Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Cebu City, September 8, 2023 – Hundreds of Marian devotees woke up early this 4:45 morning to give honor to the Blessed Virgin Mary on her birthday. The parish celebration began with a dawn procession of the image of the Our Blessed Mother around the streets of the parish. Upon return, a series of morning songs in tribute of a birthday celebrant, what is traditionally called Mañanita, was held for the virgin.
Rector and Parish Priest, Fr. Lamberto “Jhun” Paradiang, Jr., SDB, led the prayer and welcomed the devotees to the celebration. Rev. Genson Banguis, SDB, gave a short catechism on the signficance of the celebration of Mary’s Nativity. Then followed the tribute songs rendered by the different members of the Music Ministry of the parish.
The morning celebration ended with the offering of the Holy Mass at 6:30 AM, where several more devotees filled the church as if it was a Sunday mass. It is a parish tradition for them to visit the Blessed Mother on her birthday and offer flowers and prayers. The Archdiocesan Shrine continues its work of propagating the devotion to Mary through whose cooperation the work of redemption was accomplished.
