September 7 Sunday – 1st Day of Pilgrimage, St. Bartholomew the Apostle Parish Church – Baao. Walk to – Our Lady of Lourdes – Baao, St. Bernard Abbot Parish – Ocampo; 4:00 PM – Arrival of Pilgrims; 5:30 PM – Pilgrims’ Mass. Distance traveled – 17 kms.
One by one, the weary pilgrims slowly and quietly got up to prepare for today’s walk. As our numbers increased, we overlooked the fact that those who had begun their journey in Albay four days earlier needed rest to regain the energy. Lights were on at 3:30 AM and by 4:30 AM, all the pilgrims were ready to go.
We gathered inside the church to read today’s prayer and messages. Afterward, we took our usual group pictures before setting off toward the hills of Baao, crossing into Ocampo. The pilgrimage starts at precisely 5:00 am. Since I was still nursing my swollen foot, I couldn’t join the hike but supported my fellow pilgrims and sent them off toward the hills. We then rushed back to Ocampo by taking the highway to meet them on the other side of the Pawili River.
As we waited near the collapsed bridge, people began to notice our tri-mobile, which had a tarpaulin featuring the Camino de Peñafrancia. We started singing the hymn of Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia, and soon a crowd began to gather, curious about the situation. We explained that a pilgrimage had begun in Daraga, Albay.
At 8:15 AM, the first two pilgrims crossed the bridge, and my wife, Elizabeth, who was holding the statue of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, greeted them. While we expected the pilgrims to show their respect by kissing the statue in gratitude, others in the crowd also joined in. Out of the 32 pilgrims, half reached the Pawili River after more than an hour.
I bought four native live chickens from one of the onlookers and instructed our favorite chef, Emelyn, to prepare tinola with papaya for an early lunch for the tired and hungry pilgrims. As we continued our trek to St. Bernard Abbot Parish Church, children and mothers stopped our convoy to kiss the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus’ statue. Witnessing this brought tears to my eyes; I was overwhelmed by what I was seeing.
There was ample time to prepare for tonight’s pilgrims’ mass. We set up the tent and completed all the necessary paperwork for the pilgrims’ registration. At 4:00 PM, as instructed, they began to arrive one by one. As registration drew to a close, we had more than 70 participants registered.
The pilgrims’ mass was celebrated by Fr. Francis Tordilla, the Rector of the Holy Minor Seminary in Naga City. His homily was truly inspirational for all the pilgrims, as it directly addressed the challenges and social issues we face due to unscrupulous politicians. Father Bernie Ramirez, the parish priest of St. Bernard Abbot, gave the final announcements for the parishioners. Once again, all the pilgrims were called to the front of the altar to receive a blessing and a proper send-off. Thus, the official 100-kilometer journey began for those pilgrims who chose to walk the minimum requirement. However, the rest of the pilgrims had already walked an extra 100 kilometers, starting from Daraga Church, also known as the Lady of Gates (Our Lady of La Porteria).
Our pilgrims’ dinner was sponsored by Ms. Rowelinda Fuenteberlla Clariño (Baye) with the cooperation and great help of the PPC members.
After the pilgrims’ dinner, final instructions were given to all participants. Lights out was set for 9:00 pm.
September 8 Monday – 2nd Day of Pilgrimage, St. Bernard Abbot Parish, Ocampo; 5:00 AM Start. Walk to – St. Peter Baptist Parish – Ocampo, St. Catherine Sienna Parish – Gingaroy, Tigaon, St. Claire of Assisi Parish – Poblacion Tigaon, Our Lady of Sorrows Parish – Abo, Tigaon, Salogon Chapel – Salogon, San Jose, Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph – San Jose. Distance traveled – 28 kms.
Following the instructions, all the pilgrims were ready by 4:00 am. Those who preferred comfortable sleeping accommodation either chose nearby hotels, went home to enjoy the comfort of their own beds one last time, or opted to sleep inside the church. They were preparing to set out on a five-day pilgrimage.
The morning prayer was announced, signaling the final check of all the pilgrims’ belongings before the jeepney transport arrived. As in every year, the new pilgrims were filled with energy, walking as if they were in a competition. Meanwhile, the seniors and adults strolled leisurely, as if they were heading to the market, while the morning rosary prayer was being recited through the PA system of our Our Lady of Peñafrancia tri-mobile.
As the day goes on, the distance between the pilgrims increases, making it difficult to stay together. We are grateful to the ambulance that kept us safe during our passage through the towns of Ocampo and Tigaon, overseen by the MMDRO, headed by Julius Celino, and the MMDRO Tigaon, led by Vince Gumboc, along with their barangay tanods.
By 10:30 AM, several individuals began experiencing health issues, including cramps and blisters. The MMDRO ambulances and security personnel provided assistance to the pilgrims. Our energy levels were beginning to dwindle, and there was confusion about whether a lunch meal had been sponsored; it turned out that only snacks had been prepared. Gradually, we continued our journey toward the town of San Jose in search of food and shelter as the heat began to rise.
Upon arriving at our destination, we were given two options for accommodations: the Holy Minor Seminary pastoral room or the St. Joseph pastoral room. This arrangement allowed us to split the pilgrims into different quarters, which helped alleviate congestion in the bathrooms. As we approached the town, we were greeted by heavy rain.
Our dinner was sponsored by Mayor Jarold B. Peña.
Lights out at 10:00 am since we have a short distance to walk tomorrow.
September 9 Tuesday – 4th Day of Pilgrimage, Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph, San Jose; 6:00 am Start. Walk to – St. Philip and James the Apostles Parish – Bgy. Santa Maria, Lagonoy; St. Francis Xavier Parish – Halawig-Gogon, Goa; Parish of Saint John the Baptist – Burgos St., Goa; and St. Martin de Porres Parish – Tagongtong, Goa. Distance – 26 kms.
What’s the reason why some pilgrims get up so early? Too much caffeine, too much anxiety, or just simply too excited, they start packing their gear early.
Everyone woke up earlier than agreed the previous night. After a quick pack-up, we came out of our quarters and prepared for today’s prayer. As we took some group pictures, we were finally ready to start our Camino when suddenly a heavy downpour of rain began. Not all the pilgrims were prepared for the rain. Those with umbrellas continued walking out of the church premises, while those without started looking for a place to buy one. Others simply ignored the rain or waited for it to subside.
This presented a different challenge for everyone. Without heat, the pace quickened. The trek towards Saints Philip and James Parish in Lagonoy, Camarines Sur, accelerated, catching the assigned parish priest off guard. They had prepared a small token of appreciation featuring their favorite “binamban” products, which are the best in Camarines Sur. Some were eager to continue the journey to the next parish, but I held them back, as it would have been embarrassing for our pilgrimage. Besides, the rain did not stop.
After being introduced to the current parish priest and taking some group pictures, we continued our journey to Goa, where we planned to visit two more parish churches. Our pilgrimage took us to downtown Goa, home to the St. John the Evangelist Parish. After a brief stop, we proceeded to the St. Martin de Porres Parish Church, where the Goa Elementary School band played the hymn of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. The band, made up of enthusiastic children aged 9 to 12, provided a heartwarming gesture for the pilgrims as we passed by.
The rain had a brief break throughout the day but continued to pour heavily afterward. I think we needed this as we spent the remaining hours just relaxing and waiting for our dinner.
Tomorrow will be tricky since we planned to walk early, but if the rain doesn’t stop, I think we need to postpone our walk to 5:00 AM.
About the author
DENNIS T. MARPURI graduated from Ateneo de Naga High School. He was an independent IT consultant in the US and worked in nine different states doing contracts primarily with Federal government agencies and Fortune 500 companies. He also became a professional photographer covering NCAA college sports. Now retired, he and his wife love to travel to Europe. They divide their time between Northern California with their immediate family and Ocampo, Camarines Sur, his hometown, where he promotes mountain biking for the local youth. He is the founder and principal advocate of Camino de Penafrancia. Photo shows the author with his sister Aires and brother Boyax.