University of Santo Tomas closed the yearlong celebration of its quadricentennial as Asia’s oldest university last Jan. 27 with a High Mass celebrated by all bishops of the Philippines and a grand chorale consisting of 40,000 singers singing, among other tunes, Abba’s “Thank You for the Music” and “I Have a Dream.”

The pyrotechnics and singing capped a week of grand activities to end the UST Jubilee Year, as declared by Pope Benedict XVI to mark the 400th anniversary of UST, a Dominican institution and a Pontifical university.

UST Rector Fr. Rolando V. de la Rosa, OP, announced that the Jubilee Door at the UST Chapel would not be closed so as to symbolize UST’s embrace of its “neocentennial,” or its new or fifth century.

The High Mass last Friday was concelebrated by several bishops and priests led by Cebu Archbishop José Palma, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and an alumnus of the UST Central Seminary.

Other celebrants included Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle and Caceres (Naga) Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi, OP, the first Filipino rector of UST.

In his homily, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas called UST “the mother of all schools and colleges in the Philippines.”

“Its threefold role is to feed, clothe and correct its children,” the prelate said.

Villegas emphasized the role of Jesus as “the bread of life” of Thomasians.

Villegas said UST is set apart from other schools because of the food it feeds to its children—Jesus Christ.

“The other universities produce excellent men; the University of Santo Tomas produces other Christs,” he said

“We shall carry the Thomasian torch to the world’s end.”

“All schools in our country somehow carry a Thomasian influence, even the Jesuit schools, even if they are too proud to admit that,” said Villegas.

NAGA Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi tours Blessed John Paul II exhibit.

Archbishop Legaspi led the congregation in remembering the Thomasian martyrs of Japan, Vietnam, and the Spanish Civil War, many of whom have been beatified or canonized.

“We enter the new century of the University of Santo Tomas inspired by the memory of the UST martyrs,” he said

When the Mass ended, the chorale sang the “Hallelujah” chorus from Handel’s “Messiah,” after which bells tolled to signal the dawn of UST’s new century.

40,000 singers

Later, the UST Singers, two-time winner of the Choir of the World title, and other campus-based choruses led the 40,000-strong campus in singing anthems to the UST Quadricentennial.

The UST Symphony Orchestra accompanied the chorus.

Repertoire consisted of “Holy Art Thou”; Philippine Folk Medley; Abba Medley; “Joyful, Joyful Art Thou”; “Ako’y Isang Tomasino”; and “God of All Nations” (UST Hymn).

“POPEMOBILE” of Blessed John Paul II on exhibit at UST Main Building lobby

The singing was capped by an eight-minute pyromusical display, with fireworks at the UST Arch of the Centuries, the Grandstand, the Main Building—all declared National Cultural Treasures by the National Museum.

Entertainment lasted well into past midnight, when UST turned 401 years old on Jan. 28, the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas, universal patron saint of Catholic schools after whom UST is named.

UST Hospital

Earlier, on Jan. 23, Fr. De la Rosa led Dominican priests in blessing the new UST Hospital extension building.

“The funding will come from hospital earnings, not from external financing bodies,” the UST Rector said.

The extension building is designed by UST’s dean of architecture John Joseph Fernandez.

NEW Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle leads renewal of baptismal vow.

Last Jan. 25, the National Historical Institute, led by its chair Serena Diokno, unveiled the marker declaring UST a National Historical Landmark.

The marker was placed on the pedestal of the Benavides Monument as a “reverential recognition” of Msgr. Miguel de Benavides, OP, third archbishop of Manila and the University’s founder, said UST secretary-general Fr. Florentino Bolo, OP.

Also last Jan. 25, UST relived its 19th-century campus in Intramuros with the Velada Tomasina.

Benavides Park became Ciudad Santo Tomas as students, faculty members, administrators and support staff went around the campus dressed in period Filipiniana costumes.

Replicas of old UST campus and the old gothic Sto. Domingo Church in Intramuros were erected at Benavides Park.

Our Lady and the Pope

On the same day, “Ad Januam Coeli (To the Gate of Heaven) Exhibit of Blessed Pope John Paul II” was opened at the UST Museum.

In a Mass for deceased Thomasians, Caceres Archbishop Legaspi urged Thomasians to follow the example of Blessed John Paul II who visited UST in 1981 and 1995.

“Pope John Paul II embraced God’s love wholeheartedly to be able to change the world into something better,” he said.

Dominican friars drop their stern mien to ham it up before the press.

Legaspi lamented that many people “who call themselves Catholics in high positions,” simply throw out the Church’s teachings on the sanctity of marriage and life.

Amid the confusion, the prelate said Thomasians should always look up to the “Tria Haec,” the sculptures representing the theological virtues atop the Main Building, to be enlightened.

“‘The Tria Haec’ symbolizes the foundation of the Thomasian: faith, hope and love,” Legaspi said. “We must lead the truth in freedom and love.”

For more reports on the UST Quadricentennial, log on to www.varsitarian.com.