Pontifical masses will be celebrated on Sunday, Sept. 18, at the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Naga City, Camarines Sur, in solemn observance of the Solemnity of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, fondly called by devotees as “Ina” (mother), the highly revered patroness of the Bicol Region.
The Holy masses will be held at 6 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and at 6 p.m.
The solemnity will be preceded by the much-awaited fluvial procession on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 4 p.m. Confessions will also be heard on Sept. 17 at the basilica grounds from 4 to 6 p.m.
Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula will preside over the 6:30 p.m. mass on Saturday.
The mobile traslacion procession was held on Sept. 9 to mark the start of the nine-day novena to Our Lady of Penafrancia.
This year marks the 140th year of devotion to the Divino Rostro (Holy Face of Jesus) and the 312th year of widespread and intense devotion to the Blessed Mother in the region.
Organizers said more than half a million devotees from the Bicol Region and around the country are expected to join the celebrations which are being held again after a two-year break because of the pandemic.
Devotion to “Ina” started in 1710 with the small community of Fr. Miguel Robles de Covarrubias, and has grown and became widespread and has extended even to non-Bicolanos.