2012, October 21. Blessed Pedro
Calungsod, Canonization
Litho Offset.
Amstar Company, Inc. Perf 14
Singles, Sheets of 40 (4 x 10); Miniature Sheets of 20 (4
x 5)
9p
Blessed Pedro Calungsod
- Singles (50,000)
Miniature Sheets of 20 (2,500)
Layout Artist: Victorino Serevo
First Day Covers: Manila
CANONIZATION OF BLESSED PEDRO CALUNGSOD
On 19 December 2011, the
Holy See officially approved the miracle
qualifying Calungsod for
sainthood by the Roman Catholic Church.
The recognized miracle dates from 26 March 2003, when a woman
from Leyte who was pronounced clinically dead by accredited
physicians two hours after a heart attack was revived when an
attending physician invoked Calungsod's intercession.
Cardinal Angelo Amato
presided over the declaration ceremony on behalf of the Congregation
for the Causes of Saints. He later revealed that Pope Benedict XVI
approved and signed the official promulgation decrees recognizing
the miracles as authentic and worthy of belief. The College of
Cardinals were then sent a dossier on the new saints, and they were
asked to indicate their approval. On 18 February 2012, after the
Consistory for the Creation of Cardinals, Cardinal Amato formally
petitioned Pope Benedict XVI to announce the canonization of the new
saints. The Pope set the date
for the canonization on 21 October 2012 (World Mission Sunday), 340
years after Calungsod's death.
On 21 October 2012, Pope
Benedict XVI canonized Calungsod in Saint Peter's Square. Filipino
Cardinal Ricardo Jamin Vidal concelebrated with Pope Benedict XVI at
the official canonization Mass for Calungsod while among the seven
new saints canonized Calungsod was the only one without a first
class relic exposed for veneration since his body was thrown into
the sea. The cutlass knife, a second-class relic used to hack
Calungsod's head and neck however was retrieved by Cardinal Ricardo
Vidal from Guam. During the papal homily, Pope Benedict XVI
maintained that Calungsod received the Sacrament of Absolution from
Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores before his martyrdom and death.
After Saint Lorenzo Ruiz,
Calungsod is the second Filipino to be declared a saint by the Roman
Catholic Church. The Roman Martyrology celebrates Calungsod's feast
along with Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores every 2 April.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Calungsod)