The Birth of the Global Relay of the Novena to Our Lady of Peñafrancia

Finding Light Beyond Lockdown

By Chit Ll. Viola

History and Background

When the world shifted dramatically in 2020 because of the pandemic, isolation became a new

reality for everyone. For us, members of Our Lady of Peñafrancia Association, Scandinavia, it meant we could no longer meet in person as we had since 2018 to express our devotion to Ina, Our Lady of Peñafrancia. The longing to remain connected in prayer led us to turn to the internet. What began as a small, private online rosary and novena prayers shared on Facebook amongst us members, soon grew much wider.

Non-members from Denmark began asking to join, and soon, members of the Association—as well as those who joined us nightly—started inviting friends from other countries who might be

interested in praying with us. Slowly, Bikolanos living far from home, spread across Europe, the

Middle East, North America, and Asia found their way into our circle. Suddenly, we were praying together with devotees from Sweden, Norway, Spain, Italy, Russia, Belgium, Ireland, Austria, France, Poland, Bahrain, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Canada, and the United States.

Each person had a different story—why they had left the Philippines, what work they were doing, the struggles of quarantine in foreign lands—but one thing united us all: the need to cling to Ina’s motherly love during a difficult, uncertain time. What began as a substitute for our physical gatherings became a powerful community that reached far beyond what we ever imagined.

How the Global Relay Was Born

As the Feast of Peñafrancia 2021 approached, the question weighed on us: How do we celebrate Ina when we are oceans apart?

One evening, I happened to come across a video of a World Rosary Relay for Priests. The idea struck me—this must be the sign I’ve been praying for, why couldn’t we do the same, even if only as families?

I shared the thought with a friend, Vida Zardilla from Calabanga, Cam. Sur, presently based with her family in San Diego, California, USA, who immediately expressed support and even offered that her family would take one day of the novena. Her enthusiasm fuelled my own. I then brought the idea to the active members of our association, who also enthusiastically agreed with the plan for thePeñafrancia celebration. Then I broached the idea to our Spiritual Director, Fr. Dan Viola, who happens to be my brother, and who was also ecstatic with the unique idea of spreading the devotion to our INA. He suggested that we start the nine-day novena with a live streamed Mass he would preside over from his Parish.

The next step was to look for the other participating families from different countries joining us in our nightly prayers. When I proposed the idea of the novena relay to the different devotees who had been praying with us nightly, seven families from different countries eagerly volunteered. Together with the Zardilla Family and our community in Copenhagen, we had enough to complete the nine days of the novena.

The plan was simple yet powerful: each family in a different country would record themselves leading the prayers for one day of the novena. Their recorded prayers would be sent to me, and I would compile the videos to be queued nightly as a pre-recorded live-streamed video on Facebook. This allowed us to pray and offer our intentions together every night, taking turns to lead each day’s novena through the prayer videos recorded separately.

While we could not broadcast live, like the Global Rosary Relay for Priests, due to time zone differences and limited resources, the spirit of a global relay was there—passing the torch of prayer from one country to the next until the whole novena was completed.

Thus, the Global Relay of the Novena to Our Lady of Peñafrancia (GRNOLP) was born.

A Growing Global Family

The relay began in 2021 with families from cities such as Sarpsborg (Norway), Innsbruck (Austria), Dublin (Ireland), Brussels (Belgium), Dubai (UAE), Galveston (Texas, USA), San Diego (California, USA), San Francisco (California, USA) and Copenhagen (Denmark). These early participants were mostly Bikolanos living far from home, united by their devotion to Ina.

In 2022, new members joined, including a family originally from Naga, now based in Quezon City, along with members of the Peñafrancia Devotees from Ireland.

By 2023, the relay expanded to Vancouver, Canada, welcoming even non-Bikolano friends who, as devoted Marian believers themselves, happily joined in the prayers.

In 2024, families from Paris and the Peñafrancia Association of France joined, further strengthening the global community.

Now in its fifth year, the relay includes twelve families and groups worldwide, turning a small gathering into a true international celebration of faith; today, it embodies a coming together of hearts and traditions, forging bonds of faith and friendship beyond borders.

A New Community is Born: Our Latest Milestone

This year, on our fifth anniversary, we reached another important milestone. For the first time, we invited the relatives and friends of our participating families and groups from different countries to attend in person the Opening Mass celebrated by Fr. Dan.

In the previous four years, the Mass was mainly attended by our overseas members through live streaming. This was partly because Fr. Dan was assigned in Caramoan, far from our families, and also because it was not safe to gather in person during the earlier pandemic years.

But this year, 2025, Fr. Dan was assigned as Parish Priest of Saint Raphael the Archangel Parish in Pili, Camarines Sur—much closer to home. While we initially expected around 20 attendees, nearly 60 relatives and friends came to join the Mass in person. As Fr. Dan often says, when it comes to Ina, the turnout always exceeds expectations. That special day, a new community was born, made of family and friends of our international participants coming together for the first time in one place.

Our Shared Dream and Direction

What we the members of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Association in Scandinavia and the participants of the Global Relay of the Novena to Our Lady of Peñafrancia (GRNOLP) dream to achieve is to unite devotees from around the world in prayer, keeping Ina’s love and tradition alive beyond borders, and to inspire new generations to carry this devotion forward wherever life takes them. And to make the novena relay not just an annual event, but a global symbol of unity, resilience, and love for Ina—proof that in prayer, distance does not divide, it unites.

An Invitation to Devotees Worldwide

As the Global Relay continues to grow, we open our arms wider. Whether you belong to a formal association or are simply part of a family who loves Ina, you are welcome to join us.

Distance should never be a reason to feel cut off from this devotion. With a small effort and a big heart, you too can take part in this chain of prayer that now spans continents.

If you feel called to join or wish to take part in the next novena relay, simply send us a message, via our FB Page : Our Lady of Peñafrancia Association, Scandinavia, message Cynthia Keshavarz via Messenger or simply contact Fr. Dan. Together, let us carry on this beautiful tradition and make Ina’s love shine brighter to the world.