A Devotion through Generations

By Jonnah Abellano

In Bicol, devotion runs deeper than tradition and flows seamlessly through generations. September is a month when the Pilgrim City bursts into a sea of yellow and white as the Feasts of Our Lady of Peñafrancia and El Divino Rostro transform the streets into a living testament of faith, carried forward from one generation to the next.

At the heart of these celebrations are the tender glimpses of families walking hand in hand: Lolo steadying his apo on the crowded streets during the Traslación, or Lola teaching her grandchild the prayers of the novena whispered with tears and fervor. To many BIcolanos, the devotion to Ina and the Divino Rostro (the Holy Face of Jesus) is their first catechism, not from books but from the living faith embodied by parents and grandparents, a tradition carried forward through time.

The day of Traslación begins with the Dawn Procession, when the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia is transferred from the Minor Basilica to the Parish of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. The Traslación, which marks the transfer of the sacred images from the Peñafrancia Shrine to the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral, has long been a family ritual.

Elders recall waving handkerchiefs as children, fervently chanting "Viva la Virgen!" and "Viva el Divino Rostro!" Now they watch their children do the same, eyes shining with the same awe and reverence. It is this persistence that binds generations, where faith and devotion are not only preserved but deepened. Together, they embody the cycle of faith, ever ancient and ever new.

What makes the Peñafrancia celebration remarkable is its power to bridge young and old alike. It is not simply a celebration for today's pilgrims but a legacy entrusted to tomorrow. Through stories, gestures, and whispered prayers, the young learn that devotion is not only about asking for miracles but also about taking on a history of gratitude and love.

In the end, the feasts of Ina and the Divino Rostro are more than religious events. They are living bridges across time, where grandparents, parents, and children stand side by side, bound not just by blood but by a faith that endures, through generations, prayers, and the heart of Bicolandia. In every step, every chant, and every gaze toward the andas, pilgrims and devotees ensure that tomorrow will inherit yesterday's devotion.