MANILA, Philippines – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and First Lady Rosāngela “Janja” Lula Da Silva paid a visit to the Manila Cathedral on Saturday, November 13, on the sidelines of Lula’s state visit to the Philippines.
Lula shared a video of what he described as their “very emotional moment” at the Cathedral, where they were welcomed by Manila Cathedral Rector Monsignor Rolando dela Cruz and Brazilian Monsignor Guilherme De Melo Sanches, secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in the Philippines.
At the Cathedral, Brazil’s First Couple went to the Del Pilar Chapel or the Chapel of Mary Help of Christians and Our Lady of the Pillar, and prayed before the image of Our Lady Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil.
The image, Lula said in his Facebook post, was donated by the National Shrine of Aparecida to the Cathedral “as a gift to the Filipino people.”
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“It was moving to see such a beloved symbol of faith and devotion of the Brazilian people crossing oceans and being welcomed with such affection so far from our land. The presence of Our Lady Aparecida in Manila is also a symbol of the bonds of friendship, faith, and hope that unite Brazilians and Filipinos,” Lula said.
“We left this visit with our hearts full of gratitude. May Our Lady Aparecida continue to bless our two peoples, bringing our countries closer together and inspiring a future of peace, solidarity, and brotherhood,” he added.
Lula is the first Brazilian president to hold a state visit to the Philippines, which coincides with the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Brazil. He is also in Manila as a guest of the chair at the ASEAN Summit.
Lula’s Manila visit comes just weeks after he won an unprecedented fourth term, – Rappler.com