LUCBAN, Quezon—Popular healing priest Fr. Joey Faller is inviting the country’s leaders to join him in one special moment of “prayer for the nation” after Vice President Jejomar Binay visited the ”Kamay ni Hesus” (Hand of Jesus) Shrine here on Maundy Thursday.
“Our country’s leaders need divine inspiration for national unity, progress and development for all Filipinos, especially the poor,” Faller said in an interview on Good Friday.
“Let us all continue the healing of the nation. Let us unite and heal the wounds of the society,” he said.
Faller mentioned the names of President Aquino, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao as some of the country’s leaders that he wants to be with in a communal prayer at the shrine.
“I want to show Manny that even he has changed his religion, the shrine here is still full of gods. I am sure that he will feel their presence here at the shrine,” Faller said, referring to Pacquiao, who left the Catholic Church to become a born-again Christian. The boxing champion regained his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title in a 12-round decision against American Timothy Bradley Jr. in Las Vegas on April 12.
More than 150 images of saints are scattered around the shrine that Faller administers for the Diocese of Lucena.
Faller said Binay, whose visit was unannounced, sought prayers for his health and success in his future plans.
Binay has made no secret of his plan to run for president in 2016.
3M visitors
From Palm Sunday to Good Friday, an estimated 3 million people visited the shrine, according to Faller.
He said the estimate is based on the visitor count made by security guards at the gate.
The shrine, located in Tinamnam village, 2 kilometers from the town center, is one of the popular Holy Week destinations in the country.
Chief Insp. Arvin de Asis, Lucban police chief, said that based on the police’s own monitoring since the start of Holy Week, the visitor traffic report of the shrine’s management was possible.
“The number of people coming in and out of the shrine was really large, especially on Thursday and Friday when the shrine was open 24 hours,” De Asis said.
It was the first time that the 5-hectare religious complex kept its gate open all day and all night.
Faller recalled the long lines of vehicles that stretched for several kilometers from the gate of the complex in past years.
“The ocean of Catholic faithful all wanting to enter the shrine to meditate, relax and pray was really awesome but at the same time it was chaotic. So we decided to keep the gate open even for only during the two important days,” Faller said.
On regular days, the shrine is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
According to De Asis, throngs of hikers and bikers from Lucena City (21 km away), Tayabas City (10 km away), Sariaya in Quezon province and the neighboring towns of Majayjay and Luisiana in Laguna province arrived in Lucban as early as 2 a.m. Friday.
“I ordered my men at the boundaries to ensure the smooth flow of out-of-towners coming in,” he said.
The local police were assisted by Army soldiers and additional officers from other units of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
‘Walking with Jesus’
Faller described the Lenten traffic of hikers and bikers as “walking with Jesus” on the way to Calvary.
“I’m tired but spiritually fulfilled. I’ve been doing this Lenten sacrifice for the past three years,” said hiker Armand Guerrero, 45, a former overseas contract worker who resides in Lucena. He said he prayed the rosary several times as he walked alone for four hours.
At dawn on Good Friday, the visitors, tired and sleepless, rested in vacant spaces around the complex, in grassy areas, small huts, and even inside the church.
“My family traveled all the way from Pampanga. This is our first time. My kids are all thrilled to climb and reach the statue of Jesus at the top of the hill,” said lawyer Rodrigo Gutierrez, who is from Macabebe town.
A security guard told the Inquirer that there was never a break in the long snaking lines of devotees wanting to climb the 300-step “Stairway to Heaven” to reach a 17-meter-tall statue of the resurrected Christ on top of the hill since the complex was opened to the public on Thursday.
The devotees spent at least three hours in the slow-moving line before entering the gate leading to the stone steps.