day 212-207: Lenten Season in the Philippines

Last Good Friday I brought my colleagues in Kapitangan Paombong Bulacan to witness the annual flagellation and crucifixion of the devotees. As I watched them do all these forms of repentance I can't help myself but feel that everything is just for a show, a photo-op for media.

Is this what repentance or devotion mean?or is this a new form of tourist attraction?

day 235-230: Hala Bira!!

The mother of all Philippine festivals, Kalibo Ati-Atihan is consists of tribal dancing parade and ethnic music that accompanied by indigenous costumes and weapons. Its been observed every third Sunday of January in which people smear thmeselves of charcoal or any black substance to look like Aetas.

The name Ati-Atihan means "to be like Aetas" or "make believe ati's". It started at around 13th century wherein a group of Malay chieftains or "datus" fled from Borneo and accepted by the Ati's the early settlers in Panay Island. Its a celebration to seal a peaceful pact between two different races and cultures. It became a religious feast in 1750 wherein a companion priest of Fray Andres Urdaneta and explorer Miguel Lopez de Legaspi baptized in one day 1,000 inhabitants of the town and surrounding settlements in the place. Since then its been celebrated with masses and novenas to their Patron Saint Sto.Nino.

As time passes by,people add modern touch to the festival such as modern type of Ati-Atihan dance and used of creative masks instead of charcoals. The drum beats are also in tune of some pop music. But the spirit of the festival is still there and it became more lively with these new features. People from other provinces and even in Manila visit this place just to participate in the lively street dancing and witness the creativity of the costumes and props of the locals and the Aetas themselves. Many devotees are also flocking the church to attend the masses and novenas as they believe that they will be bless by the miraculous power of Sto.Nino.

day 245-240: Viva Nuestro Senor Padre Jesus Nazareno!!

Its an annual event in the Philippines wherein people all over the country gather in Quiapo Manila to celebrate the feast of the Black Nazarene. It is a life-sized, dark-colored wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ carrying the cross, believed to be miraculous by many devotees.

It first came in the country about 1600 through the galleon from Acapulco Mexico. Its said to be made by an anonymous Mexican carpenter and its color is attributed to a fire on the ship carrying it, charring the image from its original fair tone into its present dark complexion.

This year more than 2 million devotees attended the procession from Quirino Grandstand up to the Quiapo Church. The whole parade lasted for more than 22 hrs and the causalities reach up to 1,000.Nevertheless the faithful will continue to participate on this event every year.

Day 341: worship

Here I am to worship

Verse 1

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

Chorus

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

Verse 2

King of all days
oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor

(Repeat Chorus)

Bridge

I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost

(Repeat Chorus 2x)

I'll never know how much it cost
to see my sins upon that cross--

day 355: humility

and He said, " I tell you the truth unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3-4

An important lesson that we shouldn't forget

good friday

(c)AC Dimatatac

In the Philippines, Lenten Season is a very sacred holiday wherein Filipinos are doing something to reflect on their sins and re-commit themselves to the Lord Jesus Christ. It's the time of the year where everyone is spending their quiet time either at home or taking retreats in some religious place.Being a Catholic country, Filipinos have a lot of outrageous practices during this season and one of those can be found in a small town known as Kapitangan in Paombong, Bulacan.

Since early 70's people in this area are submitting themselves in flaggelation and crucifixion as a form of penitence every lenten season. Its a common belief that if they willingly hurt themselves by using broken shards of glass to injured their backs then whip it with bamboo sticks or nailing themselves to the cross they are seriously repenting on their sins. Spectators are taking this event as somewhat bizarre and quite absurd even some of them are saying that this is just a gimmick to catch attention or its just all a show, but for those who are doing this it is a sacred act of repentance.

People have different perception on these activities but no matter what it is they should not forget the true meaning of Lenten Season. Whether you crucified yourself or just quietly spend it in your home, this is the moment to remember what Jesus Christ did in the cross and that is to give us the gift of forgiveness and hope.

Feast of the Black Nazarene

(c)AC Dimatatac
(c)AC Dimatatac
(c)AC Dimatatac

About 2 million people attended the procession of the Black Nazarene that started in Quirino Grandstand last June 9, 2010. Its a yearly event wherein people all over the country who are devotees of this dark-colored, wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ gather to fulfill their so-called "panata" or a promise to join a procession in which they will walk bare-footed all around Quaipo. The procession this year started in Quirino Grandstand and it will end at Quaipo church during the evening after it pass by the municipalities of the city.

glory to the highest

How beautiful and great is our God. Glory be to the Highest!!