Young Filipinos take voyage of heritage and faith

Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje goes to Cebu

Participants and organizers of Viaje del Galeon.

IT WAS both a voyage of faith and heritage for 300 youthful souls who joined the Viaje del Galeón, Oct. 8-11, as part of the Dia del Galeón (Day of the Galleon) celebrations.


Dia del Galeón, of course, was the first international commemoration of the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade that flourished from 1565 to 1815. The celebration was organized by Spain, Mexico and the Philippines.

The youth cruise was notable since the image of Nuestra Señora de la Paz Buen Viaje (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage) of Antipolo accompanied it. It was the first time for the icon to set sail again after 200 years.


“What you love, you bring along with you,” Msgr. Rigoberto de Guzman, director of the Antipolo Shrine, said in his homily for the opening Mass, referring to the centuries-old Antipolo image. The Mass was held on board SuperFerry 20.
De Guzman underscored that the devotion to the Marian image was one of the most significant legacies of the galleon trade. He also stressed that, to date, the Philippines had remained a “bastion of faith.”