MANILA, Philippines - Cofradia de la Inmaculada Concepcion Foundation and the Intramuros Administration will hold the 35th Grand Marian Procession on Dec. 7 at 4 p.m., after the 2 p.m. Hermanas Mayores Mass at the Manila Cathedral Basilica. The Mass will be of?ciated by Bishop Bernardino Cortes.
Founding chairperson Imelda Cojuangco announced that the Triduum Masses in honor of the Immaculate Conception started on Dec. 2 and ends today at 12 noon at the Manila Cathedral.
Hermanas Mayores for this year’s procession are Malou Unson, Belen Hidalgo and Nene Leonor.
The Intramuros Administration and Cofradia have organized the annual festivity since 1980vwith the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) replicating the full-force military participation during the processions of old. The event is a revival of the tradition that originated in Intramuros in 1619. Then a national celebration which ran for 15 days, the event was launched also at the Manila Cathedral.
The Cofradia de la Inmaculada Concepcion was declared a Canonical Association in the Archdiocese of Manila by the late Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin.
It is a private association that aims to promote public worship of Christian teaching, and to engage in efforts of evangelization, in particular Marian devotion in the entire Archdiocese of Manila and to exercise works of piety or charity.
The group, together with the San Agustin Parish, headed by Fr. Asis Bajao, is also responsible for the catechismal instruction and the organization of the First Holy Communion of some 500 street children from the depressed areas in Tondo and Binondo. This year’s group includes 150 children from Alay ng Puso Home for the Sick and Malnourished Children (Sisters of Charity) and 350 children from Baseco Elementary School. The First Holy Communion will be held tomorrow, 9 a.m. at the San Agustin Church in Intramuros. This event will be officiated by Bishop Teodoro Bacani Jr.,
More than 100 Marian images, parish and privately owned, from various parts of the country participate yearly.
Some of the venerated and canonically crowned images include the Nuestra Señora de Visitacion de Piat from Piat, Cagayan; Virgen Milagrosa del Rosario del Pueblo de Orani from Orani, Bataan; La Divina Pastora from Gapan, Nueva Ecija; Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba from Pakil, Laguna; Nuestra Señora de Salambao from Obando, Bulacan; Mary Mediatrix of all Grace from Antipolo del Norte, Lipa City; and the Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion Y Correa from Intramuros, Manila.
The foundation is headed by Imelda Cojuangco, chairman; Danny Dolor, vice chairman; Aurora Eizmendi, president; Lulu Tesoro Castañeda, vice president; Ma. Victoria Tengco-Burgos, treasurer; Fe Rodriguez, assistant treasurer; together with Jaime C. Laya, Rosita Lesaca, Zita Feliciano, Conrado Escudero, Helen Ong, Ofelia Recto, Marietta Santos, Jorge Allan Tengco and Nenuca Blardony.
The comite de festejos is headed by Conrado Escudero, chairman; with Allan Tengco, Danny Dolor, Clifford Chua and Armando Arionday.
Intramuros administrator Marco Antonio Luisito Villanueva Sardillo III invites the public to join the most-awaited Marian event in the country.