Activities set for Peñafrancia de Mayo 2019

NAGA CITY – Activities are set for this year’s celebration of Peñafrancia de Mayo 2019, with the theme “Filipino Youth in Mission: Beloved, Gifted, Empowered.”, on May 20-24, 2019, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel, Second Floor, Naga City Peoples’ Mall (NCPM), this city.

Highlighted by the weeklong stay of the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia at the market, activities commence at 6:00 pm on Monday, May 20, with a Candlelight Procession from the Minor Basilica in Balatas to the NCPM in downtown Naga. Prior to her arrival at the NCPM, a Perpetual Novena will be held at 6:30 pm. Upon the arrival of the image, a Eucharistic Celebration will be held at the aforementioned chapel at around 7:00 pm, with the same being led by Rev. Msgr. Noe P. Badiola, P.C., Parish Priest of the Cathedral.

For the days of her stay at the NCPM Chapel, there will be regular daily masses at 12:15 pm, and at 4:30 pm. The Perpetual Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia will be held at 4:00 pm, while a Penitential Procession around major streets of Naga will be held at 6:00 pm. Other Liturgical activities include the Youth Vigil on Thursday, May 23 at 9:00 pm; Dawn Penitential Procession on Friday, May 24, at 4:00 am; and the Renewal Blessing of Market Stalls on May 24, at 9:30 am.

Several non-liturgical activities are also set to occur during the course of Ina’s stay at the NCPM, which include the Blood-letting Activity on Tuesday, May 21, at 8:30 am; Medical and Dental Mission on Wednesday, May 22, at 8:30 am; and the Pakawat para sa Kaakian on Thursday, May 23, at 9:00 am. All of which are to be held at the NCPM Activity Center, just in from of the NCPM Chapel.

Capping the weeklong visit of the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia at the market will be the Fluvial Procession along the Naga River from the NCPM to the Minor Basilica in Balatas which is set to take place on Friday, May 24, at 6:00 pm. Unlike the Fluvial Procession in September wherein only male devotees are allowed on the Pagoda, female devotees are allowed and are given importance during the May Fluvial Procession. Preceding the said procession will be a Eucharistic Celebration at 4:30 pm, led by Rev. Fr. Wilfred V. Almoneda.

This year’s celebration is once again spearheaded by the Naga City Peoples’ Mall Parish Pastoral Council, alongside the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral. Then-known as the “Peñafrancia May Festival”, the practice of bringing the Image of Ina to the Public Market started in the 1980s, in which the stay would normally last for only two days.