Heart relic of St. Camillus de Lellis to Visit Davao

Davao City will have its privilege to be visited by the incorrupt 404 year old heart relic of St. Camillus de Lellis, the patron saint of the sick, doctors, and nurses.

St. Camillus was a priest confessor and a miracle worker who treated and cared for the sick. He established the Ministers of the Sick known as the Camillians, which is a religious congregation dedicated solely to cater for the sick.

Filipino devotees can once again honor the preserved heart of St. Camillus for the second time after its first visit in 2016 as the heart relic will be brought to several parishes and hospitals all over the country until its departure on March 31.

As part of the 57-day Journey of the Heart 2.0 in several cities and provinces in the Philippines from February 2 to March 31, 2019, it is scheduled to arrive at 3:40 pm at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport on Tuesday, March 12, 2019.

Camillian Priest Organizer for Davao Fr. Brian Vincent Rances announced that there will no more be arrival rites and veneration at the airport and the relic will immediately be brought to the Southern Philippines Medical Center Chapel along J. P. Laurel Ave., for a celebration of a Holy Mass at 5:00 p.m. and for public veneration from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

The relic will be brought to the Davao Medical School Foundation on March 13 where a public veneration and handing over ceremony will be done from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.

It will be brought back to SPMC for a Eucharistic Celebration at 12:00 noon to be followed by a public veneration until 5:00 p.m. and another celebration of the Holy Mass and Anointing of the Sick between 6:00 pm until 12:00 midnight.

On March 14, 2019, the heart relic will be brought to San Pedro Hospital where a solemn acceptance and a Eucharistic Celebration and Anointing of the Sick will be done from 8:30-10:30 am and another mass will be celebrated at 5:00-6:30 pm.

A motorcade will bring the heart relic from the Camillian Religious House in Buhangin to San Pedro Cathedral on March 15, Friday where a Solemn Rite of Acceptance will be done from 8:30-9:00 am and public veneration follows.

A Holy Mass will be celebrated by the Camillians at 12:00 noon and public veneration follows until 4:30 pm to prepare for another Eucharistic Celebration and Anointing of the Sick at 5:30-6:30 pm that will be preceded by a public veneration at 6:30 pm until 8:00 pm.

The next day, March 16, the heart relic of St. Camillus de Lellis will be brought to the Diocese of Mati in Davao Oriental.