Officers and staff of the Philippine Embassy in Berlin led by Consul General Donna Rodriguez joined the Philippine Community in celebrating the Santa Misa Para sa Bayan. Attendees were in their Filipiana best. (2) The special mass started with the Philippine National Anthem.
12 June 2016. On the occasion of the 118th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, a “Santa Misa Para sa Bayan” (Holy Mass for the Country) was offered in Berlin and Stuttgart.
In Berlin, the Philippine Embassy cooperated with the Filipino Catholic Community of Berlin in having a special program to mark the anniversary. The Santa Misa held at the Heilig-Geist-Kirche in Bayernallee started with attendees singing “Lupang Hinirang” (Chosen Land), the Philippine National Anthem. Filipino Chaplain Fr. Jun de Ocampo led the celebration and said the entire Mass in Filipino, it ended with the patriotic song, “Pilipinas Kong Mahal.”
A Salu-salo at the Church hall followed the celebration of the mass
Souvenirs from the Philippine Department of Tourism in Frankfurt were given away as gifts after both the mass in Stuttgart and Berlin.
Meanwhile, the Mass in Stuttgart was held at the Domkirche St. Eberhard. Fr. Franz Brendle offered special prayers for the Philippines. He acknowledged the presence of Ambassador Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek and Prof. Dr. Gerhard Zeidler, Philippine Honorary Consul General for Baden Wuerttemburg. Music was provided by the Philippine Madrigal Singers (Madz).
Stuttgart. Ambassador Melita S. Sta. Maria-Thomeczek thanked the Katholische Kirchengemeinde St. Eberhard Stuttgart for offering prayers for the Philippines on the occasion of the Philippine Independence Day. She also thanked Philippine Honorary Consul General in Badem-Wuerttemberg Prof. Dr. Gerhard Zeidler for making arrangements for the mass and bringing the Philippine Madrigal Singers (Madz) to Stuttgart. She further acknowledged Conductor Mark Anthony Carpio and the Madz who lent their voices to make the celebration of the Holy Eucharist more special.
After the Liturgical Mass, the Madz presented a one-hour program and regaled attendees with both Filipino and international songs. Their conductor, Mark Anthony Carpio, chose to end the program with a choral arrangement of The Dawn´s “Iisang Bangka” (Just One Boat) signifying unity among Filipinos in times of adversity. END
Consul General Donna M. Rodriguez delivered President Benigno S. Aquino´s Independence Day message before the community. Filipinos and their German spouses filled the church to capacity and celebrated Philippine Independence day in solidarity.
A salu-salo at the church hall followed after the Mass courtesy of the Philippine Embassy wherein Filipino food took center stage.
