THE OPENING OF THE EXPOSITION OF RELICS OF HOLY PRIESTS THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES @ THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE SACRED HEART IN MAKATI

THE OPENING OF THE EXPOSITION OF RELICS

Journal Date: 25 July 2010
Venue: St. Mary Margaret Alacoque Hall -
National Shrine of the Sacred Heart Makati City, Philippines

For posterity, the three of us collaborators had a photo together with the image of the Universal Patron of Priests, St. John Marie Vianney before everything started: from the right - Sir John Paolo Casal of UST and promoter of Bl. Alfonso Maria Fusco in black, Me in black - Leandro-Jose Tesorero and Bro. Marc Elton Frias, OP of the Company of St. Dominic in white. :) Not in the photo is our other important collaborator - Mr. Joseph Vincent Atanacio.

We started the exposition with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist for Fil-Mission Sunday last July 25, 2010 at 10:30 am. The presider of the Eucharist was Fr. Jerry Quejada, a priest of the Prelature of the Holy Cross /Opus Dei (who brought the relic "ex ossibus" of St. Josemaria Escriva) and Fr. Vic Apacible, the rector of the National Shrine.

After Mass, everyone immediately proceeded to the hall, where Fr. Vic Apacible opened the public exposition with a simple prayer and by incensing all the holy relics of priest saints and blessed.

The whole St. Margaret Alacoque hall of the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart was divided into somewhat three segments:


two parts where exquisite modern panels conceptualized and designed by cotourier Mr. Oscar Peralta himself containing most of the reliquary frames

(Above photo: from the right - Sir John Paolo Casal, famous designer - Mr. Oscar Peralta, Sir Noel David, me and Bro. Marc Elton Frias, OP - Company of St. Dominic)

and at the center of these two panels was an image of the Holy Cure' - St. John Marie Vianney made of santol...

(Above photo: our other most important collaborator - Mr. Joseph Vincent Atanacio and me)

... together with a pedestal with the relic of the True Cross of Our Lord from Mr. Leandro Bantug

and two glass cases where reliquaries of the following where enshrined: St. Dominic de Guzman, Capuchin Priest Saints and Blessed, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Josemaria Escriva, St. John Neumann, CSSR and 76 Canonized Popes.

The exposition was both catechetical and pastoral / liturgical in nature: beside each reliquary frame of the saint / blessed was his profile or biography and inside the frame reliquary was his picture and his relic for veneration.

A close up of the biggest reliquary frame with the relic "ex indumentis/habitu" - from the clothing/habit of Blessed Andrea Giacinto Longhin, OFM Cap, - Bishop of Treviso under the custody of Bro. Marc Elton Frias, OP of the Company of St. Dominic. Together with the said reliquary frame is a profile / biography in English of the blessed.

Below are some photos of the hall taken after the opening of the exhibit.

Other photos of the exhibit and our different experiences to follow...

ALL FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD

in HIS SAINTS

and

FOR THE GREATER GOOD

OF OUR SOULS.