HONG KONG AIRPORT – The official pilgrim image of Blessed Pedro Calungsod traveled on an Economy seat on the plane.
Packed in a tall styrofoam box and wrapped in velvet, the statue occupied seat number 30-A of Cathay Pacific with Fr. Charles Jayme, the custodian, seated beside it.
I sat behind them.
Filipino pilgrims practically occupied all seats of the flight to Hong Kong, which has a nine hour stopover here before we board another flight to the Vatican in Rome at midnight.
A flight steward who carried the image knelt down and made the sign of the cross. She had a few words to express her joy for the privilege of having the image of a soon-to-be-declared saint in the flight. We arrived in Hong Kong at 3 p.m. The image was carried to the airport chapel where it was removed from the styrobox and venerated by Filipino pilgrims.
Upon arrrival in Rome the next day, the image will be brought to the Collegio Filipino for appropriate rites before the canonization rites at the Vatican on Sunday, Oct. 21. /Fr. Dan delos Angeles