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BALANGA City, Bataan: St. Joseph Cathedral in Balanga City unveiled
15 life-sized images of saints at its façade on Thursday with
Bishop Socrates Villegas blessing the sculptured images in the
ceremonies officiated by the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Percival
Medina, with the assistance of provincial and municipal officials.
The images represent patron saints in 11 towns
and one city with a few towns having more than one. Bells rang and a
brass band played, as little girls standing in front of the images
for the durations of the rites released colorful balloons.
Gov. Enrique Garcia and son City Mayor Jose
Enrique Garcia 3rd assisted parish priest Rev. Fr. Percival Medina
in the unveiling of the image of San Jose, the patron saint of
Balanga City.
Municipal mayors and parish priests of
respective towns did the unveiling simultaneously, with Bishop Soc
and the priests joining the children in singing the Bataan Hymn.
The unveiling and blessing of the images
coincided with the fourth anniversary of Villegas as bishop of the
diocese of Balanga. He was appointed as bishop of Balanga by the
Pope on May 2004, but was officially installed on July 3, 2004.
A marker showed that the spiritual ministration
of the Church of Balanga used to be under Abucay until it became an
independent missionary center in 1739. Balanga was placed under the
parochial care of the Filipino clergy headed by the late Rev. Fr.
Mariano Sarili on June 2, 1898.
-- Ernie B. Esconde
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