No classes, gov’t work on Sept. 8

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO— Acting Governor Dennis Pineda signed Executive Order Number 17 over the weekend suspending classes in all levels for public and private schools as well as government work in the Province of Pampanga in commemoration of the 61st Canonical Coronation Anniversary celebration of Virgen Delos Remedios.

The coronation will be held at the Capitol grounds. The return to the Capitol Compound will be held for the second time since last year and is in remembrance of the first canonical coronation some 60 years ago.

Vice-Governor Pineda said that the occasion is important for Kapampangans and has become a historic commemorative event that symbolizes Kapampangan triumph over adversity.

There will be a vigil at the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando on the eve of the coronation with a Taize Prayer service at 12:00 midnight. Opening Rites at the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando will start at 2:00 a.m. of September 8.

This year’s theme is “Maria: Indu Ning Capaldanan, Bubucluran ding Comunidad Capampangan Cang Cristo.” On February 11, 1956, Bishop Guerrero submitted a petition to Cardinal Federico Tedeschini, who at the time was the Apostolic Dataria to Pope Pius XII is requesting for a canonical coronation.

The most popular devotion is Pampanga’s Crusade of Charity and Penance, which was entrusted under the patronage of Virgen de los Remedios and initiated by Bishop Cesar Maria Guerrero, who incidentally is from Malate. With the devastation of World War II, Pampanga became a center for communism and breeding ground of socialism. There was a huge gap between rich and poor, thus peasants and farmers were up in arms against their l andow ner s.

In 1952, Bishop Guerrero set the image of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios to visit every church and chapel around the diocese that brought together the faithful in prayer with non-stop recitation of the rosary.

There were daily masses and the faithful were encouraged to return to the sacraments. Likewise, care for the poor was emphasized and aid was solicited by the host parish and brought to the needy of the next parish.