Devotees of the highly revered Our Lady of Peñafrancia are expected to line the stretch of the Naga River bank at 4 p.m. today for the much-anticipated grand fluvial procession of the venerated images of Our Lady of Peñafrancia and the Divino Rostro (Holy Face of Jesus) that will be brought back to the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Peñafrancia.
Spectators traditionally wave white handkerchiefs and utter a prayer as the elaborately-adorned carriage accompanied by smaller vessels passes by.
The festive fluvial procession on the Naga River serves as the highlight of the annual Feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia as the images of “Ina,” the well-loved patroness of the Bicol region, and the Divino Rostro are brought back to the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, from the centuries-old Naga Metropolitan Cathedral, where the images were brought for the novena masses last Sept. 13 via the “Traslacion” procession.
Several activities will be held today, including a dawn penitential procession at 3 a.m. Masses will be offered from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m., 4 a.m., 6:15 a.m., 8 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. Church bells will peal at 12 noon.
The solemn Feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia will be observed tomorrow with a series of pontifical masses marking the 309th year of widespread devotion to Ina. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Doing Christ’s Mission with Youthful Hearts with Mary.”
The city government announced it is ready for the procession which is expected to be attended by millions of devotees and tourists.
Naga City Mayor Nelson Legacion said preparations for the event started with the issuance of an executive order creating the joint operation center which started to convene and operate since the first week of September.
“Certainly, we are ready for the fluvial procession. Yung iba’t-ibang grupo like security, medical, and augmentation teams, na meet na po ito,” Legacion said.
Legacion said they expect four million devotees and tourists to attend, double the two million last year.
“Expected po natin na mas madami ngayon. Patunay po diyan noong coronation night ng Miss Bicolandia, first time sa history sa pag-host na kailangan nang magsara upon the recommendation ng security cluster. Madaming hindi nakapasok sa dami ng tao. Also, during the Traslacion, halos doble din ‘yung dami ng tao,” he noted. (Christina Hermoso and Nino Luces)