02/04/2025
𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗱𝗿𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮
𝒃𝒚 𝑴𝒔𝒈𝒓. 𝑰𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒐 𝑱𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒔 𝑨𝒍𝒊ñ𝒐 𝑳𝒆𝒚𝒔𝒐𝒏
In February 2000, while preparing for the beatification ceremonies of Pedro Calungsod, I was asked by the Vatican to set the date of the feast of the soon-to-be beato. I immediately saw the situation. The feast is usually set on the anniversary of the martyrdom. April 2, the day when Pedro Calungsod died for the Faith, could fall within Holy Week or Easter Week when no feast of any saint is observed. When I presented the concern to the Vatican, I was simply asked, “When was he martyred?” I responded, “April 2.” I was then told, “So, let it be April 2.”
The burden of finding a way to celebrate the feast of Pedro Calungsod if April 2 would fall within Holy Week or Easter Week fell on me. The solution came so easily for me though. Pedro Calungsod was martyred on April 2 of 1672. It was the Saturday just before Passion Sunday of that year in the old liturgical calendar. In the present liturgical calendar, it coincides with the Saturday before the fifth Sunday of Lent while Passion Sunday is now observed on the first day of Holy Week, that is, on Palm Sunday. With that, I made the provision that if April 2 falls within Holy Week or Easter Week, the feast of Pedro Calungsod would be celebrated on the Saturday just before Passion/Palm Sunday. It was accepted and approved by the Vatican. And so, on March 5, 2000, during the beatification ceremonies at Saint Peter’s Square, Pope John Paul II declared April 2 as the official liturgical feast of Pedro Calungsod. [Five years later, April 2 would also be Pope John Paul II’s date of death.]
One might find a movable feast so tedious and confusing and would prefer to celebrate the feast on another date far away from Holy Week and Easter Week. I don’t find anything wrong with that. We can very well celebrate the feast of Pedro Calungsod on the anniversary of his canonization which is on October 21. But I had a deeper reason for choosing the Saturday just before Passion Sunday as an alternative date of the feast of Pedro Calungsod should April 2 fall within Holy Week or Easter Week. I was pondering on the words of Jesus who said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (John 12:24) The grain of wheat is Jesus. His martyrdom produces other martyrdoms. The martyrdom of Pedro Calungsod is but a part, a fruit and a continuation of the martyrdom of Jesus. The martyrdom of Pedro Calungsod can only find its meaning in the martyrdom of Jesus. The martyr Pedro Calungsod drew his strength from the martyr Jesus. The martyr Pedro Calungsod gives witness to the Jesus, the King of Martyrs. Thus, it is very significant and appropriate to celebrate the feast of Pedro Calungsod in Lent, and more so on the Saturday just before Passion Sunday, close to the celebration of the Passion of Jesus.
This is well expressed in a hymn written by Walter H. Shewring (1906–1990) and used in the breviary’s Common of Martyrs:
Christ, in whose passion once was sown
All virtue of all saints to be,
From the white field of these thy own
We praise the seed and sower, thee.
Thine was the first and holiest grain
To die and quicken and increase;
And then came these, and died again,
That spring and harvest should not cease.
From thee the martyrs, we from those,
Each in thy grace's measure, spring;
Their strength upon our weakness flows
And guides us to the goal we sing.
These were thy great ones: we, thy least,
One in desire and faith with them,
Called by the Lord to keep one feast,
Journey to one Jerusalem.
