The Relic of St. Tarcisius of Rome, the patron of altar servers, began its tour in the Philippines, opening on August 25 at San Jose ang Tagapagtanggol Parish in Quezon City. The event drew around 500 altar servers from the Dioceses of Novaliches, Cubao, and the Archdiocese of Manila.
During the launch, Fr Apolonio Arcala, OFM, parish priest, emphasized the importance of altar servers in the life of the Church, saying that every service at the altar is an invitation to value and love Christ received in the Holy Sacrament.
“Your role is important because you serve Christ and share in the banquet of heaven. Like St. Tarcisius, we must safeguard Christ whom we have received in the Holy Eucharist,” Fr. Arcala told DZRV.
The opening celebration included a solemn relic procession around the parish and concluded with a Holy Mass presided over by Fr. Arcala, concelebrated by Fr. Orly Jimeno, OFM, and Fr. Christian Ezequiel Bueno, OFM.
One of the highlights was a vocation campaign and Holy Hour for Vocations. Fr. Arcala said it was a “timely occasion to pray that more young people may reflect on and respond to God’s call to the priesthood, consecrated life, and religious service.”
The relic will continue its Philippine journey with visits to Sto. Niño Parish in San Mateo, Rizal; Jesus of Nazareth Parish; and St. Benedict Parish, both in Quezon City.
St. Tarcisius was a young Christian acolyte in third-century Rome during a time of persecution. Entrusted with carrying the Holy Eucharist to imprisoned Christians, he was attacked by pagans who tried to force him to reveal what he carried. He refused in order to protect the Blessed Sacrament and was beaten to death. His faith and sacrifice earned him recognition as a martyr and patron saint of altar servers, a lasting model of courage, faith, and love for Christ.
Meanwhile, in a recent pilgrimage of French altar servers to the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV encouraged them to “persevere faithfully” in their service at the altar. He invited them to open their hearts to God’s call, especially in the priesthood, religious, and consecrated life.
The Philippine tour of the relic, coupled with the life and sacrifice of St. Tarcisius and the Holy Father’s call, reminds young people that serving God is not merely a duty but a gift. In faithfulness and openness to vocation, they may discover the true joy of sharing in the mission of the Church and in Christ’s love.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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