Bayanihan para Ki Ina: Nurturing a Growing Church through Faith, Service, and Mission

AS NAGA CITY prepares to welcome thousands of pilgrims and devotees from the Philippines and around the world for the Peñafrancia 2026 festivities including the Traslacion, the nine-day Novena Masses, and the grand Fluvial Procession the spirit of bayanihan once again becomes a visible expression of faith, communion, and service. These sacred celebrations draw the faithful into a shared journey of prayer and devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia and the Divino Rostro, making the preparation of Naga’s pilgrimage spaces an important part of welcoming pilgrims throughout the entire celebration. Guided by the 2026 theme, “Ina: Nurturing a Growing Church,” and taking place within the historic celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of the Archdiocese of Caceres, this work offers a concrete reminder that a growing Church is nurtured not only through prayer and worship, but also through shared responsibility for the places and communities entrusted to her care.

On September 4, 2026, beginning at 8:00 a.m., the Sisters of the Little Mission for the Deaf (SLMD), Naga, headed by Sr. Nora B. Patlonag, SLMD, Naga Superior, together with students of the Joseph Gualandi School for Hearing Impaired, Inc., and Deaf youth volunteers, joined in cleaning and preparing the Rotunda, a significant open public space along a major traffic route, prominently bearing the identity “Pilgrim City of Naga,” together with the images of Our Lady of Peñafrancia and the Divino Rostro. As one of the most visible points encountered by residents, pilgrims, and visitors entering and passing through the city, the Rotunda serves not only as a civic landmark but also as a public expression of Naga’s identity as a center of pilgrimage and devotion to Ina and the compassionate face of Christ represented by the Divino Rostro.

The volunteers removed overgrown weeds and dismantled old decorations in preparation for the repainting of the Pilgrim City of Naga marker and the logos of the Archdiocese of Caceres and the City Government of Naga. This initiative continues the improvement of the Rotunda markers first undertaken in 2024, during the commemoration of the Centenary of the Pontifical Coronation of Our Lady of Peñafrancia (1924–2024).

For Bicolanos, Our Lady of Peñafrancia and the Divino Rostro are not merely religious images or symbols of a geographical pilgrimage destination. They occupy a profound place in the spiritual and cultural life of Bicolandia. For generations, devotees have turned to Ina with filial love and confidence, while the Divino Rostro evokes the compassionate and merciful face of Christ. Together, they represent a spirituality deeply rooted in prayer, hope, thanksgiving, healing, and trust in God.

Their significance extends far beyond Bicol. Devotees and pilgrims from different parts of the Philippines and from various places around the world return to Naga or participate in the Peñafrancia celebrations in different ways. For many, the devotion is connected with family traditions, thanksgiving, petitions, healing experiences, and a continuing relationship with God through Mary and the face of Christ.

Consequently, the images standing at the Rotunda carry a meaning greater than their physical form. Every person who passes through this space encounters a visible reminder of faith, compassion, hope, and welcome. For the devotee, it may awaken a prayer or memory of Ina. For a returning pilgrim, it may evoke gratitude and belonging. For a visitor encountering Bicol for the first time, it introduces the spiritual identity of a region whose heritage is deeply connected with pilgrimage and devotion.

The Rotunda therefore becomes a threshold of welcome where the cultural identity of Bicolandia and its spiritual heritage meet. Its message is not one of exclusion, but of invitation: you are welcome here; this is a place where people journey together.

While Our Lady of Peñafrancia and the Divino Rostro are distinctly Catholic devotions, the hospitality they inspire can extend beyond denominational boundaries. The renewed marker can communicate a broader message of ecumenism, fraternity, peace, and respect, inviting people of different Christian traditions and people of other faiths or beliefs to appreciate the values of compassion, service, human dignity, and peaceful coexistence.

In this sense, the Rotunda becomes more than a marker identifying Bicol as a pilgrimage destination. It becomes a public witness to a faith that welcomes rather than excludes, builds bridges rather than barriers, and encourages people to walk together despite differences.

The centenary of the Pontifical Coronation in 2024 provided a significant opportunity to renew a collective commitment to nourish, preserve, and share our Divine inheritance. Devotion to Ina is deeply woven into the identity of Bicolandia, expressed in the enduring acclamation, “Se siempre la Reina de nuestra region.” This Marian devotion also resonates with the Church’s recognition of Mary as Queen, particularly following the institution of the Feast of the Queenship of Mary by Pope Pius XII in 1954.

The 2026 undertaking demonstrates how Marian devotion can move beyond private piety into a public spirituality of service and stewardship. On September 9, the repainting of the Rotunda markers was completed through the generosity of Mr. John Paul Evangelista, owner of Squarefoot. The renewal of the sacred images of Our Lady of Peñafrancia and the Divino Rostro, however, continued with remarkable dedication until midnight of September 10, on the eve of the Traslacion. The work was led by Engr. Warren Chavez, Lay Catholic Leader, Volunteer Scout Leader and Owner of Tribo Bicolano, with the active participation of Teresa Follente, a Deaf artist and volunteer, the Sisters of the Little Mission for the Deaf, and other dedicated volunteers. Their perseverance, extending late into the night, became a profound expression of love for Ina and the Divino Rostro and a concrete witness to the spirit of bayanihan where faith is translated into generous service for the Church, the community, and the pilgrims who journey to Naga.

Particularly meaningful is the embossment representing synodality on the body of Ina, symbolically linking Marian devotion with the Church’s call to journey together in communion, participation, and mission. In this sense, Ina becomes not merely a devotional landmark, but a reminder of a Church that listens, accompanies, serves, and walks with her people.

The undertaking also benefited from the active participation and support of government and civic partners, particularly the Philippine National Police (PNP), whose personnel assigned to the Rotunda provided valuable assistance in maintaining security, safety, and orderly coordination throughout the clean-up and preparation activities. Their presence helped ensure the safe movement of volunteers, pedestrians, and passing motorists in this busy public space, while reflecting the PNP’s important role not only in maintaining peace and order but also in supporting community-based initiatives that contribute to the welfare and well-being of the public. The Naga City Police Office is under the leadership of PCOL Rizaldy L. Caballero, Acting City Director. The cooperation of the Communication Central (COMCEN) or Central Command Center of the LGU Naga further strengthened the orderly implementation of the activity.

Heartfelt gratitude is likewise extended to the Solid Waste Management Office (SWMO), particularly Mr. Joemar S. Navarro, Administrative Aide/utility worker with his companion , who generously volunteered his sidecar to transport the removed and worn decorations for temporary safekeeping at the SWMO , under the leadership of Engr. Joel Pascual Martin. These contributions demonstrate how government personnel, law enforcement, civic partners, and community volunteers can work together in a spirit of bayanihan, stewardship, and shared responsibility in preparing Naga City to welcome pilgrims and visitors during the Peñafrancia festivities.

Special thanks are also extended to Board Director Jose B. Perez for facilitating coordination with Engr. Francisco Paulo Pastor S. Lim, Engineer II / Office Head- City Parks & Recreational Facilities Management Office of the City Government of Naga, and to all individuals and organizations who generously contributed their time, skills, resources, and goodwill.

The initiative reflects the broad collaboration among the Church, government agencies, non-government organizations, medical professionals, academe, Scouts, uniformed personnel, religious organizations, socio-civic groups, volunteers, and private benefactors. Such collaboration gives concrete meaning to bayanihan as a lived expression of Christian solidarity and stewardship.

Preparing the Pilgrim City of Naga for the Peñafrancia festivities is therefore more than an effort to beautify public spaces. It is an act of pastoral hospitality. A clean, dignified, and welcoming sacred environment communicates that pilgrims and visitors are expected, valued, and received with respect.

The positive influence of such spaces should not be underestimated. A person passing the Rotunda may be reminded to pause, reflect, give thanks, seek peace, or simply recognize the presence of something sacred amid the movement of everyday life. A visible culture of cleanliness, cooperation, beauty, and hospitality can also encourage civic pride and inspire others to participate in caring for their community. In this way, the renewed Pilgrim City of Naga marker, together with the images of Ina and the Divino Rostro, becomes a visible encounter between faith and public life, devotion and service, heritage and mission. It proclaims that Bicolandia is not simply a destination to be visited, but a community that welcomes pilgrims and visitors into a culture shaped by faith, compassion, hospitality, and bayanihan.

As Naga prepares for the Peñafrancia festivities, may these renewed signs continue to speak silently yet powerfully to everyone who passes by: a message of faith without exclusion, devotion expressed through service, and a people united in respect, peace, and love of God and neighbor. In the spirit of “Ina: Nurturing a Growing Church,” may this continuing collaboration nurture a Church that grows not merely in numbers, but in communion, compassion, participation, mission, and fraternity. May devotion to Ina and the Divino Rostro inspire Bicolanos and pilgrims from across the Philippines and around the world to preserve our sacred heritage, welcome those who journey in faith, and serve one another with generosity.

Heavenly Father, through the loving intercession of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, our Ina, and in the compassionate face of Christ, the Divino Rostro, bless Naga City, Bicolandia, and all who journey here in faith. As we celebrate the Peñafrancia festivities, bless our Traslacion, Novena Masses, Fluvial Procession, pilgrims, devotees, volunteers, and all who serve. May our bayanihan become a living expression of faith, communion, charity, and mission. May Ina lead us always to her Son, and may the Divino Rostro teach us to recognize the face of Christ in every person we encounter. Make our city a welcoming home for pilgrims and visitors, and make our service a bridge of peace, fraternity, and unity among all people. May we continue to nourish our faith, preserve our heritage, and share the blessings entrusted to us, so that through our collective service, Your Church may truly grow in communion, participation, compassion, and mission. Bless Naga City, Bicolandia, and all pilgrims from near and far. Keep us united in faith, generous in service, and steadfast in love. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.