By CBCP News
May 21, 2019
Rome, Italy
Pope has received a small replica of “La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc” as a gift from Bishop Renato Mayugba of Laoag.
The pope was given the 18-inch statue during the audience of the first set of Philippines bishops for their “Ad Limina” visit on Monday.
Mayugba personally thanked the pope for the two privileges he granted recently his diocese: the pontifical coronation of “La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc” and the elevation of the church into a Minor Basilica.
The pope was actually presented with two replicas, one was given him and the other received his blessing and will be returned to Ilocos Norte to symbolize the link between the pontiff and the devotion to “La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc”.
Pope Francis also blessed a diadem which will be crowned to the official pilgrim image.
Bishop Mayugba is in a group of Philippine bishops for a six-day obligatory visit to meet with the pope and report to him the status of their dioceses.
On Sunday, he also presented a small replica of Our Lady of Badoc to the Filipino community in Rome during a Mass at the Basilica de Santa Pudenziana.
The church of Santa Pudenziana is the national church of Filipinos in Rome.
