TACLOBAN CITY-Thousands of faithful are expected to hear the Pontifical Concelebrated Mass at the Santo Niño Church relative to the 129th annual fiesta of the city today(June 30).
The Pontifical Concelebrated Mass will start at 9:30 in the morning with the bishop emeritus of Naval, Filomino Bactol, as the main celebrant.
And in the evening, Palo Archbishop John Du will be the main celebrant of another Pontifical Concelebrated Mass.
Prelates and priests from other dioceses of the region are expected to attend the Pontifical Concelebrated Mass.
Top officials of the city government lead by Mayor Cristina Romualdez and Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez of first district are also expected to attend the Pontifical Concelebrated Mass.
Today’s Pontifical Concelebrated Mass will serve as the highlight of the nine-day novena to the June 30 fiesta celebration of Tacloban in honor of its patron, Senior Santo Niño.
At around 2:30 pm today, a fluvial procession will be held to be followed by a land procession at 4:30 pm.
This year’s celebration, which falls on the year of the clergy and consecrated persons, has a theme “Hatag ha Diyos, Halad hin Tawo, Pagbag-0 han Bungto.”
The Santo Nino de Tacloban, as the patron is known, is different from other similar images as it is the only one who has a silver and gold vestment.
Bishop Teotimo Pacis, then the bishop of the Diocese of Palo, issued a decree in 1969 making the Sto. Nino de Tacloban as the heavenly patron and protector of Leyte.
Faithful from the city are known to have a deep devotion to the Child Jesus, calling His name during personal crisis and calamities like when Tacloban City was pummeled by super typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013.
The church itself sustained major damage. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
