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VIENNA, September 20, 2025 — Around 300 devotees of Our Lady of Peñafrancia gathered at the Danube River on September 20, 2021, to celebrate the beloved Marian feast with a fluvial procession, prayer, and Holy Mass.
The day began at 7:30 a.m. with the short procession of the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia to the ship, followed by the praying of the Holy Rosary and the singing of Marian hymns led by the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Choir. At 9:30 a.m., the community celebrated the Holy Mass, with Fr. Andrew G. Recepcion, D. Miss., a guest priest from Rome, as the main celebrant. He was joined by five Filipino priests as concelebrants.
In his homily, Fr. Recepcion drew an analogy between life and the river where the faithful had gathered. “Life is like a river – some days we sail smoothly, things are good, we feel blessed and everything seems to be going our way. Other days, it feels we are caught in a storm. Waters are rough, the current pulls us under, and we do not know how we will get through,” he said. He reminded devotees that Mary, as Our Lady of Peñafrancia, is always present: “Mary is not only an image or a statue. She joins us in our joys and pains, comforts us when we cry, and reminds us that no matter what life brings, we are never alone. She brings us closer to her Son, Jesus.”
The Filipino Catholic Community of Vienna organized this year’s event, marking a shift from past celebrations. In previous years, the Bicol Society in Austria had organized the procession with festive music, food, and cultural performances. With the group stepping back from the responsibility, Chaplain Fr. Ely Dalanon explained that the Filipino Catholic Community chose to observe the feast in a more solemn way, centered on prayer and the Eucharist. “We ask for your consideration and understanding,” Fr. Dalanon said, noting it was their first time organizing the celebration.
Following the Mass, Philippine Ambassador to Austria Lourdes Arroyo Bernas delivered an inspirational message, recalling the origins of the devotion. She traced it back to Spain in the 1400s, when a miraculous image of the Virgin was discovered and later venerated under the title of Peñafrancia. The devotion reached the Philippines in the 1700s through a priest from the University of Santo Tomas who was later assigned in Bicol. “Now we Filipinos have brought this devotion back to Europe,” the ambassador said.
Ambassador Bernas thanked the Filipino community for sustaining the tradition in Austria. “Apart from the expertise and professionalism you bring to Vienna, you also bring this devotion and help spread the message of Ina,” she said, using the Bicolano term of endearment for Our Lady of Peñafrancia. “Without you, we would not be able to do the work that we do. We can only do these things with your support.”
Though this year’s celebration was shorter and quieter, devotees expressed appreciation for the effort to continue the fluvial procession in Vienna. The solemn gathering on the Danube, marked by prayer, song, and community spirit, reflected both resilience and deep devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia.
- Hector Pascua
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