Thousands of Christian devotees gather around an image of the Virgin of Penafrancia during a religious procession to the cathedral in Naga city marking the annual celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Penafrancia on September 20, 2008, in the eastern Bicol region. The practice with its roots from Spain began in 1712 when a Spanish settler in Naga was said to be cured from illness through prayers for the Our Lady of Penafrancia in Spain. Filipinos who believe in the miraculous power of Virgin of Penafrancia pay their hommage through nine-day prayer. Philippines is a Catholic country of 90 million people in Southeast Asia. Getty Images logo Getty Images 44 months ago

Thousands of Christian devotees gather around an image of the Virgin of Penafrancia during a religious procession to the cathedral in Naga city marking the annual celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Penafrancia on September 20, 2008, in the eastern Bicol region. The practice with its roots from Spain began in 1712 when a Spanish settler in Naga was said to be cured from illness through prayers for the Our Lady of Penafrancia in Spain. Filipinos who believe in the miraculous power of Virgin of Penafrancia pay their hommage through nine-day prayer. Philippines is a Catholic country of 90 million people in Southeast Asia.

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