Holy masses will be celebrated Wednesday, Aug. 24, at the San Bartolome Parish (Apostol San Bartolome de Malabon Parish) on Rizal Avenue, Malabon City, in commemoration of the feast of Saint Bartholomew (San Bartolome).
Kalookan Bishop Emeritus Deogracias Iniguez will preside over the concelebrated mass at 9:30 a.m. Kaloocan Bishop and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president Bishop Pablo Virgilio David will lead the high mass (Misa Mayor) at 6 p.m.
Holy masses will also be offered at 5 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 3 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. A solemn procession will be held at 4 p.m.
At the San Bartolome de Novaliches Parish, the solemn liturgical commemoration will be held at 6 p.m. The fiesta celebration was celebrated last Sunday, Aug. 21 to coincide with the 36th parish fiesta. Novena masses were held from Aug. 15 to 23.
Feast masses will also be offered in Catbalogan, Samar; Magalang, Pampanga; Meycauayan, Bulacan; and in Nagcarlan, Laguna.
San Bartolome was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, and a martyr of the Christian faith. Known in the Scriptures as Nathaniel, San Bartolome was born during the First Century AD. He witnessed the Ascension of Jesus. Together with St. Jude, he introduced Christianity to Armenia during the first century hence, the two holy men are considered the patrons of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
San Bartolome also preached in India, Mesopotamia, Iran, and Egypt and was able to convert thousands to Christianity.
According to legends, San Bartolome died as a Christian martyr. He was said to have been martyred for having converted Polymius, King of Armenia, to Christianity. He was said to have been skinned alive and beheaded for standing by his faith.
His major shrine is the Saint Bartholomew Monastery in historic Armenia.