Devotees of Our Lady of Peñafrancia will celebrate on Sunday, Sept. 17, the feast day of “Ina,” the revered patroness of the Bicol Region.
Pontifical masses will be celebrated at the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Naga City, Camarines Sur, in observance of the solemnity.
Her feast day on Sunday will be preceded by the much-awaited fluvial procession on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. A foot procession at 3 p.m. will precede the fluvial parade. A solemn pontifical mass will be celebrated at 6:30 p.m.
The traslacion procession was held on Sept. 8, which was observed as the feast day of the Divino Rostro (Holy Face of Jesus). Sept. 8, which was also observed as the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary coincided with the start of the nine-day novena to Our Lady of Penafrancia.
This year marks the 141st year of devotion to the Divino Rostro (Holy Face of Jesus) and the 313th 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 in 2020 and in 2021.
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.