Cebuano faithful celebrate feast of Christ the King

CEBU, Philippines - Not even a heavy downpour stopped yesterday’s celebration of the feast of Christ the King, which was attended by over a thousand devotees.

No less than Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal celebrated the mass at the Cebu City Sports Center. With him were Rt. Rev. Msgr. Roberto Alesna, secretary general of the Archdiocese of Cebu and Msgr. Aquilles Dakay, media liaison officer of the archdiocese.

Heavy rains and strong winds disrupted the mass, but devotees remained at the sports center. Church officials, however, had to go down the main stage, which served as the altar, to seek shelter. 

In his homily, Vidal urged the faithful “to be truthful and to be prayerful, and to always seek for peace.” Vidal said trustworthiness is what is being needed these days.

“If we want to be blessed and called the children of God, we can be by telling the truth even if others will not…and let us pray for peace. Magmalinawon kita, husto na ang patay ug ang away,” Vidal said.

The Feast of Christ the King was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as an antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man’s thinking and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist.

The feast is intended to proclaim in a striking and effective manner Christ’s royalty over individuals, families, society, governments, and nations.

After the mass, devotees joined in a procession that carried the Blessed Sacrament to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. The procession ended with a prayer of consecration to Christ the King and Benediction.

The downtown area had to be closed, as the procession passed through Osmeña Boulevard. — Jasmin R. Uy/JMO (THE FREEMAN)