After having report during my hiking adventure to Halopa Station and Wauwap Waterfall in Madang early this year, I have decided to be part of a pilgrimage event by the Catholic religion. This is an annual event that falls on every September before PNG’s Independence Day.
On Wednesday 15th September (just a day before PNG’s Independence), I went on a pilgrimage to “Maria helpim” with Arnold Sapurie. This was the place in Madang province where the Steyl Missionaries and the Holy Spirit Sisters would hide from the attacks of Japanese during the Second World War in 1941 to 1945. In remembrance of the guidance of Maria (mother of Jesus Christ) whom the missionaries prayed to for protection they walk this path every year.
To get there, we had to cross two little rivers with no bridges and altogether we were walking about four hours before reaching the missionary hideout starting from Danip at St. Benedict’s Agricultural & Technical College. Thanks to Peter Wame and Augustine of Alexishafen with others for organizing the youths that did the road clean up and decorations to the historical site. A special mention to the people of Baielep area for their warmest welcome to their territory and the people of Kananam for leading the songs.
There were about four prayer groups that led the procession starting from the last wet-river-crossing which took over an hour’s walk up the mountain to the historical site. At the site, you would hear birds and sound of insects secluded by the tropical forest that is so peaceful to a forest lover that is truly an historical hideout! The site is in fact, a well respected area that people are not allowed to chew betel-nut, smoke cigarettes or throw rubbish. By then it was 10:20am and the Eucharist Mass and sermon was led by Father Czeslo of Poland.
The pilgrimage crowd came as far as Bogia (north of Madang) and Madang town with most of the people from the Kananam area and Halopa station (hinterland of Alexishafen) towards the Adelbert range. The crowd, made up of small children, mothers with their babies, young boys and girls, youths, men and women, old and young from all walks of life came together as a big family of reunion through Christian faith. There were also a couple of European tourists that came to witness the event with their interest in religion.
This year’s crowd was the largest than the previous years as stated by the priest during the sermon and was quite impressed that other people from other religion also joined. That’s right; this included me as well, as an Anglican being part of the Christian Pilgrimage. The priest encouraged more people to join in the coming years as this is a very special communal gathering that brings all Christians together once in a year. He also said that people must support each other by walking together hand in hand as Christians. “We must hold each other’s hands and walk, not to let a friend fall,” says Father Seslo in Pidgin language.
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| Charity Sisters in midst of pilgramage crowd |
This year with the increasing number of pilgrimages, a first collection was made and will follow in the coming years unlike previous years. The money collected will be put into Maria Helpim Procession Account to help support and improve next year’s procession and the coming years.
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| Statue of Mother Mary decorated in Madang's iconic traditional dress with Christian believers praying together |
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| At the historical site: Crowd rushing with containers to fetch water - believed to be a healing water despite of its dirty colour |
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