The traditional "Salubong"

Salubong is an Easter Sunday pre-dawn ritual that reenacts the Risen Christ's meeting with His mother. It is performed in the churchyard under a specially prepared arch where the veiled image of the Virgin Mary has been placed. A child dressed as an angel is lowered by ropes from a high platform to lift the mourning veil of the grieving Mother. The church bells are rung, and there is a procession of the images of Christ and his mother that ends up inside the church.

The participants in the procession are segregated by gender. The men and boys follow the image of Jesus Christ, while women and girls follow the image of Mary. The procession ends with the two groups meeting in the church, where Mass is said.

Pabasa ng Pasyon, a traditional religious practice

The pasyon is a verse narrative about the life and suffering of Jesus Christ. The verses are structured in five-line stanzas, with each line containing eight syllables. The pasyon is commonly sung during Holy Week, starting Holy Monday. The reading of the pasyon is a traditional religious practice in the Philippines and people gather around the reader of the pasyon to listen and reflect. It is seen by many of its practitioners as a vow or panata.

The first version of the Tagalog pasyon was written by Gaspar Aquino de Belen in 1704. It was entitled Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Christong Panginoon Natin na Tola (The poem of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ). Belen's pasyon went through at least four revisions, with the fifth edition printed in 1760.

The tradition of chanting the pasyon is not rooted to the Spanish language that the songs were originally written in. but is connected to the singing of epics during cultural celebrations among indigenous Filipinos. The pasyon is usually chanted a capella though occasionally the chanters may be accompanied by guitars or a rondalla band.

Visita Iglesia on Maundy Thursday

In the Philippines, Maundy Thursday is the time for what we called “Visita Iglesia” where devotees visit different churches. You also see people that instead of commuting or bringing their vehicles, they used to walk on the way to different churches as a way of sacrifice. Also, business establishments cease operations from Holy Thursday to Black Saturday. Most malls, however, only cease their operations on Holy Thursday and Good Friday and only open on Black Saturday. Terrestrial television and radio stations either go completely off-air during that period or operate limited hours where they broadcast special shows, usually themed for the Holy Week, which is not on their usual schedule. (Cable channels usually continue their normal telecasts as usual.) Newspapers usually have no issues during those days.

WIKIPEDIA:  Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great & Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles as described in the Canonical gospels. It is the fifth day of Holy Week, and is preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday.

Easter Egg Hunting @ SPLASH ISLAND

SPLASH ISLAND will remain open within the Holy Easter Week. It is the perfect place to reflect with your families and friends this season of lent. On Easter Sunday, children can also join the “Easter Egg Hunting Activity” at the Harbor Area (fronting the Agos Grandes Wave Pool) after the 9:00AM mass. Prizes await lucky children who will find the specially designed Easter eggs hidden within the SPLASH ISLAND facility.

SPLASH ISLAND will be open by 8:00AM until 8:00PM within the entire Easter Week. Enjoy the 2010 new attractions like the floating playground, floating iceberg wall climbing, floating volleyball field, 30 foot zip line and wall climbing plus the 12 water slides that will be available to the public.

For inquiries you may call 09189129177 or visit their website at www.splashisland.net.

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. It marks the beginning of the Lenten Season. This day can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10. It is the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of repentance while the minister recites: "Remember (O man) that you are dust, and to dust you shall return", or "Repent, and believe the Gospel."

Since the 2010 Elections is nearing, I hope that this Lenten Season all local and national candidates will find time to discern and assess their political existence and the purity of their intentions.

Holy Week observances: Good Friday procession

My kids and I spent Maundy Thursday till Easter Sunday with relatives in Manila because hubby is usually off to work during the Lenten season for their annual maintenance. Every afternoon of Good Friday, the Tondo Parish Church always have their annual procession being routed on the streets back and forth of the church. This year we were lucky because the said procession passed by in front of our house (usually it passes by in the street two blocks from the house) and for that we had a closer look of every “karosa” (carrier/float) that joined the procession. Check the pictures below I am fortunate to take as the procession passes by in our street.

The above “karosa” shows the “Sorrowful Mysteries” of the Holy Rosary: Agony in the Garden of Gethsemani, Scourging at the Pillar, the Crowning with Thorns, the Carrying of the Cross and the Crucifixion.

The “karosa” where the dead body of Jesus lay down is being carried by men devotees while others of them formed a human chain in front of the “karosa” like the human chain during the feast of the Black Nazarene. Women and children are not allowed to join and get near the chain for safety reasons.

Ramadan

September is the month for Ramadan among our Muslim brothers and sisters. A religious observance being observed on the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar believed to be the month where Qur’an was revealed to Angel Gabriel then later on to Prophet Muhammad. It is a month for fasting wherein Muslim participants do not eat or drink anything from dawn until sunset. A time to offer for more prayer, asking forgiveness for the sins of the past, asking for guidance in the future, and asking for help with refraining from every day evils and trying to purify oneself through self-restraint and good deeds.

Ramadan is the name of the ninth month which is an Arabic word for intense heat, scorched ground and shortness of rations and also considered the most venerated and blessed month of the Islamic year. Laylat al-Qadr that falls during an odd night in the last 10 days of Ramadan is considered to be the most holy night of the year. Ramadan ends with the holiday Eid ul-Fitr wherein feasts are being held and Muslims are encouraged to fast for a further six days after the month following Ramadan which is called Shawwal.