The annual Peña Francia celebration took place in St Joseph’s, Berkeley Road, last Sunday in the church, with hundreds of devotees processing in the north inner city before Mass was celebrated by the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dublin, Paul Dempsey.
Our Lady of Penafrancia in Ireland, is an organisation to promote devotion to the Blessed Mother and to continue a 300 year tradition which is native to the Bicol Region of the Philippines. Paramount to the organisation is the yearly celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Penafrancia held every third week of September.
Our Lady of Penafrancia is the patroness of the Bicol Region and she is documented to have performed many miracles and protected the province and the Bicolanos for more than 300 years. Bicolanos affectionately call her INA.
In Ireland, the devotion started 14 years ago and continues to grow not only among Bicolanos but to many other Filipinos and few other nationalities.
This year’s theme celebration was ‘Se Siempre La Reina!’, meaning, Be always the Queen!” The celebration this year was especially important as it marked the centenary of the Canonical Coronation of the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia as Queen and Patroness of Bicolandia.
Credit for photos below: Jonel Ravacio
