Friday, September 12, 2014

INA and our twisted traslacion

Today we joined the traslacion together with thousands of pilgrims from all over the world and gathered around the Penafrancia shrine to witness the annual traslacion of the Our Lady of Penafrancia, Patroness of Bicolandia. 
INA as what every bicolanos calls her is known to be miraculous and thousands of devotees pay their homage every year for each favor they received.  Traslacion, is the transferring of the miraculous Image of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia and of the Divino Rostro to the Metropolitan Cathedral. This happens every third week of September. This also signifies the start of Peñafrancia in the whole of Bicolandia.
For every bicolano, the traslacion isn't just a tradition it is also the time to reflect and be thankful for all the blessings we received. As a practice each time her holy image passes by the street it is being showered with flowers and confetti. Some business establishment fly balloons and spray water for the voyadores. 
The busy streets of Naga are being filled with good old friends from all walks of life. It is the time for every bicolano to go home and reunite again. The traslacion is an opportunity to meet with the old friends and get along with them during the procession and an avenue to make new friends.
As one of her devotee and growing up with the strong catholic faith and as a witness for her miraculous deeds for my mom, I came along with my brother every year to witness and join the celebration. No matter where we are we make sure to go home for her feast. Not because we were obliged by our parents to do so but because we want too and you can’t explain the mix emotions you get when her holy image passes by. 
We can’t afford to be a voyadores since I am a girl and my brother, I don’t know if he has the guts to be tough and all but together with our friends we make good pictures and share it to the world. That way we can contribute to spread the devotion and give a glimpse of the traslacion to all our fellow bicolanos around the globe who can’t make it home. 
The weather, the smell, the environment you have to endure it along with other devotees men and women young and old alike. 
This year traslacion is a new journey for us, we add some twist, its not only me and my brother this time, we were joined by xi. Xian Kiezzer or simply xi joined us. Without knowing that it would be tough bringing him because his mom is with him we met them at the cathedral. good enough we still manage to finish church when he start to roam around running and eating and shouting and crying and all. 
i never thought that bringing him will cause us trouble he was never like that at home. maybe the environment is quite new to him. Xi never tried to shout and talk too much but i dont know maybe because we dont see him the whole day but today was his shining moment. good that we have with us everything we needed from diappers to clothes to milk and thanks heaven for 711.
xi love chicken and yes we bought him chicken. xi loves taho or soya in the morning and we bought him taho in the afternoon because he kept on shouting taho! we have to keep an eye of him because he doesnt wanna be carried and all he just want to run. but considering the batch of people that keep coming through we are afraid we might lose him. good thing all of us had master the art of patience and patience and too much love for xi! he wants everything as far as his two little japanese eyes could see. 
you might wonder why on earth we have to bring him along with us and why the complain in here its because xi is INA's gift for lala and her family. And every time xi got sick all of us kept on praying to INA and soon after that he is back to normal and ok. Two days ago xi had a high fever and lala prayed hard to INA and promise that if Xi got better we will take him to traslacion and that's explain why we have him and will have him with us every traslacion as long as we can carry him. Xi's father is in Malta as a seafarer and since lala is our cousin. xi used to stay with us most of the time. Xi loves mom very much and mom loves him too. And lala's family are all in japan and that made her mom child too.
as what i have told you that the traslacion is also an opportune time to get along with old friends today is just another lucky day for of all people who might have thought that we could see itay dudoi and bump along with him. 
you may never know the chances your lens could capture and surprises INA could give you. She never fails to answer all our prayers for her.
we are thankful for all the granted wishes she had given me and my family and our fervent hope that we may continue to have strong faith and believe in her miracles.
i wonder how long will that yellow green orange chicken live and i cant wait to know what color is its peak will be. i cant even get a perfect shot with my lens this time but i love this day. 
until the next traslacion. 
viva la virgen!

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