RELICS, MEMORABILIA, HISTORIC DOCs
[PHOTO - THE POPEMOBILE,
constructed by Francisco Motors, with Jaime Cardinal Sin. It will be exhibited
at the UST Museum starting Jan. 25. At right, monstrance used by the beatified
pope.]
MANILA, JANUARY
24, 2012 (INQUIRER) By: Brylle
B. Tabora
Closing its year-long celebration of its 400th anniversary, the University of
Santo Tomas will mount an exhibit on the life and times of Blessed John Paul II,
who had visited UST twice, in 1981 and 1995, reaffirming UST's status as a
Pontifical University.
UST Rector Magnificus Fr. Rolando V. de la Rosa, O.P., will open the exhibit
"Ad Januam Coeli [To the Gate of Heaven]: A Commemorative Exhibit on Blessed
John Paul II and the University of Santo Tomas" on Jan. 25, 4:30 p.m., at the
UST Museum of Arts and Sciences.
De la Rosa himself was first-term rector of UST in 1995 when he welcomed the
Pope to the campus on the occasion of the World Youth Day celebration in Manila
and UST's hosting of the International Youth Forum, the youth leaders'
conference component of the WYD.
Curated by Regalado Trota-José, commissioner of the National Commission for
Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and UST Archivist, the exhibit features some of the
late Pontiff's rare relics and memorabilia, especially those associated with his
two UST visits.
Also exhibited are photos, documents and memorabilia of Karol
Wojtyla, the Christian name of John Paul II, when he was a priest in Poland
before becoming a bishop.
The exhibit will include an enamel cross used by the Pope during his 1995
visit.
Also on exhibit will be the two papal chairs especially designed by UST
artists for his 1981 and 1995 visits.
The 1995 chair was used by Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, the special papal
legate sent by Pope Benedict XVI last year during the opening of the UST
Quadricentennial celebration.
NCCA chair Felipe de Leon Jr. examining historic documents at UST Museum and
Archives. PHOTOS BY JAIME CAMPOS A monstrance the Holy Father once used, lent to
the UST exhibit by Malolos Bishop and UST Central Seminary alumnus José
Oliveros, will also be displayed.
Also on exhibit will be the Popemobile, the high-security,
bullet-proof papal vehicle especially made by Francisco Motors for the 1995
visit.
A small section will feature the Pope's death in 2005 and his beatification
last May by Pope Benedict.
Another section is titled "The Pontiff of UST."
Papal Bulls across history
Also to be exhibited are the Papal Bulls and other ancient documents from the
UST Archives and UST Heritage Library that historically establish the links
between UST and the Holy See.
In 1619, Pope Paul V authorized the granting of degrees of Philosophy
and Theology to all colleges administered by the Dominicans in the Occidental
Indies.
In 1645, Pope Innocent X raised Santo Tomas to the rank of university.
In 1785, the title Royal was given by Charles III in recognition of the
loyalty of the Dominicans and UST students to Spain during the war against
England.
In 1902, UST was given the title Pontifical by Leo XIII, making UST only the
second to be accorded the honor in history (after the Gregorianum of Rome) and
even ahead of Angelicum (Blessed John Paul's alma mater) and other European
institutions.
And, in 1947, UST was given the title The Catholic University of the
Philippines, by Pius XII.
Papal crucifixes The Papal Bulls and edicts reaffirm UST's reputation as the
oldest university in Asia.
Although Blessed John Paul visited UST twice, Pope Paul VI was actually the
first pope in history to visit the Manila university.
In 1970, Pope Paul VI, in the first papal visit to the Philippines, delivered
his address to the Filipino youth at UST.
Paul VI made special mention of UST: "We wish to express first of all our
great esteem for the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas. It is a university
which is one of the most renowned for the richness of its history, one of the
most important in number of students, and one of the most well-known for the
care it devotes to education of high quality."
In 1981, Pope John Paul II made his first papal visit to the country and gave
his address to the Filipino youth at UST, which he called "an illustrious
university."
[PHOTO - COMMEMORATIVE stone for the beatification of Fra
Angelico, the Dominican and Renaissance master whom John Paul II made Patron
Saint of Artists.]
Later at the Rizal Park, he beatified Lorenzo Ruiz, the Filipino protomartyr
of the 17th-century persecutions in Japan, and his companion-martyrs, nearly all
of whom were alumni of UST. It was the first beatification outside of Rome in
history.
During his 1995 visit, John Paul II spoke even more warmly about UST.
"As a Pontifical university, Santo Tomas has a special right to the Pope's
attention," the Pope said. "In fact, this is the third visit of a pope to the
oldest university in Asia: Pope Paul VI came here in 1970; I came in 1981 and
now God gives me the grace of being here again to meet the 'university world' of
the Philippines."
Other relics
Also on exhibit will be relics of Dominican saints.
On display will be the commemorative stone for the beatification of Fra
Angelico, the Dominican and Renaissance master whom John Paul II beatified and
made Patron Saint of Artists. The UST campus building housing the College of
Fine Arts and Design and the College of Architecture is now named after Beato
Angelico.
Photos of martyrs of Japan and Vietnam, including San Lorenzo Ruiz and
Blessed Pedro Calungsod, all of whom were beatified by the late Pope, will also
be seen in the exhibit.
"The Dominican fathers have thought about giving thanks to Blessed Pope John
Paul II, especially now that he is beatified," said Trota-José.
He added that UST has always been warmly associated with the Holy See,
especially Blessed John Paul II, and an exhibit of papal memorabilia and relics
would be a fitting close to the UST Quadricentennial and a send-off as well, as
UST enters its fifth century.
Last Wednesday, Trota-José toured his fellow NCCA commissioners to the
exhibit and other UST landmarks that have been declared by the National Museum
as National Cultural Treasures and by the National Historical Institute as
National Historical Treasures.
Leading the NCCA Commission in the UST tour was NCCA chair Felipe de Leon Jr.
[PHOTO AT RIGHT - "Ad Januam Coeli [To the Gate of Heaven]: A
Commemorative Exhibit on Blessed John Paul II and the University of Santo Tomas"
will run at the UST Museum until Feb. 10. It is open to the public.
Call the UST Public Affairs Office at 7313544 or
4061611 loc. 8315
POPE John Paul II waves to the huge crowd inside his Popemobile during the
1995World Youth Day in Manila
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
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