MANAOAG, Pangasinan, Feb. 17( PNA)–Papal Nuncio Archbishop Guiseppe Pinto arrived at the Holy Rosary of Manaoag church at 3:20 p.m. just less than an hour before the start of a concelebrated marking the solemn proclamation of the church into a papal basilic of Rome.
This as thousands of pilgrims and devotees already converged inside and outside the church in the largest ever religious activity in Pangasinan in recent years.
Archbishop Pinto is the official reprsentative of Pope Francis in this religious rites.
The solemn proclamation is one of the highlights of the anniversary celebrarion of the Limgayen-Dagupan archdioces headed by Archbishop Socrates Villegas.
Other dignitaries who arrived were Gov. Amado Espino jr., Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim and former Pangasinan Fifth District Congressman Mark Cojuangco. (PNA)