Naga City – Back to the time when Miguel Robles de Covarrubias, a seminarian, began promoting and propagating the devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia, the faith of the millions of devotees of Bicolandia’s “Ina” has not waned - not even a bit - and in fact, has constantly been growing through the years.

This is true as the whole province of Bicol, led by the Caceres Archdiocesan Tercentenary Committee which is headed by Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi, OP, DD, braces for the biggest celebration of faith this September.

“Since 2007, the church in the Bicol Region has been making efforts to worthily thank, renew, and share the gift of devotion to Ina for all her devotees in the country and the world over. These efforts celebrate a religious milestone which might not be repeated in our lifetime,” said Archbishop Legaspi.

Aside from the Pagsungko of the pilgrim image in every parish, recruitment and formation of volunteers to the Confradia de San Jose and Guardia de Maria, and the holding of perdon (penitential procession), the Church has planned several activities to make this year’s event have an even impact on the devotees.

The festival kicks off this month with the movie project on the Bikolanos’ devotion to Ina written and directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya, starring actress Judy Ann Santos; the launching of the “Little Stories of Faith” book at the Holy Rosary Minor; and the start of Pagsungko at the Vicariate of St. John the Baptist and the Partido parishes.

In April, the Pagsungko will continue in the Vicariate of St. Michael, and will cover the coastal parishes of Caramoan, Garchitorena, and Balaton. Also, there will be summer catechetical missions which will begin in the Parish of Divino Rostro.

There will be a procession of the Marian Images from the parishes of the Archdiocese from the main streets of Naga City to the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral on May 29. The Pagsungko will continue on to the Vicariate of St. Paschal Baylon, comprising of the towns of Manguiring, Tinambac, and Siruma, to be followed by the Vicariate of La Porteria in Calabanga.

From June to August, the pilgrim image will continue the Pagsungko in the remaining vicariates, and will go around the various schools in Naga. There will be a month-long Tercentenary exhibit on the Lady of Peñafrancia in Naga Cathedral, SM City Naga, and SM Mall of Asia in Pasay.

A Harubay Para Ki Jesus Asin Para Ki Maria (Crying out for Jesus and Maria) caravan will kick off the main celebration in September, followed by various activities such as the launching of the book “Orgulyo” and an Ina painting exhibit by Pancho Piano.

On September 10, Bikolanos will celebrate the Feast of Divino Nostro in the morning, then the Translacion procession of the two images (Divino Nastro and Our Lady of Peñafrancia) in the afternoon, followed by a Pontifical Mass and the Grand Tercentenary Celebration at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral.  The week-long novena, confessions, and masses will be held from September 10 to 18, also at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral.

Catch the Philippine Madrigal Singer on September 11, at the Ateneo de Naga University, and on September 12 at the Basilica Minore as well as the series of cultural events, including the Voyadores Festival, from September 11 to 17.

Capping the Peñafrancia Festival will be the fluvial procession on September 18, where images of the Ina resting on pagodas, will be paraded along Naga River.

For more information, email cccom1naga@gmail.com or call (054) 495-5490.