Tourists & devotees set journey to Naga as Peñafrancia fest nears

LEGASPI CITY — Foreign and local tourists, specially devotees are converging in Naga City on Sept. 13 to 21 to attend the nine-day novena in honor of Virgin of Peñafrancia which will be held at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral after the traditional “traslacion” on Friday along the main thoroughfares of downtown Naga City.

Traslacion means the transfer of the image of Virgin of Peñafrancia by barefooted devotees called “voyadores” from her original home at Basilica Minore to Naga Metropolitan Cathedral where daily novena will be said by pilgrims in her honor. The image will then be returned to Basilica Minore after the novena via the traditional fluvial procession along the Naga River on Sept. 21.

People from all walks of life are coming in droves in Naga City but hotels and pension houses are fully booked as early as August, and many guests are reportedly staying at the house of their friends and relatives.

The influx of unaccommodated visitors in Naga City have sought the hotels in neighboring cities of Iriga and Legaspi as their transient home while attending the Peñafrancia festivities.