OUR LADY OF LINDOGON. Thousands of Marian devotees, with children in tow, offer flowers and reach out their hands to touch the
miraculous image as she arrives at the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) Pavilion in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, from the Simala Shrine in Sibonga town for the first leg of the image’s three-day visit in Cebu City (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA).
Twin sisters Gemma and Marissa Limpangug were supposed to take their ailing 82-year-old mother to the Basilica Minore Del Sto. Niño to attend the 11 a.m. Mass. But due to heavy traffic, they decided to attend Mass at the Mabolo Church in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, instead.
Upon nearing Mabolo, the 43-year-old twins suddenly realized they wanted to check out the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) Pavilion. It was only after they arrived at the Pavilion when they learned that the miraculous Lady of Lindogon, fondly called the Mama Mary of Lindongon, was about to arrive at any moment from the Simala Shrine in Sibonga, 60.7 kilometers south of Cebu City.
“We believe it was fate that really brought us here, and it is for this reason that we experienced traffic earlier on our way here from Lapu-Lapu City,” Gemma said.
The twins are devotees of the Blessed Virgin Mary and believe she can heal their mother, who is stricken with a severe heart problem.
Gemma and Marissa were among the 12,000 devotees who welcomed the arrival of the miraculous Mama Mary at the IEC Pavilion yesterday morning. It was the first visit of the image at the IEC Pavilion.
The convoy that brought the Miraculous Mama Mary of Lindongon image the IEC Pavilion was composed of 20 four-wheeled vehicles and 30 police motorcycles, arriving at around 11:30 a.m.
Marian devotees flocked to the venue, braving the scorching sun and waving their hands at the image until she was brought inside the IEC Pavilion.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, in the homily during the Mass to honor the Blessed Mother, emphasized the importance of praying the Holy Rosary in attaining peace in families and in all nations of the world, particularly now that the Roman Catholic Church is commemorating on Oct. 13 the 100th anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima.
“Mama Mary is the source of physical, spiritual and moral healing. We feel the love of God through her,” Palma said. “When life becomes challenging and difficult, let us all come to Mama Mary.”
At 7 p.m., a concert titled “It’s All About Her” was staged at the same venue organized by the Kapandesal MultiPurpose Cooperative (KMPC) Cebu. Aside from honoring Mama Mary, the concert also aimed to raise P5 million for the construction of two classrooms and a laboratory for the K–12 program of Our Lady of Lindogon Foundation in Barangay Simala.
Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) director Chief Supt. Noli Taliño said policemen escorted the transport of the holy image and would continue to guard the image until it safely returns to the Simala Shrine.
“We are hoping that this peaceful and organized atmosphere will be sustained until this Sunday when Mama Mary will be brought back to her shrine,” Taliño told reporters.
The miraculous image will be brought to the Basilica Minore De Sto. Niño today at 2:30 p.m. It will be brought back to the Marian Hills in Lindogon, Simala tomorrow morning.