MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday joined the faithful in seeking the guidance and protection Our Lady of Guadalupe as the nation faces various challenges.
Marcos, together with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, attended the Opening Mass for the Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila, marking the country’s official participation in the pilgrimage.
The President led the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe during the Mass presided by Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula.
"We have recourse to your protection, O Holy Mother of God, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Celestial Patroness of the Philippines," Marcos said in his prayer.
"You know all our sufferings and our hopes. You, who have a mother's awareness of all the struggles between good and evil, between light and darkness, which afflict the world today. Mother of our people, accept the cry, which we, deeply moved by the Holy Spirit, address directly to your heart," he added.
The pilgrim image, a replica of the original enshrined in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, was received with rites led by the President and the First Lady at Malacañan Palace on Thursday.
The image will embark on a six-month nationwide pilgrimage, visiting over 40 cathedrals and shrines across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
