Previous Story
Santa Remedios Church parish honors patron saint
|
Posted on Oct 11 2011
By Clarissa V. David
Reporter
Reporter
Parishioners of Santa Remedios Church honored their patron saint, Nuestra Señora Bithen De Los Remedios, on Oct. 9, with a Mass followed by a procession of the patrons saint’s image around the Tanapag Village.
Bishop Tomas Camacho, apostolic administrator Fr. Ryan Jimenez, and parish priest Fr. Aurelius Stoia celebrated the fiesta Mass at 3pm. Over a hundred parishioners that included catechists, students, choir members, and the Legion of Mary & Christian Mothers joined in the procession followed by the much-awaited fiesta banquet across the parish church.
The feast featured mostly local food, including fried fresh fish, fried chicken, pork steak, beef steak, roasted pig, and roasted cow-the fiesta’s annual specialty for the past seven years.
The parish includes residents from Achugao, Tanapag, Lower Base, and As Mahetog villages as well as parts of Capital Hill.
Santa Remedios Parish Council’s Julie Lieto said the fiesta celebration is very important for the parishioners to pay tribute to their village patron saint.
“Every year, we always have a celebration,” Lieto said. “We also invite outsiders through advertisement in the media. It’s a blessing because a lot of our visitors join the celebration and we get a good outcome every year.”
Lieto said parishioners and guests don’t just eat but also enjoy performances by local artists who volunteer their time and skills for the success of the fiesta.
“The whole community helps out, in one way or another,” she told Saipan Tribune.
Lieto, the wife of council president Bill Lieto, disclosed that the parish council, composed of two committees in fiesta planning and preparation, solicited monetary and in-kind donations for their raffle draw and the event in general.
Lieto said they also held fundraising activities, including a baseball tournament on Sept. 24-25 and through the assistance of the families of the Royal Court members: Riana Nekai, Kalei Iguel, Leoline Laniyo, Nikka Tegita, and Violet Magofna.
“We raised enough to make our annual fiesta plans possible,” she said.
Volunteers helped serve food to parishioners and guests.
