UST bids for world's largest human cross
03/10/2011
MANILA, Philippines - Students and teachers of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) observed Ash Wednesday in a unique way--by forming a large human cross in front of the campus grandstand in Manila.
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The UST community did so in a bid to be recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for having the largest human cross.
Although there is no official record yet of the number of participants, it seems that UST may have already made the world record, judging by the huge crowd which took part in the event.
The largest human cross listed in the Guinness Book of World Records was made in May 2010 at the Oslo Opera House in Norway. A total of 935 participants took part in making a giant red cross to symbolize the Red Cross.
Organizers estimate that at least 24,000 people took part in UST's largest human cross bid on Wednesday, which would clearly make the world record a cinch for the university.
But they clarified that although they are after the world record, the true aim of the activity is to symbolize penance and communal prayer.
On Ash Wednesday, Catholics have their foreheads marked with a cross using ash.
Even if the students had to stand and wait a long time under the heat of the sun, they did not complain as they were aware of the significance of their participation.
In December 2010, UST formed a human rosary participated in by thousands of its students. UST, however, did not submit details of that event to the Guinness Book of World Records.
The largest human cross is UST's first bid for a Guinness. -- Report from Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News
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