The residents of Taguig City celebrated the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola with a Holy Mass on July 31 at the Parish of St. Ignatius in Barangay Ususan, Taguig City.
Following the Concelebrated Mass led by Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara of the Diocese of Pasig, along with the Parish Priest, Reverend Father Emmanuel Hipolito, and other visiting priests, a procession was held outside of the church.
A Patron's Visit also took place from June 1 to July 30, with novena masses held from July 22 to 30.
Before the actual feast day of St. Ignatius, the residents of Ususan held the seventh Espada Festival on July 29 as a tribute to the saint. A street dance was performed in which the dancers wore soldier costumes and carried swords. A man dressed as St. Ignatius in his military days and a woman dressed as Madonna dela Strada, the title of the Virgin Mary favored by St. Ignatius, were among the participants.
St. Ignatius was a former soldier in Spain who defended the citadel of Pamplona against the French. He was hit by a cannonball in 1521, which resulted in his being crippled. He was once worldly, but after reading about the life of Jesus and the saints, he repented his sins and changed his ways, choosing to live a life of poverty.
St. Ignatius is the founder and was the first Superior General of the Society of Jesus, one of the largest religious orders in the world.
(Photos courtesy of St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish)
