In observance of the Holy Week, the Philippine News Agency’s online news service will be off on March 29, Good Friday, and March 30, Black Saturday. Normal operations will resume on March 31, Easter Sunday.

— The Editors

Thousands flock to venerate St. Padre Pio relic in Batangas shrine

INCORRUPT HEART. Thousands flock to the National Shrine of St. Padre Pio in Santo Tomas, Batangas on Saturday morning (Oct. 6, 2018) to venerate the saint's incorrupt heart relic, in a historic visit in all three major islands of the country. St. Padre Pio, a world-famous stigmatist, is known among Filipino Catholics as a holy healer. The Philippines is only the fourth country his heart relic has visited, after the United States, Paraguay, and Argentina. (Photo by Maroe T. Genosa)

STO. TOMAS, Batangas -- Thousands of devotees flocked to the National Shrine of St. Padre Pio here to venerate the incorrupt heart relic of the famed stigmatist over a series of holy masses over the weekend.

The incorrupt heart relic made its historic first visit to the Philippines, the fourth country so far after the United States, Paraguay, and Argentina.

The Philippine visit of the St. Padre Pio's relic coincides with the centenary of the appearance of stigmata on the venerated prelate's body on Sept. 20, 1918 and his 50th death anniversary on Sept. 23.

Father Joselin Gonda, Rector of the National Shrine of St. Padre Pio in this Batangas town, told media that as early as last Friday morning, droves of devotees and Catholic faithful trooped to the National Shrine, where the relic made its first stopover in the country.

Over 30,000 devotees and worshippers from near and far localities came to pay homage to the saint and viewed the incorrupt heart relic placed in a special repository glass case at the Shrine’s altar, bedecked with bunches of flowers.

Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, officiated the concelebrated mass at 9 a.m. on Saturday, together with Archbishops Gilbert A. Garcera and Ramon C. Arguelles.

In his homily, the Papal envoy shared the special characteristics of St. Padre Pio’s heart, his child-like nature, and the opening of his heart for the poor and needy.

Caccia also stressed that St. Padre Pio’s heart is a suffering but a loving heart, a demonstration of the man whose heart bore numerous sufferings and trials throughout his life with great patience.

“I see many sick people here with us. Let Padre Pio’s loving heart assure you that you are not alone in your sufferings. You are united with the sufferings of Christ, which always lead to the resurrection, our greatest hope, and consolation,” he said.

The Vatican envoy also described St. Padre Pio’s heart as a pure one, and that “such purity was concretely shown through his being an effective minister of God’s compassion and mercy.”

Among those who flocked to the Shrine was Lilia Mantas, a devotee from Cuenca, Batangas.

Ako po ay nagpa-MRI at nakita na ako po ay may naipit na ugat sa aking balikat na kailangan ko pong mag pa-therapy. Pero kung hindi daw po makuha sa therapy kailangan ko pong operahan. Kaya po ako andito upang humiling kay Padre Pio na ako ay kanyang tulungang gumaling, naniniwala po ako na ako ay kanyang tutulungan (I underwent MRI and was diagnosed to have a twitched nerve in my shoulder that would require a therapy. But if the therapy could not help, an operation is necessary. That’s why I am here to request Padre Pio to heal me as I believe he will help me,” Mantas narrated.

Like Mantas, scores of people with ailments came in droves, believing in the healing power of Padre Pio’s pure heart.

National Shrine Rector Fr. Joselin “Jojo” Gonda said: “We wanted the heart to visit us because we celebrated the centenary of stigmata and the golden years of his death. And at this moment in time, we need to strengthen our faith as a nation and as a church.”

“With all the difficulties our country is going through, the presence of the heart of Padre Pio will continue to give hope to everybody, that we may discover that there’s a light that is being offered to us by God and the church,” Gonda added.

He described Padre Pio’s heart as full of love, full of compassion, and full of mercy.

On behalf of Filipino Catholics, Archbishop Garcera also welcomed and expressed gratitude to Vatican clergy Fr. Nazario Varciarelli and Fr. Giovanni Delle Carri, who accompanied the priceless incorrupt heart relic, considered a national treasure in Italy.

“This is a mission because on Oct. 26, that will be the last mass of the celebration. We will be the ones to say goodbye on behalf of the Filipino people. But what is important is not actually the venue here, but the venue in the heart of each one, where the Lord stays, and it is the heart that welcomes and says ‘Jesus you’re always with us and will bring your mission to the world,” Garcera stressed.

As a major religious nationwide event, the visit of St. Padre Pio’s heart relic has its Luzon leg starting in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.

It was transported to the Archdiocese of Manila on Monday, for veneration at the University of Santo Tomas and at the Manila Cathedral until Oct. 10.

From there, the relic will be transported to the Archdiocese of Cebu from Oct. 11 to 13 for the Visayas leg, then to the Archdiocese of Davao in Mindanao on Oct. 14-16.

The relic will be back in the province on Oct. 17 for a concelebrated mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral in Lipa City. It will stay at the National Shrine here until Oct. 26. (Maroe T. Genosa/PNA)

Comments