Devotees join the Walk with Mary 2024 foot procession on January 19, 2024. CDN Digital photo | Morexette Marie B. Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Despite threats of rains, hundreds participated in the Penitential Walk with Mary as the nine-day Novena Masses of this year’s Fiesta Señor comes to a close on Friday, January 19, 2024.
Throngs of devotees walked from Brgy. Guadalupe, along Osmeña Boulevard then in the streets of downtown Cebu City for the solemn procession of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which started at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe around 2 a.m.
READ: Walk with Mary, Traslacion Live updates
Approximately two hours later, or by 4 a.m., the carroza carrying the statue arrived at Fuente Osmeña, where eager faithfuls, with their umbrellas and images of the Snr. Sto. Niño and the Lady of Guadalupe joined.
Fortunately, the drizzle stopped a few minutes after the procession began, giving way for the candles to illuminate Cebu City’s roads even brighter, described Fr. Aloysius Alojipan of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who presided Friday’s Holy Mass of the procession.
In his Homily, Alojipan also thanked those who joined the Walk with Mary.
“Kini nagsilbi sa paglarawan sa atong pagtuo sa inahan… We walk in life to Jesus with Mary,” the priest said.
After Friday dawn’s Mass, the images of the Snr. Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe were escorted out of the Basilica compound for the Traslacion to the National Shrine of St. Joseph of Mandaue City.
In the meantime, Alojipan urged faithfuls to embody Mary’s values.
“The blessed mother herself is a disciple of love. Like Mary, be a disciple of Gos who will listen to God and obey with humility,” he added.
/bmjo