Filipinos celebrate Calungsod canonization

Blessed Pedro Calungsod

MANILA, Philippines—As thousands of Filipinos descend on Rome, millions more across the Philippines are gearing up to celebrate the canonization of Blessed Pedro Calungsod in the Eternal City on Sunday.

The Catholic faithful are expected to gather in different church events in Tondo, Manila; Novaliches, Quezon City; Makati; Mandaluyong; and in Cebu to watch a live telecast of the ceremony where Pope Benedict XVI will formally raise Calungsod to the altar.

The Philippine Postal Corp. will also inaugurate a stamp at the Edsa Shrine in honor of Calungsod, the second Filipino saint after St. Lorenzo Ruiz.

According to the church website sanpedrocalungsod.com, more than 1,000 members of the youth from across Metro Manila will gather at the Sto. Niño de Tondo Parish in Manila from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday to watch the canonization.

Around 600 young people are also expected to gather at the Good Shepherd Cathedral Covered Court in Novaliches while the Federation of National Youth Organization will also celebrate the event in Makati.

Dubbed “Pedro at Ako,” the FNYO event will be held at the Savio Dome of Don Bosco Technical Institute-Makati from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Sunday.

In Cebu, the Commission on Youth of the Archdiocese and the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City invited Catholics to watch a live telecast of the events in Rome.

The gathering, which includes a drama on the life of the second Filipino saint, talks and trivia games, will be held at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex.

Wood carvers were also reporting an increase in the demand for statues of the would-be saint, according to a report on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines website.

“There are many orders coming from different provinces … from old and new clients,” said Kevin Cagayat. His father Justino was commissioned by the Jesuits to carve the official statue of Calungsod.

The statues–ranging from eight inches (worth P350) to four feet tall (P40,000)–are made of either resin or wood.

“Since August, high demands and orders forced us to produce around 100 statues a week since August,” Cagayat added.

“Also, in times like this when the demand is very high and there are rush orders, we also outsource workers to do the carving and finishing touches,” he added.

Meanwhile, PHLPost will unveil the special stamp in honor of Calungsod during a noontime Mass at the Edsa Shrine on Sunday.

“The single stamp design illustrates Blessed Pedro holding a Palm leaf in his left hand … his right hand at the chest signifying his deep Roman Catholic faith. On the right side is the missionary route to the Marianas Island,” PHLPost said in a statement.

The postal service said it was issuing 50,000 of the “limited edition” stamps worth P9 each. They will be available from Oct. 22 until to Oct. 20, 2013 at selected post offices nationwide.

Those interested could also call the PHLPost postage and philatelic department at 527-01-32.