Pinoys, Austrians join Penafrancia feast in Vienna
Posted at 09/22/2009 8:54 PM | Updated as of 09/22/2009 8:54 PM
VIENNA – Hundreds of Filipinos and Austrians joined the 7th Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia fluvial procession along the Danube River last Saturday.
The event was organized by the Bikol Society in Austria. Participants and devotees prayed the novena during the more than two-hour boat trip on board MS Tegethoff from the Danube River to Tulln, a province in the Lower Austrian region.
Msgr. Claro Caluya of the Diocese of Masbate joined other participants in celebrating the Marian festival.
History
The devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia remains strong among Bicolano communities in various parts of the country and abroad.
There are civic and religious organizations in the United States and Europe that continue to practice and promote devotion to the region’s patroness.
According the Romy Molina, former president of the Bikol Society in Austria, the devotion began in Vienna with the image of “INA” given as a birthday present to Honey Salva by his mother.
The practice of bringing the image from house to house became popular among Bikolanos in Vienna.
It was then on a hot summer day that a group of Bikolanos enjoying a picnic in the banks of Danube River came up with the idea of a fluvial procession similar to the one in Naga City, Philippines.
It took 10 years before that dream was realized. The first fluvial procession in Vienna happened in 2003. Since then, the Penafrancia fluvial parade has become a tradition among the Bikolanos and Marian devotees in Austria.
In her message, Philippine Ambassador to Austria Linglingay Lacanlale paid tribute to the Bikolanos for bringing the solemn celebration of Bicolandia’s biggest Catholic festival to Austria.
“The consistent observance of this tradition in the Philippines and by overseas Filipino communities serves as a thread that binds the present generation of Filipinos to the past and ensures that they will inspire the faith and lives of the future generation. It also sustains and strengthens our good relations in the community,” Lancalae added.
“We, the Bikolanos in Austria brought this religious devotion in Vienna because we want to become instruments of faith among our “kababayans”. We want to spread the devotion to INA which has really brought meaning to the lives of a number of Filipino Marian devotees in Austria,” Volet Gerstl, the President of Bikol Society in Austria said.
Now on its 16th year, the organization has been working hand in hand with the Filipino Catholic Community for a successful and meaningful Peñafrancia feast.
The organization aims to spread the devotion to INA and to celebrate the memorable event. Peñafrancia celebration in Vienna begins with the usual nine days novena masses. After each novena, a festivity of Bikol delicacies, culture and traditions are served.
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