Monday, July 13, 2015

Jesus is Lord Church Anniversary Celebration

'''Jesus is Lord Church Anniversary Celebration''' is an annual event that gathers a celebration of the Evangelical Born-Again Pentecostal Christian religious renewal group's anniversary since October 1979. Organized by Jesus is Lord Church, the City Government of Manila, the [[Metropolitan Manila Development Authority]], and the National Parks Development Committee since October 1986, the event is dubbed as "the annual, biggest, the grandest and the mammoth religious crowd celebration in the world". It was world's fifth annual biggest gathering, after the [[World Youth Day 1995]] closing mass on January 15, 1995, the annual Traslación of the [[Black Nazarene]] and the [[Pope Francis' visit to the Philippines|State Visit and Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis to the Philippines]] concluding mass on January 18, 2015.

The annual celebration of the Anniversary of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Movement is a partnership of the Church with government and various NGOs. This collaborative effort is crucial in ensuring a peaceful and meaningful observance of the feast for the majority of the faithful and the devotees and participants as well.

Planning began in January 2014 with the creation of the Parish Fiesta Committee. The members comprised of head lay servants from various ministries and organizations led by Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio, the Parish Priest/Rector of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. Sub-committees were formed to focus on key result areas such as safety and security, medical team, food, barangay visitations, environment, programs, media, liturgy and the processional activities. Coordination was made with the various government agencies such as the City of Manila with the Mayor, former Philippine President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, as Hermano Mayor and who headed the City’s response and sponsored various facilities and services; the Metro Manila Development Authority through MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, who served as chairman of the Disaster Preparedness and Response Committee as well as the Unified Command Center; the NDRRMC, through Sec. Voltaire Gazmin, for the national support and the Joint Task Force for Disaster Preparedness and Response; the NCRPO through Regional Director Lt. Gen. Carmelo Valmoria (NCRPO) and District Director PS/Supt. Rolando Zambale Nana (MPD), who took charge of the peace and order; the Bureau of Fire Protection, through Manila Fire Marshal Felix Abrenica, who assured the safety of the devotees in case of fire; the Philippine Coast Guard through Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena, who assured the safety of devotees over water; the Department of Public Works and Highways through Sec. Rogelio Singson, who checked the worthiness of the bridges, structures and roads along the route of the procession; the Department of Health through Sec. Enrique Ona for the medical response teams. Several NGOs have volunteered the services of doctors, nurses, nursing aides in manning medical stations and emergency rescue units. Coordination was also done with the National Telecommunications Commission, through Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba, for allowing frequency usage for operations and communications, and the National Parks and Development Committee, through Undersecretary Maria Teresa Martinez and Director Elizabeth Espino, for the event hosting of the Quirino Grandstand and the Luneta Grounds. The Quiapo  Barangay Chairmen and Officers were contacted for assistance in manning medical stations, emergency units, as well as communications and food.

On the occasion of the Thirty-Third Anniversary of the Foundation held at the Quirino Grandstand, from October 29-30, 2011, more than one-and-a-half million prayer-partners attended the affair. His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III, gave his greetings to the congregation.

Close to two million people gathered to praise, worship, and give thanks to God for His love and goodness on the thirty-fourth Anniversary of the Foundation held at the Quirino Grandstand, from October 13-14, 2012. The crowd filled the Rizal Park from Taft Avenue to Manila Bay at the back of the grandstand. The affair featured the mass wedding of two hundred thirty couples who had previously lived together without the blessing of the Church. During his healing message, Bro. Eddie launched the "Love Our Police Movement," believing that through the Filipinos' love and faith in the members of the Philippine National Police, the nation will change for the better.

Not even the strong winds and heavy rain could dampen the spirit of close to 1.2 million people in joining the Thirty-Sixth Annual Founding Anniversary Thanksgiving Celebration of the Foundation at the national park from October 24 to 25, 2014. This year's celebration theme was "Pursue Peace and Be Holy, Without which No One Can See God" (Hebrews 12:14).

It also dwarfed the million or so who faced down tanks and guns in the February 22 to 25, 1986 EDSA People Power uprising that toppled the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos from power.

And the two million who rallied behind Corazon Aquino at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park after the February 7, 1986 snap presidential elections.

People started massing at the Rizal Park as early as midnight Saturday, swelling the one-million crowd that attended the celebration's annual sunset overnight vigil at the 61-hectare Rizal Park.

The throng grew swiftly as more and more people arrived early yesterday morning, October 24.

Among those who came for the annual religious celebration were residents from barangays in the cities and municipalities in provinces, some coming from as far north as Laoag.

The annual grand religious weekend celebration set a world record for the [[List of largest peaceful gatherings in history|Largest number of people gathered for a single religious event]] (with 5 million attendees)— a record surpassed when 6 million attended a Holy Mass celebrated by [[Pope Francis]] in the [[Philippines]] during his four-day [[Pope Francis' visit to the Philippines|apostolic and state visit]] three months later at the same venue on the Feast of [[Santo Niño de Cebú]], Sunday, January 18, 2015.

The participants crowded the 61-hectare national park and adjacent areas-Roxas Boulevard, Taft Avenue, United Nations Avenue, T.M. Kalaw Street, Padre Burgos Avenue, Maria Orosa Avenue, Port Area, and Jones Bridge.

Some of them came to the venue as early as three days before the annual overnight religious event. They came not only from Metro Manila, but also from provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Isabela, Cagayan, Batanes, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Apayao, Pangasinan, La Union, Baguio City and Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bataan, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Catanduanes and Masbate, Aklan, Antique, Roxas City and Capiz, Iloilo City and Province, Guimaras, Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, Cebu City & Province, Dumaguete and Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Bohol, Tacloban City and Leyte, Western Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Biliran and Southern Leyte, Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental, Ozamiz City and Misamis Occidental, Iligan City and Lanao del Norte, Marawi City and Lanao del Sur, Malaybalay City and Bukidnon, Camiguin, Butuan City, Surigao City, Bislig City, Tandag City, Bayugan City, Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, Cotabato City and Maguindanao, North Cotabato, General Santos City and South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani Province, Zamboanga City, Dipolog City and Zamboanga del Norte, Pagadian City and Zamboanga del Sur, Isabela City and Basilan, Ipil and Zamboanga Sibugay, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.  Also present were members from different overseas religious chapters of the Foundation.

Most of the attendees were already in the venue days before the annual overnight affair beamed live nationwide via domestic satellite on television over ABS-CBN Channel 2, PTV-4, ABC Channel 5, GMA Channel 7, RPN Channel 9, QTV Channel 11 and IBC Channel 13 and aired live on radio over DZXL RMN Manila 558, DZBB Radyo Bisig-Bayan 594, DZMM Radyo Patrol 630, DZRH Nationwide 666, DZRV Radio Veritas 846, RMN Regional AM, My Only Radio FM Regional and 130 MBC Radyo Natin FM stations nationwide.

Each year, the anniversary celebration of Jesus is Lord Church makes its way the participants crowded along the streets of Rizal Park, Port Area and the Quiapo district, with attendees reaching up to 6 to 8 to 12 million. In recent years, the traffic re-route was altered due to a rise in vehicular and stampede accidents, and to afford other neighbourhoods a chance to participate in the festivities.

Since 1993, the celebration held on the second Sunday of October now commences at 9:00 a.m. with the praise and worship, followed by the standing assembly in singing the [[Lupang Hinirang|Philippine National Anthem]]. Representatives of various [[Religion in the Philippines|religious group]]s then lead the Invocation.

Before the noon of October 6, in observance of Bro. Eddie's birthday, the attendees feasted on roasted chickens, pigs and calves as a gift of the family and friends for his natal day celebration. Early in the afternoon, the crowd jubilantly caught with their umbrellas inverted thousands of miracle-souvenir handkerchiefs thrown into the air from several helicopters. A thanksgiving prayer was offered by Bro. Eddie for his birthday party and for the annual founding anniversary thanksgiving celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide. He also led the congregation in prayer for their prayer-requests, which were tied to balloons and released to the air at the signal of Bro. Eddie. In the 2014 celebration at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park, Manila last October 24 to 25, 2014, His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III, the guest of honor in the occasion, gave his greetings and message to the crowd. The President was with the members of the Aquino Family. In attendance also were some members of the cabinet; several senators led by Senate President Franklin Drilon; several congressmen led by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.; and friends of Bro. Mike Velarde of [[El Shaddai (movement)|El Shaddai]] from the business, entertainment, media, legal, and religious sector.

A Thanksgiving Mass was led by His Eminence [[Gaudencio Rosales]], Archbishop-Emeritus of Manila, con-celebrated with [[Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle]], Archbishop of Manila; [[Oscar Cruz]], Archbishop-Emeritus of Lingayen-Dagupan and former president of [[Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines]], [[Socrates B. Villegas]], Archbishop-Emeritus of Lingayen-Dagupan and current president of [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines]], [[Paciano Aniceto]], Archbishop-Emeritus of San Fernando, Pampanga, [[Florentino Lavarias]], Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga, [[Ramon Arguelles]], Archbishop of Lipa, [[Rolando Joven Tria Tirona]], Archbishop of Nueva Caceres, [[Angel Lagdameo]], Archbishop of Jaro, [[Jose S. Palma]], Archbishop of Cebu, [[Ricardo Cardinal Vidal]], Archbishop-Emeritus of Cebu, [[John F. Du]], Archbishop of Palo, [[Pedro R. Dean]], Archbishop-Emeritus of Palo, [[Romulo Valles]], Archbishop of Davao, [[Fernando Capalla]], Archbishop-Emeritus of Davao, [[Orlando Quevedo]], Archbishop of Cotabato, [[Antonio Ledesma]], Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro, Bishop José F. Oliveros of Malolos, Bulacan, Bishop Jesse E. Mercado of Paranaque, Bishop Mylo Hubert Claudio Vergara of Pasig, Bishop-Emeritus Deogracias S. Iñiguez of Caloocan, Bishop Antonio R. Tobias of Novaliches, Bishop-Emeritus Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr., Bishop Ruperto C. Santos of Balanga, Bataan, Bishop Florentino Ferrer Cinense of Tarlac City, Tarlac, Bishop-Emeritus Manuel C. Sobreviñas, Bishop Reynaldo G. Evangelista of Imus, Cavite, Bishop Buenaventura M. Famadico of San Pablo, Laguna, Bishop Emilio Z. Marquez of Lucena, Quezon, Rev. Msgrs. Mariano T. Balbago Jr., Rigoberto de Guzman, Arnel F. Lagarejos, Pedro C. Cañonero, Generoso A. Mediarito of Diocese of Antipolo and Mario A. Castillo; and Rev. Fr. Anton Pascual and Rev. Fr. Sanny de Claro, spiritual directors of the El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International. Joining them also were several spiritual directors from the international chapters of the El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation namely Reverend Fathers Bernard J. Nolan of Brisbane, Australia; Leo E. Steinbock of Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.; and Thomas Kawamura of Tokyo, Japan, as well as from the Philippines namely, Dwight de Jesus; Remigio Mendoza of Mabini, Batangas; Manheim Abellana, SDB; Eligio Santos of San Ildefonso Parish, Makati; and Stephen Punnakal and Victor Maung Thit of the Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Malate, Manila and more than 600 reverend bishops and 150,000 reverend deacons, monsignors and priests from around Philippines, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Europe and Oceania. Highlighting the Holy Mass was the Catholic mass wedding of 36,000 couple who had been living together for a long time without the blessing of the Church. They decided to get married for they had known through their listening of the Word over dzRV (846 kHz) AM, that they are living against the will of God, for it is written in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, "...Do not be deceived: Neither the sexual immoral...nor adulterers...will inherit the Kingdom of God."

During the Mass, Archbishop Cardinal Tagle read a special letter to all Filipinos from His Holiness, [[Pope Francis]], imparting his apostolic blessings to the event.