A Celebration of Roman Catholic Tradition in the Philippines
Holy Week brings the Philippines to a standstill every year, as Roman Catholic Filipinos (the majority in the country) take advantage of the four-day weekend that begins on Holy Thursday.
Most Filipinos in the cities pack up and leave for the provinces, leaving formerly bustling urban areas desolate for lack of people. But that doesn’t mean there’s nowhere to go and nothing to do.
Paete, Laguna: Holy Week Processions
In the foothills of the Sierra Madre by the coast of Laguna de Bay, you can find the aptly named town of Paete, renowned for woodcarving and named after the paet (chisel).
In Paete, Holy Week celebrations start on Palm Sunday with the commemoration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem with the Payakpak. This is a procession that begins at Ermita Chapel where the priest blesses palm fronds as they head to the beautiful church of Santiago de Apostol while religious women drape their shawls on the path of the priest as they make their way to mass.
In the five days leading to Good Friday, hordes of people pay their respects to a centuries old wooden image of the Santo Sepulkro or the dead body of Christ by kissing his exposed hands and feet. On Holy Wednesday, this image is given a ritual bathing after which a pabasa (a singing of Christ’s life and passion) is held.
On Holy Wednesday, 53 images depicting Christ’s passion are paraded on the streets of Paete in a procession called Salubong after the 6 PM mass. Some of these images are able to move, and do so in three crucial parts of the procession—when Jesus meets Mary, when Veronica wipes the face of Jesus and when Veronica shows Mary the miraculous imprint of Christ’s face on the cloth.
On Good Friday, the Siete Palabras (Seven Last Words of Christ) are recited until 3 P.M. after which the Santo Sepulkro is fetched by male devotees from the recamadero (the keeper of the image) for “burying” in church.
How to get there: By car, the fastest would be through the Manila East Road. From Cainta Junction you will pass by the towns of Antipolo, Teresa and Morong then Tanay. After an hour and half of driving from there, winding mountain roads bring you to lakeshore towns of Mabitac, Panguil, Pakil and then Paete. Expect no traffic after Tanay and kilometers upon kilometers of scenic countryside.
By bus, go to the bus terminals along Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue and look for air-conditioned buses headed to Sta. Cruz, Laguna. From Sta. Cruz, take a regular passenger jeepney to Paete.
San Pedro Cutud, San Fernando, Pampanga: Live Crucifixions
For a colorful display of penitence on Good Friday, head to the town San Pedro Cutud where men have themselves actually nailed to a cross after reenacting the Via Crucis, a Kapampangan rendition of the passion play.
See dozens of hooded flagellants walking around whom either are beating their bloody backs with bamboo floggers, crawling on dirt roads or bearing crosses. Be sure to bring a hat with you because all the action goes beyond noon. Not for those who hate the sight of blood.
Before heading home, you may want to linger in San Fernando until evening for the Good Friday procession at the Assumption Cathedral.
How to get there: By car, take the North Luzon Expressway exiting via San Fernando. This is where it gets tricky, you may have to ask for directions from the locals to get there.
Though there are no bus trips on Good Friday, you may try to leave a day earlier if you want to go there by bus. Take a bus headed for Olongapo at the Victory Liner Terminal at Pasay City or Cubao (Both are on EDSA). Get off the Victory Liner Terminal at San Fernando and from there you may take any jeep, tricycle or taxi going to San Pedro Cutud.
Marinduque Province: Moriones
From Holy Monday to Easter Sunday, don’t be surprised to find costumed men and women in Roman centurion masks parading the streets of Boac, Gasan, Santa Cruz, Buenavista and Mogpog in Marinduque.
These masked and costumed penitents are the Moriones and they’re re-enacting the story of Longinus, a half-blind centurion who converted to Christianity when his eyesight was fully restored after Christ’s blood spurted into his blind eye upon piercing his side. When the other centurions hear of his conversion, he is hunted down and beheaded.
Manila: Visita Iglesia
If you want to stay in the city during Lent, do as the locals do and try one of their favorite Holy Week rituals on a Maundy Thursday—the Visita Iglesia, where they visit seven churches in a single evening.
http://goseasia.about.com/od/eventsfest5/a/phil_holy_week.htm
Philippines has many top rated event venues for wedding ceremony and wedding reception, especially up in the north in Subic and Pampanga.
Clark Freeport located in Pampanga Philippines is just 70 minutes from Manila. Many wedding couples travel out of town for a getaway to hold wedding receptions and beach wedding ceremony in the beautiful and highly recommended hotels and resorts in Clark.
Clark’s neighbor Angeles City provides nightlife and bars for entertainment. However, most guests prefer to stay inside Clark Freeport for safety and security reasons. Wedding venues for outdoor reception are very popular in Clark. Brides and grooms travel out of town north of Manila to get married in Clark.
For any assistance in planning and organizing a wedding ceremony, indoor or outdoor garden reception or to find other wedding service providers, contact us ( link to contact page)
www.philippinesweddingvenue.com
Philippines Wedding Venues Service Center
Creekside Road corner of Centennial Road,
Central Business District, Clark Freeport Zone,
Pampanga, Philippines 2023
Tel: (045)599-5949 0917-520-4403 0922-870-5177
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 Rea or Chay
Email: Wedding@Yats-International.com
For any assistance in planning and organizing a wedding ceremony, indoor or outdoor garden reception or to find other wedding service providers, Click here to contact us click here
For assistance in hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines, log on to
http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com
To inquire with the highly recommended beach resort hotel in Clark Pampanga visit http://www.ClearwaterPhililippines.com
For more information about Clark, Pampanga, Philippines log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com
Yats Restaurant is the best restaurant for special dinner, best restaurant for dinner with friends near Manila, also the best place to celebrate special events.
A Well-known Restaurant in Pampnga, an interesting place to celebrate Birthday Party in Pampnga.
A best place to dine with friends in Pampanga
Are you looking for an attractive restaurant or a nice place to eat with friends in Clark, Angeles City Pampanga? Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar is a restaurant with good food and good wines for dinner located at Clark Angeles City Pampanga. Perfect for exclusive dinner venues for groups, recommended for private dinner in Philippines. A Restaurant in Clark for business dinner meeting. Private dinner place or dinner restaurant in Clark Subic Near Manila Angeles City Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the Good Restaurant in Pampanga Angeles City Clark near Manila. Yats Restaurant is one of the good restaurants in Pampanga, a restaurant with good food, a place that is nice for celebration, ideal for business dinner meeting, a good place to enjoy family reunion, and an attractive restaurant that serves good wines for dinner.
www.YatsRestaurant.com
Where to go in Clark? Hotel Clark Philippines is a De Luxe Hotel in Clark and Subic, a risk free place to stay, cozy and nice ambience, a nice function place for special occassion
Looking for interesting hotels near Manila Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga?
Trouble free hotels and well recognized hotels in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga
Clearwater Resort and Country Club offers a good place to stay in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga. In offers nice place to have rest in Subic Pampanga outside Manila.
One of the Philippines top hotels in north Luzon. It is one of North Luzon Philippines’ top hotels that is trouble free, risk free, and a nice place to have rest in Subic. A well-recognized and interesting hotel.
www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com