A Journey Through Holy Week

The past is always associated with the present. Almost all of the beliefs and actions we have practiced and lived with are basically learned from our ancestors. It was measured to be tenacity and a priori wherein Filipinos have followed a pattern of life, a culture, and a tradition.

The Philippines is known to be a Christian country, predominantly Roman Catholic. Practices are expected to be present and perceived especially in various seasons. Filipinos are thought to be adaptive in terms of living life and one proof is the way they celebrate the Holy week or Semana Santa.

Oh Holy Month
Holy Week is commemorated on the month of April. It venerates Christ’s death and resurrection. But, there could be a thin line between how people celebrate the Holy week from the past and present.

Before, children were summoned to stay at home and families prefer to spend the lenten season peacefully in their places than having a trip outside town. Cabs and other vehicles are rarely seen in the roads.

Nowadays, some Filipinos see Holy week as a week-long vacation. Instead of doing penitence and honoring Christ’s suffering from saving us from our sins, some tend to enjoy the week as an escape and relief from their busiest times in life.

But away from these differences, similarities don’t grow apart. In fact, there is much likeness than the divergence. Several modern day Filipinos still value the practices being inherited from the past.

Valuing the Past
During Holy week, different scenes could be witnessed and it starts with Palm Sunday. The congregation bring palm leaves or “palaspas” to church which is blessed by the priest before the mass starts. This commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus to Jerusalem.

Next is Holy Monday, the beginning of the reading, “pabasa” or “pasyon”. This is a chant-like marathon of the poetic prayer-story of Jesus' life, passion, and death that begins from day until night.

Then on Maundy Thursday, people do the "Church Visit" or "Visita Iglesia"; it involves visiting several churches and pray the Stations of the Cross. It was believed that if it was your first time to do the “Church Visit”, your prayers and wishes would be answered.

Meanwhile, Good Friday is commemorated with solemn street processions, the way of the Cross, the commemoration of Jesus' seven last words and a passion-play called the Cenakulo. In some places, devotees would have themselves flagellated as a penance. Some would walk barefooted, whip themselves bloody with ropes and broken pieces of glass attached with strings to bamboo sticks and sometimes even have themselves nailed to crosses.

And lastly the Black Saturday or “Sabado de Gloria”. On this day, silence and solemnity is observed and business transactions are often entertained. Christians believe that the physical body of Jesus Christ is still resting in the Garden of Gethsemane. And when night comes, it paves way for the celebration of Easter.

Faith Not Broken

Easter Sunday is the resurrection of Jesus and the meeting of Jesus and Mary. Easter is also the culmination of the whole commemoration of Holy Week. In modern times, the mood is festive and people are busy preparing an Easter feast. Easter eggs and bunnies are the highlights of the event.

Today, Easter has become a metaphor for relief and celebration. After six days of repentance and penance, people look forward to parties and family gatherings. In some ways it is acceptable since the celebration gives value to life and is centered in the family.

But it is different in the past. In a “prusisyon”, church figures and saints are the main acts of the parade. Men and women are separated and divided into two different streets. Men follow the figure of Jesus while women follow Mary's. As they meet, all will hear the Holy Mass.

Observing Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, it is evident that people have their own ways of repenting, sacrificing, and rejoicing. Either way, Holy week is the time to remind ourselves of Christ's suffering and that He saved us from our sins and welcomed us into life's beauty.

The world has bountiful beliefs and traditions, hence, people should learn and value the past and re-live it properly in the present.