ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 10 April)—Zamboangueños observed a two-fold celebration as Muslims celebrated Eid’l Fitr in different mosques in the city while the Roman Catholic faithful commemorated the 114th anniversary of the creation of the Diocese of Zamboanga.
Thousands of Muslims gathered at the newly constructed Grand Sadik Mosque in Pasobolong, which is believed to have surpassed the number of attendees in any of the mosques in Zamboanga in this year’s Eid festivity.
Early morning Wednesday, hundreds of Muslims also gathered at Paseo del Mar for the culmination of the holy month of Ramadhan.
Dubbed as Salatu Eid’l Fitr 1 Shawwal 1445H, the gathering was organized by the Ehsan Foundation Inc. in collaboration with the Ulama Council of Zamboanga Peninsula and other Muslim organizations in the city. Shayk Albasari Kadil presided the ceremony.
City Mayor John Dalipe paid his respects to the celebration and issued Executive Order JD 026, which directed temporary closure of certain streets and the use of the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex in Baliwasan for a congregational prayer at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. As early as 4 p.m., Muslims already headed towards the sports complex.
Catholics, on the other hand, observed the 114th anniversary of the creation of the Diocese of Zamboanga as it was on April 10, 1910 when Pope Pius X signed the document that created the first diocese in Mindanao and Sulu.
The signing, stated the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in its social media post, “established Zamboanga as the Mother Diocese of the Catholic Church in Mindanao.”
Since its creation, the Diocese of Zamboanga was later elevated into an Archdiocese with 11 Ordinaries, the MCIC said, citing that it is at present led by Archbishop Julius Tonel, who was appointed by Pope Francis on April 25, 2023. (Frencie Carreon / MindaNews)
