St. Camillus' relic to be venerated at Cubao Cathedral, marking 50 years of Camillian Mission in Philippines

Catholics in Metro Manila and beyond will have the opportunity to venerate the relic of St. Camillus de Lellis, the patron saint of hospitals and the sick, at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao on March 8, 2025.

The sacred relic, a small part of St. Camillus’ heart, will be publicly exposed for veneration starting at 8:15 a.m., followed by a Eucharistic celebration at 8:30 a.m. presided over by Elias L. Ayuban Jr., CMF, the Bishop of Cubao.

Following the Mass, the relic will be brought to St. Camillus Seminary in Marikina City, where a special program will be held at 1:00 p.m. to commemorate the legacy of the Camillian order in the country.

This event marks five decades of the Camillian mission and service to the sick and suffering in the Philippines. The presence of the Order of St. Camillus in the country traces its origins to the 1960s when Jesuit priest Fr. Hernando Maceda brought the relic of St. Camillus’ heart from Rome. It was a gift from Camillian priest Fr. Mario Vanti, who expressed a hopeful prayer: “Pray that one day the Order of St. Camillus will be established in your country.”

The prayer found fulfillment in 1974 when two young Italian Camillian religious, Ivo Anselmi and Pietro Ferri, arrived in Manila to complete their theological studies at the Loyola School of Theology in Quezon City. Fr. Maceda entrusted them with the sacred relic, a significant moment that paved the way for the Camillian mission in the Philippines.

On March 8, 1975, the first Camillian community was officially established in Quezon City under the Lombardo-Venetian Province. The pioneering members included Fr. Ernesto Nidini, the first superior, along with Fr. Alberto Roman, Fr. Anselmo Zambotti, and the newly ordained Fr. Anselmi and Fr. Ferri.

A year later, the community joined the Far East Vice-Province, which later evolved into the Far East Province in 1997. By 1998, Filipino Camillians had assumed leadership of all seven communities in the country, further strengthening their mission.

The Philippine Province of the Camillian Order was formally established on July 1, 2003, with Fr. Anselmi serving as its first provincial superior.

Over the past 50 years, the Camillians have expanded their ministry, with 41 Filipino members now serving in the Philippines, Taiwan, Australia, Italy, Germany, and the United States.

In the Philippines, the Camillians provide pastoral and medical care through 14 hospital chaplaincies, three hospitals, one polyclinic, a nursing home, two parishes, and a pastoral center. Their outreach includes an NGO dedicated to health, development, and disaster response, along with three formation houses nurturing future religious.

Beyond these efforts, the Camillians actively engage in HIV/AIDS care and collaborate with the Episcopal Commission on Health Care of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. Their mission continues to be a beacon of hope and compassion, embodying the spirit of their founder, St. Camillus, whose legacy lives on in their commitment to serving the sick and the marginalized.

The veneration of St. Camillus’ relic on March 8 serves as a reminder of the profound impact of the Camillian mission, not only in the Philippines but also in other parts of Asia and beyond, where their work continues to bring healing and solace to those in need.