Celebrations as The Philippines gets its second saint

The Philippines is getting its second saint with the canonization of the 17th century teen martyr Pedro Calungsod. Pope Benedict XVI will canonize Calungsod on Sunday morning along with six other Catholics, some of them missionaries like the devout boy from central Cebu province. Filipino Vice President Jejomar Binay arrived in the Italian capital last week to head the government delegation to the ceremony in St. Peter’s Square, saying the canonization was particularly important to the Philippines, Asia’s largest predominantly Roman Catholic country. [caption id=“attachment_497687” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Images of Pedro Calungsod, of the Philippines, and Mother Marianne Cope are shown on a vendor’s stall at the Vatican: AP[/caption]Many Filipino faithful are particularly devoted to Calungsod, who as a teenager went with some Spanish Jesuit missionaries to Guam in 1668 to convert the Chamorros natives. Thousands of Filipinos celebrated Calungsod’s sainthood with masses, processions, stage plays, religious shows and the launching of postal stamps bearing his image and a map of his journey as a young Catholic missionary to the Pacific islands, where he was killed while spreading his faith more than 300 years ago. “This is a day of great spiritual joy and national pride,” Philippine President Benigno Aquino III’s spokeswoman, Abigail Valte said. “We join the Catholic world on this day of solemn commemoration and celebration.” Celebrations across the Philippines were centered in Manila, the capital, and in Cebu’s town of Ginatilan. Large screens were installed in church compounds to allow Filipinos to watch Calungsod’s canonization at the Vatican. Calungsod’s portraits were displayed in churches and many bought and carried his statues. Philippine TV networks ran documentaries about Calungsod’s life and sainthood, and the country’s leading newspapers ran stories of his canonization, portraying him as a model for young Filipinos. Details of Calungsod’s life are scarce, but according to legend, when he and the mission superior, the Rev. Diego Luis de San Vitores, tried to baptize a baby in 1672, the child’s father angrily refused and, with the help of other natives, began throwing spears at them both. They were both killed and their bodies thrown into the ocean. Many Filipinos living in Rome plan to attend Sunday’s canonization, which has also drawn the faithful from nearby Malta. “He was just a teenager, he is just a boy and he defended the Catholic faith,” Filipino pilgrim Jennifer Icao-Calleja said. “It is very important to the youth that at least we have to maintain our faith to God.” The first Filipino saint was St. Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila, who was canonized in 1987. Associated Press