Most of us are looking forward to Holy Week because this is the time when we can escape from the daily work grind, even for just a few days. A lot of people also use the opportunity to go home to their provinces either to enjoy nature, go to the beach and be a part of fascinating Holy Week rituals. It’s amazing how this solemn time gives a valuable insight to Filipino culture and age-old religious rites, especially if you’re in the right side of town.
Thanks to the Department of Tourism for giving us this info on Philippine Holy Week traditions in the different areas.
If you’re in Manila, the miraculous image of Jesus the Black Nazarene at the Basilica Minore in Quiapo is brought out of its shrine for a procession in the district on Good Friday. This is one of only two times in a year – the other event is during its January 9 feastday – when the life-size mahogany-colored image is taken out of the church for a grand but solemn procession participated in by hundreds of thousands of devotees. The more than four-centuries-old image of Jesus Christ depicted under the weight of the Holy Cross was brought to Manila on board a galleon from Acapulco, Mexico.
Other places in the city that play out the commemoration of the passion and death of Christ (also known as the Senakulo) are the plaza in Malibay, Pasay City and Barangay San Dionisio in Parañaque City.
In the Southern Tagalog region, unique lenten commemorations can be experienced during the Penetensiyahan in Rosario and Pabasa ng Pasyon in San Juan both towns in Batangas; the Cenaculo in Cainta, the Giwang-Giwang and the Salubong in the “Artists’ Village” town of Angono all in Rizal province.
The Turumba Festival in the town of Pakil in Laguna has the largest religious activities which begin on the Friday before Palm Sunday and every nine days thereafter. Then, the feast proceeds to the nine days in May and June until it ends on Pentecost Sunday in September amidst local pageantry. These seven fiestas or lupi venerate the seven sorrows of Our Lady of Turumba through native music during a sober dancing procession among the townsfolk.
