass is organized by the Devotees of Our Lady of Piat Foundation, headed by Gen. Edgardo Aglipay as president.
Bolinao, Pangasinan
The beautiful town of Bolinao, Pangasinan, is blessed for having St. James the Apostle as patron saint for the past 400 years.
Preparations for the grand Quadricentennial Fiesta on July 25 are ongoing.
Fiesta Mass on July 25 is at 8:30 a.m. and will be presided by Msgr. Rey Ragudos with Fr. Yanix Bayani Liguid, parish priest, as co-celebrant.
Novena Masses will be on July 16 till July 24. In charge of preparations is Leah Lazo Soriano, whose husband is Wilhelm Soriano, former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration chief and now active member of Ang Kapatiran Party.
Patron saint of Spain
James, son of Zebedee, died in 44 AD and was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus. Traditionally considered the first apostle to be martyred, he was son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of John the Apostle. He is also called James the Greater to distinguish him from James the Less, son of Alphaeus.
James the Greater is the patron saint of Spain.
St. Padre Pio Shrine in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
I have a special affection for St. James the Apostle because he answered my prayers at a time I needed help.
Dalisay Empeynado Jao of Dapitan City in Zambaonga del Norte introduced me to the devotion by inviting Ali Rich Garcia and I on July 24 many years ago to the “Sinug” at 12 noon. It is a dance ritual where devotees waving branches of trees dance in front of the image of St. James perched on top of a horse.
I have kept the twigs and branches since—mementos of answered prayers.
The church of St. James in Dapitan City fill up during the novena Masses. This year’s fiesta will be presided by new Archbishop Romy de la Cruz who was installed last May 14. Previously, De la Cruz was bishop of Kidapawan, San Jose de Antique and Isabel de Basilan.
St. James in Iriga City
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Iriga City will celebrate the Feast of St. James the Greater on July 25.
Leading the celebration is parish priest Fr. Leopoldo Imperial Zara.
Relic of True Cross
Last May 25, the 127th birth anniversary of St. Padre Pio, Manila Archbishop Emeritus Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles and Lipa Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Salvador Quizon blessed the sanctuary of the relic of the True Cross in St. Padre Pio Shrine in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
Bishop Quizon has been keeping the relic for 30 years until he told Fr. Jojo Gonda, rector and parish priest, that he would donate the relic to the shrine for public veneration.
Ramon and Isabel Gandionco Family Foundation through Fr. Nony Villaluz, a guest priest at the Shrine, donated the building for the sanctuary of the relic.
Happy birthday
Blessings of good health and protection to Fr. Jojo Gonda, a priest of 29 years, on his birthday on June 19.
We thank Father Jojo, for tirelessly finding ways and means to build us a beautiful shrine of St. Padre Pio where people go for healing Masses on the 23rd of every month.
May your tribe increase, Father Jojo!
Perpetual Help in Bacolod
The feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help will be celebrated at the Redemptorist Church in Bacolod City on June 29.
Procession will be at 4 p.m. Concelebrated Mass will be officiated by Bacolod Bishop Vicente M. Navarra.
Novena Masses begin on June 20 at 5:30 p.m. They will be held until June 28.
Parish priest is Fr. Salvador Barcelona.
The church was recently equipped with a new sound system by Pearl River Lights & Sounds, the same company that improved our sound system at Malate Church.
Holy Mass and Cenacle
The Holy Mass and Cenacle with Fr. Omer Prieto has been moved to June 17, 1:30 p.m., in Ermita Church to give way for Father Omer to give a retreat for priests during the regular schedule.