Cathedral braces for ‘event of century’

Officials of Palo Cathedral are both joyous and anxious for the coming visit of Pope Francis next week. LITO TECSON/CEBU DAILY NEWS

For over 75 years, the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Our Lord in Leyte province has been the seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Palo, but never hosted any major event until January 17, when Pope Francis goes there as part of his five-day apostolic visit.

“I can’t express it in words. For me, it’s the event of the century; an event of a lifetime,” said Msgr. Rex Ramirez, the soft-spoken rector of the neo-gothic cathedral and vicar general of the archdiocese. “The coming of the Holy Father will be the biggest. There’s nothing more significant than that.”

Francis will meet the clergy, nuns, members of religious communities, seminarians and some typhoon survivors at the cathedral about 3:30 p.m. of Jan. 17. He will then lead the Vespers, the evening worship service, and give a short message.

He will go out through the sacristy and spend a few minutes at the mass grave beside the cathedral to pray over the bodies of some 150 people who died at the height of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) on Nov. 8, 2013.

Church officials had earlier agreed to use a portion of the grounds as gravesite at the left of the cathedral, close to its Millennium Tower. The names of those whose bodies have been identified are engraved on tombstones surrounding the tower.

“Since time immemorial, only diocesan events and a few national gatherings were held here,” Ramirez said.

The Palo Cathedral was constructed as a mission chapel by Jesuit friars in 1596. It was eventually taken over by the Augustinians in 1768 and later by the Franciscans in 1843.

It was proclaimed a cathedral on March 25, 1938, just a few months after the Palo Church was formed as a diocese.

The cathedral was used as an evacuation hospital and refugee center during World War II by American liberation forces from October 1944 to March 1945. It was rebuilt in the neo-gothic style.

An impressive tabernacle or metal container to store consecrated hosts has been added as an altarpiece, flanked by Renaissance-style gilded angels.

In 1982, the Diocese of Palo was elevated to an archdiocese with the dioceses of Calbayog and Borongan cities in Samar, Catarman town in northern Samar, and Naval town in Biliran serving as suffragan to it.

In 2010, the Palo Cathedral underwent a major renovation at a cost of more than P25 million in preparation for its diamond jubilee as a diocese in November 2012. But a year later, it was devastated by Yolanda—roofs and ceilings blown away, stained glass windows broken, and the altar and pews ruined.

“The church was new. And here comes Yolanda. It was too much to ask the people for donations since they, too, are victims of the storm surge and the typhoon. Good that there are several donations from other churches and groups,” Ramirez said.

A number of donations came in, and the cathedral was renovated a second time in less than five years. All works will be finished by the time the Pope arrives, Ramirez said.

The cathedral can seat only 1,200 people, but the rector said more chairs would be placed to accommodate priests from neighboring regions in the Visayas and Mindanao. Organizers are expecting about 1,500 priests, nuns and seminarians who will attend.

Lay people will be situated outside the church. Ramirez said wide video screens might be installed to allow the public to witness the activity inside.

“I do not believe that the Holy Father decided on his own to come to our place. He was inspired. And I know that the inspiration comes from God. We’ve been longing for a relief after the supertyphoon. And as one person here said, the Pope is our relief,” he said.

“This is going to be the first time that a pope will visit Palo, Tacloban and Leyte. Hopefully, this won’t be the last,” he added.