Sinful Window

Our office window is an accident prone area. Here are some of its victims:

Marian Shrine at Simala, Sibonga, Cebu

large statue of Mother Mary at the shrine

the shrine at the background

a long walk before you will reach this top

as printed in Sun.Star Cebu

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Marian shrine draws 50T folks

By Jujemay G. Awit

AN estimated 50,000 people flocked to Upper Lindogon, Barangay Simala in Sibonga Saturday, a feast day that celebrates the birth of the Virgin Mary.

Some offered flowers while others gave petitions at the shrine, which devotees believe to be miraculous and which they credit for the end of a dengue fever outbreak.

On what used to be a bare, rocky hill, a chapel was built on the site before the two-story Marian Monks of the Eucharistic Adoration church came to be.

The sanctuary, at least two kilometers from the highway, was visited by devotees, some of whom came as early as Friday night.

Blue and white banderitas lined the way. Babies cradled by their parents, teenagers normally seen in malls, young professionals and old people who could barely walk without assistance trudged the trail leading up the hill.

Some came to honor promises.

Among them was 62-year-old Zosimo Gellica Villadolid, Carcar town, who is diabetic. He started making pilgrimages to Simala after his ailment started getting worse six years ago. “I don’t know if I got cured but I felt better. Every time I come here, I always feel relieved,” he said in Cebuano. Since then, he made an oath to always visit the place, not just on the Virgin Mary’s birthday.

While others came out of curiosity after hearing about the site, most of those who went asked for divine intervention. There were those who want to pass board exams. Others want to be cured. Bantay Radyo’s Mar “Hala-Bira” Mendez, a regular visitor, said he once brought a grandchild who could not open his eyes. After praying to the Blessed Mother at the sanctuary, the child was healed.

Sacrifice

Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal led devotees in singing a birthday song for the Virgin Mary. In his homily during the pontifical mass, the archbishop talked about how love is forgotten when people get the best in life like money, power and success in their career, but break up their families and relationships instead.

Because there were too many vehicles, some of the visitors opted to park midway to the sanctuary. Others were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The long, hot walk was part of the sacrifice, said the 55-year-old Lina.

Pilgrims also flock to the sanctuary every 13th of the month.

The shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Simala has become popular because of a number of “miracles” attributed to it. The statue of the Blessed Mother reportedly shed tears of blood on Aug. 17 and 22, 1998. The same year, it allegedly shed tears again during her birthday, the anniversary of the apparition of the Lady of Fatima on Oct. 13, and on Dec. 29.

Origins

People believed that Mama Mary shed tears because of the dengue outbreak that plagued Simala that year. The story of how the image of the Our Lady of Fatima was handed over as a gift to the Marian Monks of the Eucharistic Adoration is also shrouded in mystery.

Originally from Pampanga, the Marian Monks were planning to build a church in Simala when a woman offered the image to a monk, Mendez said. The woman was leaving for America and asked that the statue be taken care of. Just as the monk turned to say thanks, she was gone.

Yesterday, pilgrims from as far as Tarlac, Pampanga, Davao, Leyte and other places visited the shrine, bringing with them banners greeting the Virgin Mary a “Happy Birthday.” Many devotees arrived with umbrellas and drinks. Most visitors actually came as early as the day before, and either set up tents or slept in nearby cottages. Others unrolled sleeping bags, or whatever they could use, and slept on the ground.

Festivities

At midnight, a vigil was held, followed by a 1:30 a.m. mañanita capped with a fireworks display. After the pontifical mass at 10 a.m. another mass was celebrated at 3 p.m., followed by a procession and the coronation of the Blessed Mother at 8 p.m.

With people coming and going, policemen, soldiers, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 7 operatives with sniffing dogs, and volunteers kept everybody safe. Eight Carcar Emergency Assistance Group members were also present to help. A number of people passed out because the path leading to the shrine was so thick with people there was barely air to breath. Although a number of ambulances were on standby, it was hard to drive out to the highway.

But the celebration of the Virgin Mary’s birthday also proved to be a business opportunity for some people, who not only sold food and drinks but also hawked face towels printed with birthday greetings for Mother Mary, fans, and bottled olive oil blessed by the monks. (JGA)

Sudden Thoughts of Him

Fables and myths suddenly awashed me
Stories of which you animatedly shared to me
Then...
I sat and listened attentively with your stories.

Stories of your travels and your experiences from each
Never ceased to mesmerize me
Then...
I dreamed to become a traveller just like who you were.

Unplanned travels within the country
And joyrides on your motorcyle
Then...
And until now still remain the best adventure of my lifetime.

The giggles I used to get from your tickles
And the little gifts that surprised me during your visits
Then...
How I always looked forward to your every visit.

The beauty of education
And the value of respect to parents
Then...
I embedded it into my heart, where until now it still reside.

I am running out of words to say about him. It has been more than a month since his birthday and, still, I'm not yet done with my writing about him, a supposedly my one way of celebrating his birthday. It's difficult to push down every letter in the keyboard because every pounce of letter is a slit in the wound that I thought never existed. And it's difficult to proceed to another paragraph when every thought of him (sweet memories with him) breaks the bondage of frigidness.

I still have lots of beautiful stories about him. How he never gets tired of travelling and how he is so passionate in his researches and writings. How funny his smirks sounded and how the smell of his cigarrettes used to overwhelm the entire living room.

I wanted to believe that I am my father's daughter, yet, there are instances that I do not want to. I still have lots of questions which I know that can never be answered. Where silence of understanding is the best relief I can give to myself...longings and needs that were never answered surpassed the cute fables and the motorcycle adventures.

I still hope we will see each other again while it is still can be done. As of now, I just never thought that I am who I am until this writing. I never thought that this sudden occurence of thoughts about him make me realize that I miss my father, afterall.

Belated Happy Birthday Daddy!