Indian Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil carries an image of the Santo Nino or Child Jesus, a gift from a parishioner in Cebu. (Photo by Mark Saludes)
The International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu City has become an opportunity to showcase Philippine culture, music, dance, and food as well as the Filipinos' way of celebrating their faith.
A barriofiesta or village feast was held in 15 parishes around the city to allow delegates to experience life in a Philippine Catholic community.
Students welcomed visitors with a dance in honor of the SantoNino or the Child Jesus while women in traditional Philippine costumes offered flower garlands and necklaces made of seashells.
After Mass, visitors feasted on Filipino delicacies, including the famous lechon (roasted pork), pork and chicken adobo, vegetables, seafood, and an array of sweets.
The singing, dancing, and cultural presentations followed.
"Filipinos are very hospitable and festive," said Father Meshack Maine Phenethi from Africa. "They made me dance," he said.
He was struck at how Filipinos "use their talents to profess faith and evangelize others," he said.
Father Phenethi said his experience with Filipino parishioners was a manifestation of a "culture of coming together" despite the language barrier.
The "parish encounters" of the eucharistic congress aim to widen the experience of delegates and their hosts of authentic sharing.
A foreign delegate tries dancing the "tinikling," a traditional Philippine dance, during the parish encounter at the International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu. (Photo by Mark Saludes)
"Everybody is smiling," Father Thammarat Ruanngam from Thailand told ucanews.com.
"Simple gestures of bowing their heads means a lot already to us, especially to those who don't speak English," he said.
Father Ruanngam said he witnessed "a genuine Catholic faith, which is visible in all places" in the Philippines.
"Christ and the Eucharist is present everywhere we go," he said, adding that he was astonished by what he described as a "deeply-rooted religiosity" of Filipinos.
Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil, apostolic administrator of the Jowai Diocese in India, said he experienced "a sense of belongingness" among Filipinos.
During the celebration the prelate even danced with parishioners.
When asked what he will tell Pope Francis after the eucharistic congress, the pope's personal envoy Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon said he will tell the pontiff how he had the "warmest welcome" in the Philippines.
"[I will tell the pope] that I was enjoying the good Filipino food, the Filipino smiles, and that despite many natural disasters, one thing that mainly remains with the Filipinos is their faith."
"The faith of the Filipinos and the mission-minded spirit of the Filipinos will be my main report," said Cardinal Bo.
Some 12,000 congress delegates, comprised of priests, religious, and lay church leaders from about 90 countries participated in the weeklong International Eucharistic Congress with discussions that focused mainly on how the Eucharist relates with realities confronting Catholics in the modern world.