AN ESTIMATED 25,000 members of the Thomasian community joined hands to mount the world’s the largest “Living Rosary” at 4 p.m. today inside the UST campus.
Students, faculty members, and support staff formed a human rosary, occupying the major roads of the University. Those assigned to form the cross were required to wear blue shirts while those designated as
rosary beads were in yellow. Those who acted as chains wore white.
The Quadricentennial or “Q” Rosary was followed by a Holy Mass led by Fr. Quirico Pedregosa Jr., O.P., prior provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines and vice-chancellor of the University.
“There are two reasons [why we had this event]: first, as our thanksgiving to the Blessed Virgin because of our 400 years, and second, because today is the [39th] anniversary of the Dominican
Province of the Philippines,” said Richard Pazcoguin, assistant director of the Center for Campus Ministry.
The Quadricentennial event coincided with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which proclaims the Catholic belief that the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of God, was conceived without sin.
UST has a fervent devotion to the rosary, the meditative prayer propagated by the Dominican Order. The campus hosts a parish church dedicated to the Lady of the Rosary, which also housed the miraculous image of La Naval de Manila after the destruction of Intramuros in World War II.
The “Q Rosary” was supposed to be the University’s attempt to enter the Guinness World Records for forming the largest living rosary. However, Guinness officials suggested otherwise.
“Guinness recommended the ‘largest human cross’ to be our record [instead]. You have to conform to what the Guinness says; you do not tell them what you want to do,” said Pazcoguin, who was also a member of the Q Rosary organizing committee.
The event was originally set last October 7 in celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. However, it was moved to December 8 after Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P., Rector of the University, issued a memorandum re-scheduling the activity due to “unpredictable weather.” Rommel Marvin C. Rio
‘Diba dapat ung living rosary ang picture? Sana kahit ung cross man lng ang nakuhanan.
Of course that photo is saved for the print edition of the Varsitarian!
excited? haha. baka kasi magdedevote sila ng isang buong spread sa mismong diyaryo with all of the pics and needed captions. ayaw muna nila siguro i-leak yung ibang pictures para maging maganda yung spread nila. knowing their photographers, for sure magaganda kuha nila. so just wait and see. 🙂
SAD :[
but izolryt. The living rosary is mainly for Mama Mary, making a world record is just a bonus. :]
Where can we find the picture of the Thomasian rosary held this afternoon?