Faithful urged to pray ‘Oratio Imperata’ amid Mayon unrest

Fr. Rex Paul Arjona, Diocese of Legazpi social action director said the spiritual intervention of the people was important at this moment. (Photo By Top1963 / Tryfon Topalidis – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA — The Diocese of Legazpi on Tuesday has urged the faithful to pray the ‘Oratio Imperata’ for the deliverance from calamity amid the looming violent eruption of the Mayon Volcano.

Fr. Rex Paul Arjona, Diocese of Legazpi social action director said the spiritual intervention of the people was important at this moment.

With this, he said that they had requested local radio stations to air the mandatory prayer.

“The spiritual aspect really forms part of our preparation. This is why the praying of the Oratio Imperata for the deliverance for calamity is being played almost every 30 minutes in different radio stations here,” he said in an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas.

Arjona added that the regular airing of the prayer helps uplift the spirits of the people.

“The Oratio Imperata becomes the source of inspiration of the people,” the priest said.

Arjona added that all parishes in the diocese were already preparing in the event calamity strikes.

“Each parish has its own funds to finance short-term emergencies,” he said.

The Oratio Imperata is an obligatory prayer issued by the local diocese during situations of grave need or in times of calamity.

On the other hand, Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon appealed to the faithful to stay calm in the midst of the threat of a volcanic eruption.

“Keep calm and listen to updates… Pray that this won’t get any worse,” he said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news website.

The Catholic prelate also urged the public to strictly follow the advisories of government authorities. “Obey evacuation orders and lend support if you can, especially those near evacuation centers,” Baylon said.

It was reported that over 12,000 residents had already fled to evacuation centers after the Mayon Volcano started spewing ash and unleashed burning mud and rocks over the weekend.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has already raised the volcano alert to level 3, which indicates increased volcanic activity toward a hazardous eruption last Sunday.