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Fatima pilgrim image brings joy to Haiyan survivors

One of the six icons blessed by Pope Francis to be sent around the world arrives in Philippine city of Tacloban
Fatima pilgrim image brings joy to Haiyan survivors

Devotees of the Our Lady of Fatima pay homage to the pilgrim image upon its arrival in Tacloban City in the central Philippines on Feb. 6. (Photo by Elmer Recuerdo)

 

Published: February 08, 2017 04:26 AM GMT
Updated: February 08, 2017 09:49 AM GMT

The visit of the "pilgrim image" of the Our Lady of Fatima to the city of Tacloban on Feb. 6 was a "sign for answered prayers" for Rowena Badeo, 22, who was celebrating her birthday that day.

The young woman, a resident of the city's San Jose district where hundreds of people died during the devastation of typhoon Haiyan in 2013, said she has been praying for a sign that "God still cares."

"I felt abandoned. The pain of losing my family is still there. I have been asking why God took the people I loved most," Badeo said between sobs.

"I questioned God, but I never lost my faith," she told ucanews.com. Her partner and her 1-year-old son were among those who died during the typhoon.

Badeo has been a devotee of the Lady of Fatima since she was a child. "I drew my strength from Our Lady of Fatima. I always pray for guidance and strength to carry on," she said. 

Another typhoon survivor, 26-year-old Aljun Diaz, could hardly contain his excitement with the news that the image is in the city.

Diaz recalled that when Haiyan hit the city he and his family prayed the rosary. "Faith saved us," he said. "All of us were saved in our house."

At least 7,500 people were killed and some 2,000 others went missing when Super Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest to hit land in history, devastated the central Philippines in November 2013.

"I am just so grateful that in times that we have nothing, God provides because of our faith," said Diaz.

 

Call for prayer and reparation

Father Erby Davy Lajara of the Parish of St. Joseph, where the image was enthroned, said the three-day visit of the pilgrim image of Fatima is a "call for prayer and reparation."

"This is an affirmation that life is beautiful [and] that God is always with us," said the priest who asked devotees to offer prayers for peace amid the spate of killings in the country.

Gay Gaspay, a 58-year-old typhoon survivor, prayed before the image to thank God for protecting her six children and four grandchildren.

"She protected us," Gaspay said, referring to the Virgin Mary. "She is here for her appeal for prayers. I believe she will intercede to protect us from harm," she added.

Monsignor Ramon Aguilos said the visit of the image to the central Philippines is "a reminder to us that we need to embark on a journey of prayer, fellowship, and learning."

"The image helps us reaffirm as a people our desire to follow Jesus. His mother Mary is showing us the way," said the priest.

The priest said the image came from Rome and is one of the six icons blessed by Pope Francis to be sent around the world to mark the centennial of the apparition of the Virgin Mary to three children in Fatima, Portugal, from 1916 to 1917.

For hundreds of typhoon survivors who lined up to kiss the image and pay homage the visit of the Fatima image is an "affirmation that Mama Mary is with us and will not abandon us."

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