UST forms largest human rosary to honor Virgin Mary

MANILA, Philippines - In honor of the Immaculate Conception yesterday, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) gathered some 20,000 students to form the largest human rosary in the country. Associate Professor Giovanna Fontanilla, UST’s Public Office Director, said they initially planned to enter the living rosary to the Guinness Book of World Records but decided against it because of the rigid requirements.                                             

The human rosary was instead held as a tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“We are doing this event as a way of thanking, showing our great love and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary for her unceasing protection and guidance for the UST for almost 400 years,” said Fontanilla.                                                         

She said the event was also held as thanksgiving before the university’s 400th year celebration in January 2011.             

Even if the living rosary — the largest UST has organized- will no longer be applied for a world record, the university made sure the event was properly documented.

Aside from inviting the media to witness the event, it hired a company to take an aerial video of the 21.5-hectare campus using a remote-controlled helicopter.

“(But) we are not closing our doors to the possibility of a Guinness world record. There is always a possibility,” Fontanilla said.                                                                           

The university might work on a different project for a Guiness bid next year, in time for its quadricentennial anniversary.