“Sugat” crowd: biggest in history

Closer to 7 thousand crowd attended the “Sugat” or “Salubong” which was held in the HCDC gym (formerly known as CYO gym). The pictures would speak for itself. This is due to the fact that for the past six years, the “Sugat” was held in the parking area of Sta. Ana Church which can only accommodate less than a thousand people.

During the recent past years, the “Sugat” had less attendance because other parishioners would opt to watch the activity in other churches with bigger space.

This year, and in the history of “Sugat” festivity, the crowd reached to a whopping 6 thousand (and more). As early as 3AM the right gate of Sta. Ana church facing Sta. Ana avenue was already busy with people marching towards Holy Cross of Davao gym hoping to get a better seat. When this writer arrived, the gym was already full and the bleachers were full to the top. Yet people were still coming by the second. Containing the security and safety was a headache to the marshals. But everything went smoothly as prayed.

At exactly 4AM the “Sugat” reenactment started with the whole gym pulsing with life. The 200 angels were a sight to behold. It was not the first time that this writer had witnessed “Sugat” in the CYO gym. And there were times that the “Sugat” lacks the soul even with the heavenly voices of the angels singing “alleluia”. The best “Sugat” was in 2001.

This year, after 6 years, the Sta. Ana Shrine Parish held its grandest “Sugat” in HCDC gym. One parishioner commented, “I miss this ‘Sugat’ here in CYO gym ate Weng”.

It has been the tradition for the Parish to hold “Sugat” in the CYO or HCDC gym. Let it be done every year and in the years to come.