Feast of the Santisima Trinidad

On the Feast of the Holy Trinity, Pope Francis invited the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square to make the sign of the cross together.

He said, “God is love. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and He gave His life for us, so we make the sign of the cross.”

And we pray, “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.”

In Matthew 3:16-17, the Holy Trinity is presented as follows:

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him. And behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

“For God so loved the world that he gave* his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John3:16)

God, the Son, “our Savior Jesus Christ, became man and died for us. He redeemed us and made us children of God. After Christ’s ascension the Holy Spirit became our Teacher, our Leader, our Guide, our Consoler.”

“This feast, which falls on the first Sunday after Pentecost, should make us mindful that actually every Sunday is devoted to the honor of the Most Holy Trinity, that every Sunday is sanctified and consecrated to the triune God.

Sunday after Sunday, we should recall in a spirit of gratitude the gifts which the Blessed Trinity is bestowing upon us.

The Father created and predestined us; on the first day of the week He began the work of creation. The Son redeemed us; Sunday is the “Day of the Lord,” the day of His resurrection. The Holy Spirit sanctified us, made us His temple; on Sunday the Holy Spirit descended upon the infant Church. Sunday, therefore, is the day of the Most Holy Trinity.” (Excerpted from The Church’s Year of Grace, Pius Parsch).

We remember the Holy Trinity when we pray the Apostles’ Creed:

“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth,

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried;

He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.”

At the end of each decade of the rosary, this prayer: “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, amen.”

Those from Loay, Bohol celebrate the Feast of Santisima Trinidad yearly. And since the Feast falls the Sunday after Pentecost, the date can either be on the month of May or for this year, last June 4.

Worshippers flock before the well-loved image of God the Father, with God the Son seated at His right hand, and God the Holy Spirit above, and lift their prayers, their petitions, their thanksgiving and praise.

After the Mass, then the happy reunions proceed from morning till night!

So much food prepared- with lechon and dinugoan in almost every house, and yes, the drinks (tuba, beer, rhum and more!)

Then the endless recollections and catching up amidst so much laughter and joy!

The children remember the games and prizes, the young at heart, the evening public dance/bayle!