IN an elaborate holy rite, His Excellency Rev. Father Charles Brown, papal nuncio to the Philippines, blessed the newly enthroned image of the Lady of Manaoag at her pedestal on a side chapel of the St. John the Evangelist Metropolitan Cathedral, now called the Chapel of the Lady of Manaoag in Dagupan before noon of August 4.

With Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas beside him and followed by other bishops and priests, Rev. Fr. Brown extended the blessing of Pope Francis to the replica of the Lady of Manaoag.

Young girls in all-white dresses and wearing white halo on their heads preceded Rev. Fr. Brown’s entry and surrounded him and his entourage as he blessed the image enthroned  the day before by Archbishop Villegas with the powers vested in him by the Holy See.

Before his final blessing during the mass, the papal nuncio thanked Archbishop Villegas for inviting him to join the occasion.

Addressing the throngs of parishioners who attended the mass and blessing rite, Rev. Fr. Brown said: “It is edifying for me as the representative of Pope Francis to witness your faith. Faith grows stronger when we share it, when we communicate it and that’s what we saw this morning.”

In response, Archbishop Villegas said: “Today, we know that Pope Francis visited Dagupan in your person, in your presence, in your counsel and your words when you, having presided the Eucharist and with a few minutes, in your blessing. We know it is the Pope who visited the Church in this part of the Philippines”. (Leonardo Micua)

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