NAGA CITY, Philippines – Aboard the iconic Bicol train of the Philippine National Railways (PNR), the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia or “Ina” to the devotees of the Bicol patroness journeyed at 7 a.m. on Sunday to Manila to visit parishes and campaign for the completion of three million rosaries for distribution to elementary school children.
Our Lady of Peñafrancia. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Initiated by a group called “3M Rosaries for Ina Project” or “3M for Ina”, operations director Marilyn Flores said the crusade of producing and distributing rosaries to elementary student started in 2010 during the tercentenary of devotion to the Bicol patroness.
Flores said the 3M for Ina was endorsed by Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legazpi as part of the continuing celebration of the Bicol patroness’ 300-year devotion that started in 1710.
She said the 3 million rosaries would help spread the devotion to Ina outside of the Bicol region by giving out rosaries with the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia on it and at the same time solicit support for the project.
So far, Flores said, they have gathered and distributed half a million rosaries to the school children in Archdiocese of Caceres.
“We have a long way to go with 2.5 million rosaries more but with the help of Ina, we hope we will be able to do that,” she said.
Aside from the materials like beads and twining materials, Flores said they pay P1 for every rosary assembled which she said provided additional income to women in the villages in Naga and neighboring towns.
She said that upon arrival at the Tutuban station Sunday evening, a holy Mass would be celebrated before Ina would be brought to Sta. Monica parish on Monday near train station in Dagupan Street.
The image of Ina was mounted on an altar in the middle coach of the seven-coach Bicol train facing the train station with the sliding door ready to be opened during whistle stops in Ragay in Camarines Sur, Hundagua in Quezon, Calamba in Laguna before reaching Tutuban station.
Constancio Toledano, area manager of the PNR, said the Bicol train that brought Ina to Manila was a commercial run wherein some 20 passengers were pilgrims.
Flores said the image of Ina will come home in Naga City on September 3, in time for the celebration of the annual Peñafrancia fiesta in the second and third week of September.
The journey of Ina to Manila by train, she said, was the first in its 300-year-old history.