Calungsod canonization 100-day countdown starts

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is intensifying its preparations for the canonization of Blessed Pedro Calungsod in Rome this October.

Calungsod will become the second Filipino saint, after St. Lorenzo Ruiz who was canonized in 1987.

On Saturday, the archdioceses of Cebu and Manila will launch a 100-day countdown for the October 21 canonization.

In Cebu City, a Mass at the Minor Basilica of Santo Niño at 2:30 p.m. followed by a motorcade at 4 p.m. will kick off the countdown. At Fuente Osmeña, a countdown clock and an image of Blessed Pedro will be unveiled.

On the same day, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle will preside over the countdown at the 1st Catholic Social Media Summit in Marikina City.

The CBCP has formed an ad hoc commission for the canonization, with its promotions and public information cluster tapping both traditional and social media in spreading news about the event.

An official website (https://pedrocalungsod.org/) as well as Facebook and Twitter accounts have been launched for the event. Facebook visitors, mostly from Visayas and Mindanao, have reached 500,000. Promotions are still being intensified in Metro Manila.

Clarke Nebrao of the special media committee said the social media campaign aims to target the young.

“Last week, we started the social media activity which is the ‘I like Pedro week’ campaign. This campaign targets 100,000 likes on Calungsod’s Facebook page,” Nebrao said.

He added that the body also intends to hold forums about Calungsod’s life and martyrdom by bringing a “Pedro caravan” to schools and parishes where the would-be saint may be discussed.

Calungsod, a young catechist who worked with the Jesuits at the young age of 14 and martyred in the Marianas at the age of 17, should serve as an inspiration not only to the youth but also to the clergy, said Fr. Chito Manio Vicente of Cubao diocese.