Roman Catholics celebrate Thursday, Aug. 31, the memorial of San Ramon Nonato (Saint Raymond Nonnatus), who is popularly regarded in many countries including the Philippines, as a miraculous healer and powerful intercessor.
San Ramon Nonato (Photo courtesy of Catholic Online)
Legazpi Bishop Joel Z. Baylon will preside over a fiesta mass in honor of the great preacher and missionary at the Shrine of San Ramon Nonato (Tagas Church )in Tagas, Daraga, Albay at 9 a.m.
This year marks the fourth parish fiesta. Novena masses were held from Aug. 22 to 30.
At the San Ramon Nonato Parish in Dinalupihan, Bataan, the praying of the holy rosary, novena and holy masses in observance of the feast were held from Aug. 22 to 30.
Commemorative masses will also be offered in parishes under the patronage of San Ramon in the towns of Guinlajon and Buenavista in Sorsogon.
Often invoked for safe childbirth, San Ramon, whose name is included in the Roman Martyrology, is also known as the protector of the unborn and the wrongly accused.
San Ramon was born in 1204 in Portella, Catalonia in Spain. Ordained priest in the year 1222, he joined the Orden de la Merced (Mercedarian Order) later serving as its master-general, which helped raise funds to pay the ransom for Christians jailed in North Africa. He was later tortured for standing by his faith.
San Ramon died on Aug. 31, 1240 and was canonized in 1657 by Pope Alexander VII. He remains as one of Spain’s most popular saints to this day