MANILA, Oct.17, 2013— Pope Francis will bless a mosaic image of San Pedro Calungsod, the second Filipino saint, at the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica on November 21, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said.
Palma said the pontiff only agreed to lead the blessing ceremony and asked Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle to officiate a Mass inside the basilica.
After the Mass, he said Calungsod’s image will be placed permanently inside the basilica together with that of San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint which has been there for 25 years.
He said it is an honor for the Philippine Church that another Filipino saint will have an image inside the basilica aside from San Lorenzo Ruiz.
“We should feel privileged that the image of our two saints will be seen when you go to the St. Peter’s Basilica,” Palma said.
“The pope said he will just do the blessing but he told the Cardinal (Tagle) to [say] Mass,” he said.
The archbishop made the announcement at the Philippine Conference on New Evangelization being held at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila where he presided a Mass on Thursday.
Palma said he and some other bishops will also be in Rome for the occasion. (CBCPNews)
