ARCHBISHOP CAMOMOT PILGRIMAGE - Congregation of the Daughters of St Teresa de Avila Chapel

       Archbishop Camomot's Pilgrimage and remains are enshrined within the compound of  Congregation of the Daughters of St Teresa de Avila Chapel in Villadolid, Carcar.

 

        

      His tomb behind the chapel of the DST Convent in Valladolid, Carcar City has become a pilgrimage site for devotees of Archbishop Camomot, who admire the example of his life and believe in the efficacy of his intercession. The major dates of pilgrimage are on his birthday on March 3 and his death anniversary on September 27. Near the tomb, a museum displays various items he had used in his lifetime.

Fame and cause for beatification and sainthood

Archbishop Camomot was not an eloquent preacher or a convincing speaker, but his actions spoke louder than words. He was noted for his diligence in his pastoral duties (spending hours in the Confessional), devotion to prayer (waking up very early for his morning prayers and meditation), as well as his numerous works of charity. His parishioners until now cannot forget his simplicity, his personal holiness, and his apostolic works especially among the poor, the sick, the homeless, and the suffering. His simplicity was attested by so many people even fellow prelates. There were many stories about the Archbishop's Francisan-like poverty. Cardinal Vidal have once told that on one occasion he noticed that Archbishop Camomot was not wearing his pectoral cross, the cross that a bishop wears on his breast. Curious, he asked Monsignor Camomot about it. He made some excuse. Later a priest told the Cardinal that the Archbishop had pawned his cross to give some money to the poor. The Cardinal later gave him a new cross and told him not to give it away.

During the Second Vatican Council, he was one of the participants for which he had to endure travelling by sea from the Philippines to Rome in the fourth class of a luxury liner. Even though he was in Europe, his generosity especially to the poor and his simplicity were observed by those around him.

He was also known for his spiritual gifts of healing, reading hearts, levitation, and bilocation. Cebu archbishop emeritus Ricardo Jamin Vidal said there were several testimonies about Camomot's bilocation or there were people who would see him present in two places at the same time. The archbishop himself has signed an affidavit in relation to a witness' account on this phenomenon where Camomot was drowsing beside him at a meeting of the College of Consultors. “I have already authenticated his presence at a meeting. But a woman said at that time he was in a mountain barangay (in Carcar) giving the last sacrament to a dying person,” he said. “He (Camomot) was at my left, and Archbishop (Manuel) Salvador-- discussing about the pastoral (thrust) of the diocese--at my right. I said 'Monsignor, we have a votation and you have to vote,’” he added.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teofilo_Camomot)

Prayer for the Process of the Beatification of Archbishop Camomot

Archbishop Camomot's Tomb

Mailing address for testimonies of answered petition

Advocates of Archbishop Camomot's beatification and canonization receive testimonies on his life and intercession at the following contact details:

Daughters of St. Teresa
Valladolid, Carcar City 6019
Cebu, Philippines
Telephone: (+632) 487-9233/487-8021

Theotokos Shrine: A Tribute to the Mother of God

       Erected after the visit of the Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Family to the Philippines in 1992, the shrine was built to hold the Perpetual Dawn Rosary and encourage more people to pray. During construction, a farmer found a 15th Century Byzantine religious relic buried in the ground. Miraculous occurrences have been reported in the shrine which has attracted thousands of pilgrims here and abroad.

Walking uphill towards the Shrine

   

     Inspired by the visit of the Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima in 1989, Fr. John Rona obtained permission from Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu Island, to build a shrine to host the Perpetual Dawn Rosary, a Philippine devotion in which people gather before dawn to begin their day with prayer to Our Lady. He was unable to find an appropriate site, though, until several people dreamed it should be located on Perrelos Hill near the city of Carcar. Soon the property went up for sale at a very low price. The shrine complex, nestled between mountains and sea, includes a large pavilion with a stylized Virgin of the Sign icon, and a 20' white statue of Our Lady of Fatima. On Sept 9, 1992, when Cardinal Vidal blessed the statue under the title of Theotokos (Mother of God), many people witnessed the "miracle of the sun" dancing across the sky, spinning, and changing colors. This recurred for five months, attracting many visitors. (Information from Mary Anne D. Tolentino, maanspilgrimsite.blogspot.com/2006/02/theotokos-shrine-carcar-cebu.html/; photo from archipelagotours.org/carcar.html.)

     This is the Perrelos Parish also located inside the Theotokos Compound. We really like the structure of the church as the walls are made of grills which allows utmost ventilation and illumination. No need for electric fans and artificial lighting during daytime. Very friendly to claustrophobics too. :)

      The Holy Family inside the church.

The environment is so tranquil, really the right place to reflect upon our lives.

      Here is a chapel which is just beside the Perrelos Church.

     

       A sight to behold are the giant statues of angels.

Carcar Dispensary Museum

         The Carcar Dispensary building breathes new life as the first museum in Cebu south by a local government unit. The First Charter Day celebrations centered on the opening of the repository of artifacts loaned by locals. The Governor of Cebu (Gwen Garcia) herself a heritage conservation advocate led the launch along with the local government officials, teachers and guests from nearby towns. (http://aboutphilippines.ph)

    Check out this map for a bird's eye view of what you can see in the place. As you can see, at the center is the Carcar Town Plaza surrounded by the Upland Elem School, Carcar Fire Station, St Catherine College, St Catherine of Alexandria Church, and of course, the Carcar Dispensary Museum! ^_^

This is the view of the Highway fronting the Heritage Compound. The streets are also lined with very old houses.

     The very first landmark to meet you would be the Leon Kilat Monument. Leon Kilat led the battle in Tres de Abril, Cebu City, but was killed in Carcar on Apr 8, 1898.

Posing beside the Bougainvillea Flowers!

 

 This is us onwards to our little climb to the Carcar Plaza.

      A view of St Catherine de Alexandria Church on the left and the Dispensary Museum on the right.

      This would be the Carcar Town Hall, and from its structure and design, one can see that it is also an old building dating back to the American Period.

     Pole dancing in front of Jose Rizal's Monument. What would have been his reaction, I ponder? ;D

    And to welcome you to our main course, the CARCAR DISPENSARY MUSEUM! An excellent example of American-Era Civic Architecture in the Philippines, construction of this edifice was started by mayor mariano Mercado in 1929. The building was inaugurated in 1937 by his wife, Flora Base Mercado, with Gov Sotero Cabahug in attendance. The Carcar Dispensary was immediately hailed as a symbol of the towns progress.

     The building’s profusion of latticework, semicircular transoms, carved barandillas and mini-canopies amidst stained glass window panes make this structure truly an outstanding architectural landmark.

     With adaptive re-use, this building was inaugurated as the Carcar City Museum by Mayor Bernas, Vice-Mayor Apura and the City Council with Gov Gwen Garcia as a guest of honor on July 8, 2008, the first anniversary of Carcar as a city.

   

 

I'm pleased to report that the Carcar Museum has no entrance fees, but I greatly encourage donations for the maintenance of the place. :)