BY BEA CUPIN
POSTED ON 12/25/2013 6:19 AM | UPDATED 12/25/2013 7:23 AM
POSTED ON 12/25/2013 6:19 AM | UPDATED 12/25/2013 7:23 AM
RUINS. Loboc locals hear Christmas Eve mass
beside what used to be their centuries-old church. Photo by Rappler
BOHOL, Philippines –
It's a far cry from the kind of church they're used to.
A wide outdoor square
serves as the "interior." Tents protect church-goers and the altar.
Just beside them is the badly damaged St Peter the Apostle Church in the town
of Loboc in Bohol.
Still, hundreds of
locals gathered in the area to celebrate Christmas Eve mass together – famly,
friends, and the entire community – around what's left standing of the
centuries-old church. The world famous Loboc Children's Choir also joined the
community.
Fr Andres Ayco, Loboc
parish priest, said the magnitude-7.2 earthquake and its succeeding aftershocks
damaged up to 30% of the church. National heritage groups tell him the church
will have to be reconstructed – taken down first and restored, piece by piece.
Loboc's locals will
have to be patient, said Ayco. It will take time before they get their old
church back. After all, many other historic churches in the
province were reduced to rubble during the earthquake.
"Loon, Maribojoc,
Baclayon, Loay... Loon, Maribojoc, Baclayon, Loay... murag litanya sa mga santo
ang kagaghang simbahan na naguba," he told church-goers during
Christmas eve Mass in Loboc. (The number of churches damaged almost sounds like
a litany of saints.)
But it shouldn't be
reason for people to be complacent. "Misking naa'y gobyerno na
involved, dili pasibuot na dili na ta mutabang. Atong ning simbahan, syempre
dapat magpaabot gyud ta," he added. (Even if government is there, it
doesn't mean we don't need to help. This is our Church, and we have to do our
best to rebuild it.)
It's a lot to ask from
a community that's recovering from the devastation of the strong quake. Just do
what you can, said Ayco. But he emphasized: this is our church, and one day it
will stand proud again.
–Rappler.com
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