Hosts found intact in Manila church ravaged by fire
Church • 09:45 AM Mon Jul 13, 2020
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By:
CBCP news
Firefighters surround a burned cruficix inside the Sto. Niño Parish Church in Pandacan, Manila July 9. PHOTO FROM MANILA DRRMO
MANILA - A ciborium with consecrated hosts was found intact amid the rubble from the fire in the Sto. Niño Church in Manila’s Pandacan district, its parish priest said Sunday.
Fr. Sanny de Claro said the ciborium was only among the few things recovered from the tragedy and brought to safety.
He said the rescue of the ciborium took place on Friday after the fire when some church workers tried searching for the four-century old image of the child Jesus.
“When the ciborium was opened, the sacred host was there,” said an emotional Fr. De Claro in his homily during Mass outside the damaged church.
“This is the biggest miracle. While looking for the image, the sacred host was found. We were pointed to Jesus,” he said.
The ciborium and the consecrated hosts are now in the safekeeping of the San Fernando de Dilao Parish Church in Paco.
The parish also announced the burning of the 400-year-old wooden image of Sto. Niño and other religious icons.
But Fr. De Claro said they recovered one of the “tres potencias”, and the burned andador, scepter and the vestment that the image was wearing when the fire broke out.
He said that some liturgical objects such as the chalices were also left unscathed and can still be used.
These relics, according to him, will be shown to the public in the coming days.
Fr. De Claro then asked the parishioners to remain hopeful despite the challenges.
“We are the church. Let’s start again. Let’s rebuild the church of our faith,” he said.