PILGRIMAGE apostolate Green Faith Travels brings pilgrims to three Jubilee of Mercy churches in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan on its fifth Marian Pilgrimage in Pangasinan on October 22.
As Catholics all over the world observe the Year of Mercy, the Marian devotees will pray, enter and be blessed at the Holy Door of the Shrine Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag, Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist in Dagupan City, and Co-Cathedral of the Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in Lingayen.
They will also give thanks and seek the intercession of the Blessed Mother for their petitions and needs at Our Lady of the Purification Parish in Binmaley.
Papal blessings and plenary indulgence
The Catholic faithful who pray at these churches gain spiritual benefits, like obtaining papal blessings and plenary indulgence, not only because they are Jubilee churches but also for their spiritual affinity with two of the four papal basilicas in Rome.
The Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag, elevated as a minor basilica in February last year, and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist were granted the “Special Bond of Spiritual Affinity” in April 2011 and February 2012, respectively, by the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major for the Shrine and Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls for the Cathedral.
Oldest church in Pangasinan
For the first time, Green Faith Travels pilgrims will pray at the Co-Cathedral of the Epiphany of the Lord in Lingayen.
Established in 1587, the same year as Saint Dominic de Guzman Parish Church in San Carlos, the Lingayen church is one of the two oldest churches in Pangasinan. Now 429 years old, it is also considered one of the best structures in the province, because it was made of adobe and its imposing “Oriental Pagoda-like bell tower”.
Its title as “cocathedral” was mandated by the Holy See as the church was the first Seat of the Diocese of Lingayen, when this ecclesiastical jurisdiction was created on May 19, 1928. Thus, it is the “twin cathedral” of Saint John the Evangelist, the present seat of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan.
Due to the destruction wrought on Lingayen by liberation forces during the Second World War, the seat of the diocese in Lingayen was transferred to Dagupan and the name of the See was changed to Lingayen-Dagupan on February 11, 1954. It became an archdiocese in 1963.
Year of Mercy
“The Year of Mercy is an opportune time to reach out to our brothers and sisters in need, give thanks to God for all our blessings, renew our devotion to the Holy Rosary and ask Mary, the Mother of Mercy, to help us to be holy during our pilgrimage on earth,” Green Faith Travels facilitator Edwin Galvez said.
Green Faith Travels is on its fifth year as a noncommercial Catholic apostolate organizing pilgrimages and spiritual travels.
For inquiries e-mail greenfaithtravels@gmail.com and greenfaithtravels@yahoo.com or visit www.facebook.com/greenfaithtravels for details.