St. Clare of Assisi relic visits Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - The renowned relic of St. Clare of Assisi arrived in Cebu yesterday to start its two-month-long pilgrimage in the Philippines.

The first-class relic of the virgin landed at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport at 3 pm and was ushered straight to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in a motorcade.

This is the first time that the relic of St. Clare was allowed to leave Rome. The Philippines is its first destination.

The relic was brought to the country by Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See Mercedes Tuason, Josie Bantog, Nada Sbutega, Carmeni Montanari and Padre Jess Dajac of the Missionaries of Faith.

At the Cathedral, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma celebrated a Mass for St. Clare at 6pm.

In his homily, Palma pointed out that yesterday was a joyful and privileged day to celebrate Ash Wednesday because of the arrival of St. Clare’s relic in the archdiocese of Cebu.

“Her entrance 800 years ago is a celebration of the beginning. Her desire to offer herself totally to God, for us the meaning is if we are to be inspired by Clare, then the season of Lent should also make us remember our beginning,” Palma said.

Palma further said that the Christian’s beginning as well as their end is God. However, right now, Palma said the world already lacks people who feel brotherly or sisterly to others.

“My prayer is that with Clare in our midst, with Pedro Calungsod, we can look at other person and say ‘you are my brother, my sister. I share my prayers with you. I share my hopes with you. I share my desire that one day we will journey towards heaven,” he said.

To end his 20-minute homily, the archbishop called on the devotees to turn away from sins, be humble and admit that all are sinners as they are smeared with ash on their foreheads.

The relic, a bone from the cranium believed to be part of St. Clare’s eye socket, rests in its original wooden box about 24 inches in height. It was exposed for public veneration up to 12 midnight.

The relic will be transported to the Poor Clare Monastery in Tayud, Consolacion today after an 8am mass at the Cathedral, which will be celebrated by Msgr. Roberto Alesna.  It will stay there for public veneration until February 25.

Representative Gabriel Quisumbing urged fellow Cebuanos to pay their respects to the image of the miraculous relic of St. Clare of Assisi. Quisumbing was part of the welcoming committee for the Vatican dignitaries and pilgrims of St. Clare of Assisi yesterday afternoon.

“I invite our fellow Cebuanos, especially our constituents in the 6th district, to pay their respects to the miraculous relic of St. Clare of Assisi,” Quisumbing said.

Quisumbing was invited by Vatican officials and Her Excellency Ambassador Mercedes Tuazon to join the welcoming committee.

From Cebu, the relic will visit other cities in Mindanao and the Visayas, including Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Dumaguete, and Iloilo before it will be brought to Luzon. The relic will also visit other Poor Clare Monasteries in the country until its scheduled return to Assisi in Italy.

The relic’s Philippine sojourn is part of the year-round 800th year celebration of the founding of the Order of St. Clare (OSC), which will end this October.

Many miracles were documented during the life of St. Clare, one of which was the defense of the Italian city of Assisi from marauders.

Placing the Blessed Sacrament on the enemies’ direction and prostrating herself as a human shield for her sisters, Clare entrusted herself and her people to God’s protection, and the enemies fled as if driven away by an invisible force.

In Feb 17, 1958, Pope Pius XII also designated Clare as Patron Saint of Television after her reported miraculous vision and hearing of the Mass from the confines of her room several miles away when she was too ill to attend a church worship.

Clare died in Assisi on Aug. 11, 1253 and was canonized posthaste two years thereafter.

She is also patroness of telephones, telegraphs, embroiderers, and of those with eye ailments. She is likewise the refuge for childless couples and the champion of the poor.

Clare was always devoted to prayer as a child. When she turned 15 her parents wanted her to marry a young and wealthy man but she wanted to wait until she was 18.

However, upon reaching the said age, she had heard Francis’ teachings, which changed her life. — (FREEMAN)