SEMANA SANTA

In April, just as the summer heat begins to reach its peak, the Philippines joins the rest of the Christian world in the observance of the Holy Week, also known as Semana Santa. Holy Week recalls Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. Of Hispanic heritage, the Filipino mourns and celebrates Semana Santa, infusing it with a distinct pagan fervor.

From Ash Wednesday to Good Friday a piercing lamentation fills the air as the life of Christ is chanted in gatherings called “pabasa,” also known as “pasyon.” Participants of the pabasa recite the passion and death of Christ from the Holy Book. There are many versions of it as there are dialects. The reading is usually done by old women in a singsong in the town chapel or visita. Sometimes it is sung before home altars and electronically amplified for the townspeople.

When I was a kid, I remember Lenten season transforms the church patios in the provinces into a miniature Jerusalem. Every Sunday during the Lent thousands of devotees flock to their nearby churches to make the Stations of the Cross or the Via Crusis before fourteen crosses planted in the church courtyard.

On the sixth Sunday of Lent, the Domingo de Ramos, Christ’s entry into Jerusalem is celebrated amid cries of “Hosannah” and a colorful array of “palaspas,” made from coconut leaves artistically woven together at the base, ribboned, and delicately knotted into butterfly-like danglers simulating the palm and olive that admiring zealots waved during Christ’s entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

Lenten Procession

As a kid and up to this time, I am extremely fascinated with Holy Week processions. Natatandaan ko pa ng ako ay maliit na bata pa, I remember watching the karos (floats or carrozas) on Taft Avenue near our house. I used to cover my eyes every time the gory scenes pass by; I was particularly frightened by the Roman centurions with bulging eyes as they scourge Jesus.

Baliuag’s main Lenten attraction during holy week, is the “Prosisyon ng mga Santo.” It is a parade of 60 lavishly decorated floats. It is one of the places in Bulacan that feature magnificent antique and/or life-size images, or santo, depicting almost all the scenes of Christ’s Passion. The images have now become a living testament to the rich blend of Christian and folk traditions in the Philippine religious observance. The affluent families own the images and they dole out their own resources to finance the processions.

Penitencia (Self-Flagellation) sa Pilipinas

Isang kaugalian sa Pilipinas na malinaw na nakaukit sa aking isipan ay ang Penitencia (self-flagellation). Self-flagellation is performed during Holy Week, on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, as a ritual re-enactment of the scourging of Jesus Christ at the pillar. Penitencia is practiced in the Philippines as a contractual sacrifice, based on a vow (panata) to God, sworn for a fixed period, usually between five and fifteen years, often during a crisis or time of difficulty, most commonly the illness of close kin. The link with health or ill-health is pervasive. Aside from the culturally important task, particularly for adult males, of sharing the suffering of Christ, the flagellant is also sharing (damay), and thus trying to ease the pain of sick relative by offering himself as a sacrifice.

Cenaculo

Isang kaugalian na aking nakagisnan ay ang pagdaraos ng Cenaculo kung Mahal na Araw. Cenaculo is a reenactment of the Passion of Christ that begins on the eve of the Holy Week (Palm Sunday or Palaspas) and ends on the night of East Sunday (Salubong). Kasama ko ang aking mga Tia at mga pinsan, dumadayo kami sa iba’t-ibang lugar sa Pasay, gaya ng Malibay, para manood ng Cenaculo. Ang Cenaculo ay parang teleserye. Sinusubaybayan mo bawat kabanata hanggang sa katapusan.

Reliving the Lenten Season in the Philippines

In the Philippines, the commemoration of Christ’s death becomes a witness to a culture bursting with life and lore. As I watch the Prosisyon, I can easily relate to the story of the Passion. The symbolisms are impeccable. I am not shy to let you know that I have aged but I am proud that I have been a part of the many beautiful Lenten rites and practices in our country. Marami akong naging karanasan na hindi maaring tumbasan ng anomang halaga ng salapi. They are priceless.