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Holy Week in the Philippines

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Holy Week in the Philippines
A Good Friday procession in Ibaan, Batangas
Also called
  • Semana Santa
  • Mahal na Araw
Observed by Philippines
TypeReligious, historical, cultural
SignificanceCommemoration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus
ObservancesProcessions, religious services
BeginsPalm Sunday
EndsEaster Sunday
FrequencyAnnual

Holy Week (Filipino: Mahal na Araw; Spanish: Semana Santa) in the Philippines is a significant religious observance for the country's Catholic majority, the Philippine Independent Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente), and most Protestant groups. The Philippines is of the few majority Christian countries in Asia. As of 2023, Catholics made up 78.8 percent of the country's population,[1] and the Catholic Church is one of the country's dominant sociopolitical forces.[2]

The solemn celebration of Holy Week begins on Friday of Sorrows (exactly one week before Good Friday), continues through Palm Sunday, and goes until Easter Sunday—thus slightly over a week in duration.[3] Many communities observe Spanish-influenced Catholic rituals, such as processions, that have been syncretized with elements of precolonial beliefs. This is evident in some ritual practices not sanctioned by the universal Church and many superstitions associated with the occasion.

The days of the Easter Triduum (Latin: Three Days)—Maundy Thursday until Black Saturday, also known as Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday elsewhere—are considered statutory holidays. During this period, many businesses are closed or operate on shorter hours. It is similarly customary for domestic radio and television stations to go off the air during this period, with some stations broadcasting appropriately themed programs (such as religious dramas and films, and presentations of ceremonies and Mass).[4]

Holy Week in the Philippines is also highly anticipated as one of the annual long weekends in the country.[5] Non-Catholics and non-practicing Catholics take this opportunity to go on vacations, resulting in a peak season in most Philippine tourist destinations.[6]

Palm Sunday

[edit]
Blessing of palms in Caloocan

On Palm Sunday (Linggo ng Palaspás; Domingo de Ramos), worshipers bear ornately woven palm fronds (palaspás) to church for blessing by the priest before or after the day's Mass.[7] The fronds (considered by the Church as sacramentals) are often brought home and placed on altars, doors, lintels, or windows in the belief that these can ward off demons and avert both fires and lightning.

Some places hold a procession into the church before the service, a common starting point being an ermita/visita (chapel of ease) several blocks away. The presiding priest, vested in a stole and cope of red (the prescribed liturgical color of the day), either walks the route or, in imitation of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, is led on horseback to the church. Sometimes a statue of Christ riding a donkey (known as the Humenta) is used instead.[8] Women customarily cover the processional route with tapis (literally, wraparound), which are large, heirloom cloth skirts or aprons made exclusively for this ritual. This recalls the excitement of the Jerusalemites as they spread their cloaks before Christ on his entry to the city.

Once the procession reaches the church or some other designated spot, children dressed as angels strew flowers and sing the day's processional antiphon of praise, "Hosanna sa Anak ni David" (Hosanna to the Son of David). The antiphon's text, whether the original Latin or Filipino translation, is sung to traditional hymn tunes.

The blessing of palms and the intonation of the antiphon often occur in the church parvise, church parking lot, or town plaza, which usually is in front of or near the church (a common layout in most Philippine settlements).

Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday

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Pabasa ng Pasyon (Reading of the Passion of Christ) in Magdalena, Laguna (2011)

On Holy Monday (Lunes Santo) and Holy Tuesday (Martes Santo), there is a major procession representing the Journey to Calvary. The main figure is the Fallen Christ, accompanied by images of the saints present during Christ's walk to Calvary:

In some parts of the country with abundant wood, skilled craftsmen construct life-size wooden images that can move their arms and heads like puppets.[9]

Holy Tuesday is a regular working day; for some private companies, it is the last full workday of the week.

Holy Wednesday

[edit]
Stations of the Cross outside San Agustin Church in Manila on Holy Wednesday (2013)

Holy Wednesday (Miyérkules Santo) is officially the last working day of the week. Private companies are free to give full or partial holidays to their employees, while government offices implement a half-day suspension starting at noon for their employees. This allows those wishing to celebrate the Triduum to return to their home provinces, and holiday-makers to leave for their destinations. It is one of the country's busiest travel seasons.[10]

In some parishes, Tenebrae (Latin: Darkness or Shadows) service is held on Holy Wednesday, involving the gradual extinguishing of candles on a Tenebrae hearse, readings related to the Passion of Jesus, and the strepitus (loud noise).[11]

In the evening, long processions depicting the Passion of Christ are held in towns throughout the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Ilocandia, as well as in Makati, Metro Manila.

Except in Baliwag and Pulilan, both in Bulacan, the Passion tableaux are excluded from the Good Friday afternoon procession.

Maundy Thursday

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Maundy Thursday (Huwebes Santo) is the first statutory public holiday of the week, marking the beginning of the Paschal Triduum. 'Maundy' is derived from the Latin mandatum, referring to the new mandate Jesus gave his apostles at the Passover meal, held on Thursday that year, when he said: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." (John 13:34)

Prior to the Second Vatican Council, the Procession of the Passion of Christ was held on Maundy Thursday. This celebration was later transferred to Holy Wednesday for Latin Church Catholics, however. The Philippine Independent Church (which separated from Rome in the early 20th century) retained the Maundy Thursday date. Among the most famous processions of the Philippine Independent Church are those of Concepcion in Malabon, Metro Manila and Santa Cruz and Paete in Laguna.[citation needed]

Chrism Mass at the Manila Cathedral in 2023, presided by the Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Jose Advincula

The first rite of the day is the Chrism Mass, in which parishioners join their priest for morning Mass in the cathedral, especially in the large dioceses and archdioceses. The clergy renew their priestly vows on this day. This Mass, which is presided over by the bishop or archbishop, is when the chrism (the oil of catechumens) and the oil for the sick are consecrated after the homily. After the service, priests bring portions of these oils to their respective parishes and store them for future use. Where logistics and other valid reasons hamper gathering the clergy on this day, however, the Chrism Mass is held earlier in the week—for example, on Holy Tuesday in the Archdiocese of Lipa and the dioceses of Dumaguete and Malolos.[12][13]

Washing of the Feet at Santa Monica Parish Church in Minalin, Pampanga

The day's main observance is the last Mass before Easter: the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper. Though not mandatory, the afternoon service customarily includes a re-enactment of the Washing of the Feet of the Twelve Apostles. The service ends abruptly with a somber procession of the Blessed Sacrament, which is brought to the church's Altar of Repose. Churches remain open until midnight for those who want to venerate the Blessed Sacrament, or go to one of several priests on standby to confess their sins.

Pilgrims pray before the Altar of Repose at the Shrine of Jesus the Divine Word in Quezon City as part of the Visita Iglesia

One of the most important Holy Week traditions in the Philippines is the Visita Iglesia (Church Visit; also known as the Seven Churches Visitation), a Holy Week practice of visiting and praying in at least seven churches.[14] Throughout the day, worshipers pray the Stations of the Cross inside or outside the church, while at night, the faithful pay obeisance and perform supplications to the Blessed Sacrament within the altar of repose.[15]

In Antipolo, the Alay Lakad (lit. Walk Offering) penitential walk is held from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday, in which devotees walk for 17 kilometers (11 mi) along Sumulong Highway to the Antipolo Cathedral, with some even walking barefoot.[16] (This is not to be confused with the procession from Quiapo Church of the same name held every April 30 and May 1.[17]) Upon reaching the cathedral, devotees offer a short prayer or make a wish before donating coins or paper bills in front of the altar.[16] In 2024, 7.4 million devotees visited the cathedral during the penitential walk.[18] As of 2025, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antipolo is applying for a Guinness World Record for recognition of its being the "Largest Gathering for a Walking Spiritual Pilgrimage in 12 Hours".[19]

Good Friday

[edit]
One of the 118 carrozas of the grand procession in Baliwag

Good Friday (Biyernes Santo) is the second public holiday of the week, and considered the most solemn day of the year. It is observed with street processions; the Way of the Cross; sermons and prayers with meditation on Jesus' Seven Last Words (Siete Palabras); and the staging of the Passion Play (Senákulo), which in some places already began on Palm Sunday.

The Baliwag Good Friday procession is the longest Lenten procession in the Philippines.[20] Baliwag, Bulacan, currently has 118 statues and scenes portraying the life of Christ.[21] This activity, well-attended by both local and foreign tourists, follows the main liturgical service of the day.

Mass is not celebrated on this day. Instead, people gather in churches in the afternoon for the Veneration of the Cross service and the Mass of the Presanctified, which is a liturgy in which Eucharistic consecration is not done because the sacramental bread was already consecrated (presanctified) on Maundy Thursday. The altar has previously been stripped of linens and decorations. Nationwide, the veneration service begins silently in unlit churches at 15:00, remembering the "ninth hour" that was the point at which Christ died, according to the Gospels.

San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites in San Fernando, Pampanga
Self-flagellants at Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City

In some places—most famously in the province of Pampanga, where the day is known as Maleldo—processions include devotees who flagellate themselves and sometimes even have themselves nailed to crosses, most notably a carpenter who has been crucified 36 times over the years, Ruben Enaje. While the practices are discouraged by the Church and health authorities, they are considered by devotees to be personal expressions of penance, whether in fulfilment of a vow or in thanksgiving for a prayer granted.[22] The San Fernando local government says these reenactments are regarded as a part of the province's and the city's cultural heritage. Reenactments of Christ's crucifixion in the village began in 1958, but the first actual crucifixion took place four years later in 1962.[23]

Other penitents, called magdarame, carry wooden crosses, crawl on the rough and hot pavement, and slash their backs before whipping themselves to draw blood. This is done to ask for forgiveness of sins, to fulfill vows (panata), or to express gratitude for favors granted.[24]

The pabasa, or continuous chanting, of the Pasyón (the Filipino epic narrative of Christ's life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection), usually concludes on this day before 15:00. Television and radio stations airing their special Lenten programming also broadcast their own special Siete Palabras programs[25] from large churches in Manila, usually beginning at noon so as to end before the veneration service.

Santo Entierro

[edit]
Santo Entierro (Holy Burial) at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Valenzuela City

The usual highlight of Good Friday is the Santo Entierro (Holy Burial), which is both the name of the rite itself and of the statue of the dead Christ that is its focus.[26] Comparable to the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic practice of processing the epitaphios—a liturgical cloth depicting the dead body of Christ—the sculpted image of the Santo Entierro is left bare or covered to the neck in a shroud of red, white, black, or gold. The image is laid in an ornate, flower-decked calandra (bier) that is brought around in a solemn funeral procession.[26] The retinue is normally composed of images of saints connected to the Passion narrative, such as Peter, Mary Magdalene, and John the Evangelist. Tradition dictates that regardless of the number of images used in the procession, that of the Virgin Mary, dressed in black vestments as the mourning Mater Dolorosa (Sorrowful Mother), is alone in her sorrow and always the last as a mark of her importance.

In some places, the Santo Entierro traditional pre-Christian Filipino funerary rites are carried out, such as washing the corpse (the water and cloths given away as holy relics), laying the body in state, or seating the body in a funerary chair. For instance, in Pakil, Laguna, the Santo Entierro is smoked over burning lanzones peelings; and during the procession, the shoulder-borne calandra makes several stops, placed each time on rests above the burning peelings. At each station, a band plays a hymn and then a crier turns towards the bier and shouts clearly, melodically, and loudly three times in Spanish, "¡Señor! ¡Misericordia, Señor!" (Lord! Mercy, Lord!), with the congregation repeating each time in a melodically penitential low voice.[27]

In Alimodian, Iloilo, the Santo Entierro is placed not by the altar—as is customary elsewhere—but at the church doors for people to venerate, usually by kissing the icon's feet. There is also a large crucifix before the altar for people to venerate and kiss. Later that night, young girls in costume and bearing lit tapers walk barefoot in a second procession with the Mater Dolorosa in and around the town plaza. The girls meditate and mourn, representing Christ's female disciples accompanying the Virgin Mary.

During Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, a gathering of men in Tanay and Taytay, both in Rizal, assemble around the parish church, engaging in feasting and contemplation throughout the night in anticipation of the Santo Entierro statue for the Subok Festival.[28] Various items such as handkerchiefs, bronze medals, and small papers inscribed with Latin phrases are placed within the robe, beneath the feet and in the hands of the deceased Christ figure. As the Santo Entierro is paraded, these men form a circle by holding hands around the revered statue. Following the procession, these objects are retrieved and regarded as talismans, which the men experiment with by testing their efficacy using various lethal weapons among themselves.[28][clarification needed]

Among the country's famous and elaborate calandras are those of Agoo, Bacolor, Baliwag, Guagua, Molo, Iloilo, Paete, San Pablo, Sasmuan, Silay, and Vigan. Some are centuries old and were commissioned from the famous talleres (studios) of the santeros (saint-maker) Asunción and Máximo Vicente.[29] The image itself, meanwhile, is displayed the rest of the year in the church that owns it, or in the house of the family that cares for it.

[edit]

Several traditional taboos are customarily observed on Good Friday, such as the avoidance of excessive noisemaking. In older times, bathing (except for health reasons) was prohibited[30][31] and children in particular were discouraged from outdoor play, with elders cautioning that since "God is dead," evil spirits are freely roaming the earth to harm humans. The prohibitions usually begin after 15:00.

The ritual mourning and generally somber mood of the day gave rise to the Tagalog idiom "Mukhâ kang Biyernes Santo" ("You have a face like Good Friday"). The phrase refers to a sad person's demeanor resembling that of the suffering Christ.[citation needed]

A superstition also exists that consuming meat products on Good Friday will bring misfortune.[32]

Black Saturday

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Catholic devotees with candles during the Easter Vigil at Santiago Apostol Church, Plaridel, Bulacan

Black Saturday or Holy Saturday (Sábado de Gloria) is the third and final public holiday of the week. The day is legally and colloquially termed in English as Black because of the role of that color in mourning. The term Sábado de Gloria (Saturday of Glory) refers to the return of the "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" (Glory to God in the Highest) during the Easter Vigil held on this day. Otherwise, the hymn is absent throughout Lent except on solemnities and Maundy Thursday.

The ritual mourning for the "dead" Christ continues, albeit with less intensity. Traditional taboos from the previous day, such as merrymaking[33] and consumption of meat, are carried over and sometimes broken at noon. This includes swimming in a river or the sea, as superstition warns against bathing on Good Friday afternoon.

Most commercial establishments operate on shorter hours, with smaller enterprises in many areas remaining closed until Easter Sunday or Easter Monday; but some return to normal in major urban areas. Television and radio stations broadcast on shorter hours with special programming. Many remain off-air, although some return to normal broadcasting.

Easter Sunday

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Salubong rite on Easter Sunday at Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City

Easter (Linggo ng Pagkabuhay or Pasko ng Pagkabuhay) is marked with joyous celebrations, the first being the pre-dawn rite called Salubong in Filipino and Sugat in Cebuano and Hiligaynon (both calques of the rite's Spanish name Encuentro, lit. Meeting).[34] The rite is customarily performed in the early hours of Easter before the first Mass. In some parishes, the rite is held earlier at midnight immediately after the long Easter Vigil proper, retaining the same format.

In Batangas province, the Salubong is locally known as Pagdagit

The ritual is meant to depict the apocryphal reunion of Christ and his Mother, the Virgin Mary, after the Resurrection. Statues of both are borne in two separate processions that converge at a designated area called a Galilea ("Galilee"),[35] an open space with a purpose-built scaffold (permanent or otherwise) near the church. Depending on the size and wealth of the congregation, the processions include statues of any or all the Myrrhbearers, particularly the Three Marys, along with St. Peter and St. John the Evangelist. By custom, the two processions are sex-segregated, with male worshipers following the Risen Christ, 12 men dressed as the apostles, and icons of male saints; while female congregants accompany icons of the Virgin Mary and female saints. Those in the procession hold lit tapers, and often recite the rosary as a brass band plays hymns and joyful music.

The icon of the Virgin Mary, still called the Mater Dolorosa, is clothed or draped in a black veil (Tagalog: lambóng) to show her bereavement.[35] An "angel" (often a small girl in costume) stands at or is suspended in mid-air from the Galilea. From this lofty perch, the angel chants the "Regina Caeli" (Queen of Heaven) in Latin or in the vernacular,[36] sometimes accompanied by schoolchildren representing the angelic choirs. The high point is when the principal angel dramatically removes the veil from the Virgin's icon, signaling the abrupt end to her grieving and the period of mourning.[35] The veil may simply be pulled off the statue, or tied to balloons or doves that are released into the dawn sky. The sorrowing Virgin is ritually transformed into Nuestra Señora de Alegria (Our Lady of Joy); in celebratory veneration, the angels throw flower petals at the icons of the Christ and the Virgin as confetti rains down. The moment is punctuated by church bells pealing, brass bands playing, and fireworks. The reunited congregation then gathers inside the church for the first Mass of Easter.

Notable observances and pilgrimage sites

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Minglanilla, Cebu

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The traditional Sugat—the meeting of the risen Christ with the Blessed Virgin Mary—signals the start of the new liturgical calendar. The Minglanilla Sugat is a yearly spectacle of "little angels" (played by children) descending from the sky held at dawn of Easter Sunday. Sugat, the religious activity mainly based on the biblical narration of Jesus's resurrection, in later years became attached to the cultural Kabanhawan Festival, thus becoming the Sugat-Kabanhawan Festival.[37]

Tondo, Manila

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Caridad or Pakaridad is a way of giving or sharing food (especially ginataan or suman) to the neighbors, local church, chapel for the crowds of people who attend the Good Friday procession.[38] A complimentary drink of water is also given by local residents living along the processional route.

The Black Nazarene, Manila

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The Black Nazarene icon, brought from Mexico during the Galleon Trade era, is enshrined in Quiapo Church. It is considered miraculous by devotees. It is brought out for procession every Good Friday, one of three such occasions when this is done—the other two being New Year's Eve and the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9. The statue is borne on the shoulders of male devotees in a slow, difficult procession around the narrow streets of the district, with a score of men struggling to keep the image moving on as thousands try to push their way to touch the icon as well as the long ropes on which the bier is pulled. The procession lasts the whole morning.[39]

No such processions were held in 2020 and 2021, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. In 2022, the Black Nazarene procession returned with a motorcade,[40] but crowd control problems forced organizers to cancel it.[41] A successful motorcade was conducted in 2023,[42] however, and in 2024 the traditional form of the procession—with the image on its ándas (the shoulder-borne palanquins of religious images)—returned.[43]

Amulet hunting

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It is a folk belief in the Philippines that anting-anting (traditional amulets) are especially potent if collected, made, or imbued with power on Good Friday.[44] In Sipalay, Negros Occidental many albularyo (witch doctors) search for anting-anting in unexplored caves. There is a particular type of anting-anting for every need: passing exams, childbirth, protection from danger, love, good business, and invincibility. Holy Week also attracts folk healers who gather and showcase their amulets' power in plazas.

Antingeros (talisman aficionados) go to Mt. Banahaw, believed to be a sacred mountain, on Good Friday to empower their amulets there themselves. Believers of anting-anting claim that the best time to recharge the spiritual energy of a talisman is Good Friday night.[45] Different groups also identify their own special places for "recharging" their amulets, such as cemeteries, mountain tops, and churches. Recharging is usually done through repeatedly chanting Latin incantations, copies of which may also be purchased, while holding the talisman.

Procession of statues

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On Holy Wednesday, a procession is held in Paete, Laguna with its 53 images of Christ's life and death. The procession goes through the town's narrow streets en route to the church.[46] It stops three times for the Salubong (Meeting), during which Paete's "moving saints" depict each of the three scenes of Jesus' passion: (1) the meeting of Christ and Mary, held on the church patio; (2) the wiping of Jesus' face by Veronica, held at Plaza Edesan; and (3) the encounter between Mary and Veronica at which Veronica shows Mary the miraculous imprints of Christ's face on her cloth, held at the town plaza.

In San Pablo, Laguna the Good Friday procession consists of huge, centuries-old statues bedecked in fresh flowers.[47][48] In olden times, the most famous processions were those of Saint Bartholomew of Malabon, Metro Manila; Pateros, Metro Manila; Binan, Laguna; and Tuguegarao, Cagayan. Unfortunately, the Holy Week images from Cagayan were destroyed by the war, as were the Tres Caidas ("Three Falls," representing Christ's falls as he carried his cross) of Binan.

In the 1970s, the Holy Week Procession of Malabon consisted of 30 silver carrozas, which are floats or carriages. The highlight used to be the Tres Caidas, either from Talleres Maximo or Asuncion, but today this is no longer in the Good Friday procession.

The most famous procession in Manila during the period between World Wars I and II was in Santa Cruz, but almost all the images were destroyed during Manila's aerial bombardment in 1945. Today, Makati has a major Holy Wednesday procession aside from the usual one on Good Friday. Both processions, held in the city proper, have some of the oldest images.

Passion plays

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Senákulo

[edit]
Senákulo in Bulacan

Many towns have their own versions of the Senákulo, the dramatic re-enactment of Christ's Passion and Death, using traditional scripts decades or centuries-old.[49] One version is held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay, Metro Manila, sponsored by the Department of Tourism, in which popular film and television stars often join the cast of the play.[50] In Taguig, Metro Manila, the popularized modern version of Jesus Christ Superstar is shown at the Fort Santiago Amphitheater. In Mexico, Pampanga and Dinalupihan, Bataan, the actor portraying Jesus has actually been nailed to the cross to simulate Christ's crucifixion.

Pagtaltal sa Guimaras

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Ang Pagtaltal is a Lenten presentation staged on the hillside of Jordan, Guimaras, every Good Friday, similar to the Passion Play in Oberammergau in southern Bavaria, Germany.[51] Pagtaltal means "to remove," and occurs in the name of the drama because the presentation ends with the body of Jesus removed from the cross and laid in the arms of the Blessed Virgin Mary—a familiar scene known as the Pietà.[52][53]

Backed by a strong Christian community, Jordan has registered its first festival in Pagtaltal sa Jordan, Guimaras, a Good Friday spectacle. This saga of Christ's sufferings is enacted with intense spirituality, religious realism, theatrical color, and mass appeal that outclass other presentations of similar flavor.[citation needed] The increase in spectators, both local and foreign, who brave the summer heat to witness the Pagtaltal indicates its popularity.[51]

Moriones Festival

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Moriones Walk during the Moriones Festival

The Moriones Festival in the island province of Marinduque commemorates the story of the Roman centurion Longinus (Tagalog: San Longhino) and his legendary conversion at the foot of the cross.[54]

The Moriones Festival is a synthesis of Catholicism and folk mysticism.[55] The townsfolk of Boac, Gasan, and Mogpog dress in masks and helmets (moriones), depicting Roman soldiers. The rest of the locals portray St. Longinus and hide among the houses while the others search for him. Unlike most of the country, Marinduque observes Holy Week in a much more joyous manner.[2]

Salubong dances

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Saboy

[edit]

The Saboy is a traditional dance performed by girls on Easter Sunday in Las Piñas, Metro Manila.[56] The dance is divided into two parts, the "mourning" section and the "joyful" version. The first dancer is the Salubong Angel, who often has large wings and bears a black veil. The second group—comprising most of the dancers— are the Hosanna angels, dressed in white, who usually hold baskets with rose petals. The third group are the Tres Marías (Three Marys): three older girls dressed in pink and bearing baskets. Last are the blue-clad kapitana (captainess) and tinyentera (female lieutenants). The kapitana is distinguished by the large banner she waves, while the tinyentera swing a thurible, a small metal incense burner suspended by chains.

Sayaw ng Pagbatì

[edit]
Sayaw ng Pagbatì in Ibaan, Batangas

The Sayaw ng Pagbatì (Dance at the Greeting or Welcome Dance)—or Bati-bati for short—[57] is an Easter ritual dance that illustrates the devotion of the local faithful. The dance varies from town to town, with the most prominent versions found in Angono, Rizal, and Ibaan, Batangas, as well as in Parañaque, Metro Manila.[58]

In Parañaque, Metro Manila, the Sayaw ng Pagbatì is the official city cultural dance. On Easter Sunday morning right after Mass and the Salubong (Encounter) between the images of the Risen Christ and the Blessed Mother, beribboned girls from the various barangays of Parañaque clad in white gowns file in front of St. Andrew Cathedral in La Huerta village for a street-dance showdown.[59] Accompanied by marching bands or a musical recording, they dance and wave wands in the air for hours until noon.

In Ibaan, Batangas, the version of the dance consists of a lady who acts as the kapitana, similar to the Saboy but accompanied by two male escorts.[58] In nearby Rosario, the Pagbati is traditionally composed of three young ladies dancing to the music of a local brass band.[60] They are dressed in white for the actual Easter Sunday dance early in the morning, though clad more colorfully on the Black Saturday rehearsal dance held in the evening. The dance is accompanied by gracefully waving a flag.

In Angono, Rizal, the traditional Salubong rites consist of a kapitana and tenyenta who perform a religious dance to the tune of Bati. The tenyenta is the first to perform the dance to the tune of a gavotte. Then the kapitana recites the traditional poem offered to the Virgin Mary, called Dicho (short expression of a general truth or wisdom) and consisting of 31 stanzas and 124 verses. Finally, the kapitana performs the dance to a valse (waltz).[citation needed]

In Taytay, Rizal, there is a revived traditional Easter greeting dance consisting of the kapitana and her four councilors or assistants (konsehala). The Taytay Municipal Mayor Allan Martine de Leon brought back this tradition in March 2023. The kapitana at Mga Konsehala represents the five barangays in the municipality: Dolores, San Isidro, Santa Ana, San Juan, and Muzon.[citation needed]

In Cainta, Rizal, the rites consist of a kapitana who performs the dance to the tune of Marcha and Modanza. The four captainesses (kapitana apatan) represent the barangays of Cainta: San Roque, San Andres, San Juan, and Barrio Dayap (consisting of Barangays Santo Domingo, Santa Rosa, and Santo Niño).[citation needed]

See also

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References

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  2. ^ a b Peterson, William (Fall 2007). "Holy Week in the "Heart of the Philippines": Spirituality, Theatre, and Community in Marinduque's Moriones Festival". Asian Theatre Journal. 24 (2): 309–337. doi:10.1353/atj.2007.0039. JSTOR 27568417. S2CID 161092074.
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  4. ^ Santos, Tomas U. (November 17, 2008). "Is Philippine TV still Holy Week-friendly?". Retrieved April 14, 2025.
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  7. ^ Manto-Beltran, Lea (March 28, 2015). "Palm Sunday,the beginning of Christ's victory". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on July 8, 2015.
  8. ^ CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art: Philippine theater. Cultural Center of the Philippines. 1994. p. 46. ISBN 978-971-8546-41-3. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  9. ^ Mendoza, Liwayway (September 1977). "Lenten Rites and Practices [The Philippines]". The Drama Review. 21 (3): 21–32. doi:10.2307/1145149. JSTOR 1145149.
  10. ^ Bajo, Anna Felicia (March 25, 2024). "Palace: Half day work on March 27, 2024 in gov't offices". GMA Integrated News. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
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