Archbishop crowns image of Ina in Barcelona

By Fr. Louie Occiano

Upon the invitation of Hermandad de Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia, Most Rev. Rolando J. Tria Tirona, O.C.D., D.D., Archbishop of Caceres presided over the Episcopal Coronation of the sacred image of Ina, Nuestra Señora de Penafrancia on May 28 within a solemn Eucharist at the Paroquia de Inmaculada Concepcion y San Lorenzo Ruiz in Barcelona, Spain.

The Hermandad de Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia in Barcelona is one of the active groups of devotees to Ina, Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Europe. Organized by Bicolano devotees in 2010, its membership has grown to almost 400 devotees which include non-Bicolanos. With the aim of propagating the practice of true devotion to Our Ina, and to unite all the Bicolano devotees in Spain, the association usually holds a Penafrancia fiesta celebration every September, which is highlighted by a Mass and fluvial procession.

The image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia is enthroned at the Parroquia Personal Filipino, Immaculate Concepcion & San Lorenzo Parish at St. Agustin Church in Barcelona, Spain, under the stewardship of the Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Francis Frane.

Responding to a petition submitted by the Hermandad, the Archdiocese of Caceres issued an Act of Attestation of the said Coronation of the image of Our Lady of Penafrancia.

The attestation says that “the sacred image is officially enthroned and enshrined in the sanctuary of the Immaculate Conception and San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish, Parroquia Personal Filipino, San Agustin Church, Plaza San Agustin, Barcelona, Spain, on May 28,2023, to foster the sanctification of the people of God according to Canons 1186 and 1188 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law. The Church recommends to the particular and filial veneration of the Christian faithful the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, the Mother of God, whom Christ established as the Mother of the human race.It also promotes true and authentic devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia whose example the Christian faithful are edified and through whose intercession they are sustained.”