Filipinos eagerly anticipate Blessed Calungsod’s canonization

By Ma. Teresa Yosores

After a long and tedious process averaging to two lifetimes of ordinary men, Blessed Pedro Calungsod will finally be canonized by His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI on October 21 at the Vatican in Rome, Italy.

The date of the much-awaited canonization Blessed Calungsond, who will be the second Filipino saint, was announced on a media briefing held on September 29 at the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City. 

At the event, Fr. Marvin Mejia, assistant secretary general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), also revealed that the Visayan martyr will officially be named “San Pedro de Cebu.” 

The significant wooden image of Blessed Calungsod, that will be used to depict his image at the canonization ceremonies in Vatican, was also presented at the briefing. 

Fr. Francis Lucas, executive secretary of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Social Communications and Mass Media (ECSCMM), said that the image was carved in Paete, Laguna province.

Father Lucas then explained the image was that of a young Visayan man holding palm leaves and the Doctrina Christiana. The leaves symbolize the martyrs who offered their lives for the Lord, while the and Doctrina Christiana, or the Book of Catechism, signifies Blessed Calungsod’s works as a catechist.

Blessed Calungsod will be canonized together with Blessed Marianne Cope of Molokai, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha of New York, United States of America, Blessed Jacques Berthieu of France, Blessed Giovanni Battista Piamarta of Italy, Blessed Carmen Salles y Barangueras of Spain and Blessed Anna Schaffer of Germany.

Around 50 Cebu diocesan priests and thousands of devotees will be leaving for Rome within this week to witness the ceremony.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, led by its president, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, Archbishop Emeritus of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, the Archdiocese of Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle, will hold a National Thanksgiving Mass on November 30 at the South Road Properties in Cebu. 

Among the expected guests are President Benigno Aquino 3rd, Vice President Jejomar Binay and other local, national and international luminaries.

Martyr and miraculous Pedro

Pedro Calungsod was born in Cebu in 1654. At the young age of 14, he was already serving as a sacristan and catechist. He also joined the Spanish Jesuits on missions to Ladrones Island. 

But it was on one mission with the Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores in Tumhon village in Guam, that Blessed Calungsod’s martyrdom happened. Set to baptize into Christianity the daughter of the village chieftain, Calungsod and Vitores were attacked and killed. 

The chieftain, who was angered by the baptism, threw spears at Calungsod and Vitores. He then tied stones to the dead bodies and dropped them both to the seas. 

The 17-year-old Calungsod was absolved by Father Vitores just before his death. 

His beatification came three centuries later on March 5, 2000 by the then Pope, now Blessed John Paul II. This came after almost 25 years (on October 18, 1987) when the first Filipino Saint Lorenzo Ruiz was canonized.

It was then on December 19, 2011 that the Vatican verified a miracle attributed to him. 

This miracle took place in 2002, when a woman from Leyte province, who was pronounced clinically dead after a heart attack by physicians, was revived through her doctor’s prayers to Blessed Calungsod. 

And just recently, Pope Benedict XVI promulgated a decree and officially set April 2—the anniversary of his martyrdom—as his feast day.

Because of his martyrdom, miracles and faith, Blessed Calungsod continues to inspire many Filipinos to become his ardent devotees.