NAGA CITY, April 21 (PIA) --- The Office of the Vice Postulator for the Cause for Canonization of Blessed Ivan Merz in the Philippines has partnered with various religious and private organizations to bring to the faithfuls religious vestiges that speaks of Filipinos’ deep religiosity.
Dubbed “Tu Es Petrus”, the Tour of Papal relics showcases various historical and sacred collection of liturgical vessels used during the papal masses, stoles used by the various Popes and concelebrating priests during masses and special occasions and other things or belongings used by St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVII, Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, among others.
Fr. Dave Caesar Dela Cruz, Director of the Office of the Vice Postulation said that SM City Naga is the second place that they have visited as part of their provincial tour. The first provincial leg was in SM City Lucena last week.
The team started their tour after Pope Francis’ visit in the Philippines in January this year. Their first stop-over was at the Araneta Coliseum, followed by their visit in Cubao before embarking on their provincial journey.
Gabriel Adrian Mendez, one of the official custodians of the Tu Es Petrus said that they endeavor to share the inexplicable feeling of having to touch and see the relics that were used by Pope Francis during his visit in the Philippines since not everyone was not given a chance to personally see the Pope during his stay in our country.
“We. Filipinos have a strong sense of attachment to the things that were used by significant people that touched our lives. So we decided to bring here in Naga City all of these relics for other people to see. We plan to go to as many places as we can to share this journey,” Mendez added.
The Tour of the Papal Relics at SM City Naga will be until Thursday, April 23 before it moves out to SM Lipa in Batangas.
SM City Naga PIO Tina Sumayao enjoins everyone to come and see the relics temporarily housed at the SM City Naga Activity Center. She added that the exhibit will provide Bicolanos the chance to see the various religious memoirs that are significant to our Catholic faith.
Other religious collections that can be found as part of the exhibit include the pebbles from the house of St, Peter, pebbles and shells from the shore of the Sea of Galilee, rock and soil from the Church of Primacy of St. Peter, where the church commemorates and allegedly marks the spot of Jesus’ reinstatement of St. Peter as chief among the apostles.
The alb and amice of St. John Paul II used during the mass for beatification of St. Raphael Kalinowki and St. Albert Chmielowski on June 22, 1981 in Krakow, Poland were also part of the exhibit, including the hair strands of St. John Paul II, his cloth imbued with blood, leaves and twigs from the olive tree he planted in Mt. Nebo, the chalice that he used during his mass and the sacred linens that he used by in Poland in 1983.
The relics of the particles of bones of all \canonized popes were also displayed in the exhibit area including the Missalette for the beautification and canonization of St. John Paul II, canonization medal of St. John XXIII and St John Paul II, Missal during his papal mass and the stole for concelebrating priests during the beatification of Lorezo Ruiz in 1981.
Latest collections include the one used by the current Catholic Church Pope, Pope Francis like the exact replica of the Milter (head dress) worn by Pope Francis during his masses in the Philippines, condiments of sri Lankan Arilines for Pope Francis, Sede vacante medal of cardinal Tarciso Bertone SDB (Benedict to Francis),and rosaries blessed and given by Pope Francis, among others. (LSMacatangay, PIAV/Camarines Sur)