Catholics all over the world celebrate the traditional birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary today.
In Cebu, thousands of devotees are expected to troop to the Marian shrine in Simala, Sibonga town. A 10 a.m. Mass at the shrine will be celebrated by Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said the number of activities to honor the Blessed Mother is evidence that the Philippines is “Pueblo Amante de Maria (A People in Love with Mary).”
“We are proud, happy, and grateful in our devotion to Mama Mary,” he said. He encouraged the faithful to deepen their love for Mary by understanding her role in the salvation of mankind.
“It’s just like saying that because we are brothers and sisters in Mary, we wish to do good to others,” Palma said.
There is no actual record of Mary’s date of birth in Jerusalem but Catholic tradition celebrates the event as a liturgical feast on September 8 or nine months after the solemnity of her Immaculate Conception celebrated on December 8.