Marcos urges Filipinos to perpetuate peace, generosity on feast of Immaculate Conception

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Friday called on Filipinos to "perpetuate peace, generosity, and kindness" as the country marks the feast of Immaculate Conception. 

“May this auspicious occasion allow us to fortify our Christian faith and inspire our fellow faithful to share our blessings to the poor and marginalized as a way of perpetuating peace, generosity, and kindness around us,” said Marcos. 

The President also encouraged Filipinos to draw inspiration from the narrative of the Immaculate Conception in overcoming limitations.

“During these challenging times for our country, let us draw inspiration from the narrative of the Immaculate Conception as we overcome our limitations and draw on our strengths to see the world with grateful hearts and explore the deep meaning of our purpose in life,” added Marcos. 

The feast of the Immaculate Conception is a celebration by the Catholic community of Mary’s conception without sin.

The observance of the feast began with a Papal encyclical by Pope Pius IX when he formally defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, Ineffabilis Deus, on December 8, 1854.

It is a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics and is a special non-working holiday in the Philippines under Republic Act No. 10966 which was signed by former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2017. —Lllanesca T. Panti/ VAL, GMA Integrated News