PH EMBASSY JOINS FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN BERLIN IN CELEBRATING THE SINULOG FESTIVAL

Berlin, 15 January 2023 – The Philippine Community in Berlin celebrated Cebu’s annual Sinulog festival at the Parish of the Holy Spirit in Bayernallee – the first since the outbreak of COVID-19. Fr. Simon Boiser SVD was the Mass Presider, with Fr. Jun De Ocampo, SVD and Fr. Lieber Waldemar as concelebrants.

Fr. Boiser, in his homily, highlighted the significance and role of the image of the Sto. Nino in our history as a people and as Christians. He emphasized as well the call to emulate the “childlike” attitude of the Nino, which is characterized by humility, joy and simplicity. Several groups under the Chaplaincy performed traditional Sinulog dances, accompanied by loud cheers of “Pit Senyor!” The Sinulog was followed by the traditional Filipino Fiesta shared by all members of the congregation.

The Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Lillibeth V. Pono, in her remarks, took the opportunity to bid the Filipino community in Berlin goodbye, as she leaves for her new assignment as Ambassador to the State of Qatar. She looked back to five years ago, when she said her first “hellos” to the community, also during the Sinulog celebration. She thanked the community for their support of and strong partnership with the Embassy, as she was presented with a certificate of appreciation, thanking her for her years of service to the community and for furthering Filipino interests in Germany.

Left to Right: CDA Lillibeth V. Pono bids “auf wiedersehen” to the Filipino community in Berlin; CDA Pono receives certificate of appreciation and commemorative calendar from Fr. Jun De Ocampo and Pastoral Team Leader Salvacion Vietz