2 ex-Popes’ relics displayed at Cathedral

St. John XXIII is pictured in his undated official portrait. The Manila Cathedral will allow today the faithful to venerate the relics of two saints, who were also former Popes, in celebration of Archdiocesan Pope’s Day.

In an advisory posted in the Manila Cathedral’s Facebook account, it said the relics of St.

John XXIII and St. John Paul II will be open to the public after the 6 p.m. mass today.

It added for the first time it will be exposing for veneration St. John XXIII’s relic.

Fr. Reginald Malicdem, Manila Cathedral rector, said the faithful will be allowed to venerate the relic of St. John XXIII, “Ex ossibus” (from the bone).

The relic was given by the Vatican to honor the 60th anniversary of the post-war rebuilding of the Manila Cathedral.

St. John XXIII was the Pope during the 1958 reconstruction of the Cathedral.

It added on the day of the Cathedral’s consecration, the Pope sent a message which described the Manila Cathedral as “the guiding star and symbol of the imperishable Catholicism of the entire nation.”

The Blood Relic of St. John Paul II will also be exposed for veneration.