SEMANA SANTA IN IBAJAY 2004

Prepared by

Gracia Celeste Yabut Miroy
Poblacion, Ibajay, Aklan

Lenten Season is a great opportunity for every Christian to renew and strengthen his faith in God. It is the time that we commemorate and meditate on the public life, passion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is also the time to ponder on our lives vis-à-vis our relationship with God.

In Ibajay, the Holy Week is called ‘Semana Santa’. This religious commemoration stir up emotions of Ibayhanon from all walks of life. The celebration of ‘Semana Santa’ has not only become a tradition but is also the most blessed week where Ibayhanon venerate Christ more than ever. Everyday, from April 4 to April 11, there were different ceremonies that were celebrated. It started with the ‘Domingo it Lukay’ or the Palm Sunday, the ‘Lunes Santo’ or the Holy Monday, the ‘Martes Santo’ or the Holy Tuesday, the ‘Miercoles Santo’ or the Holy Wednesday, the ‘Jueves Santo’ or the Maundy Thursday, the ‘Viernes Santo’ or the Good Friday, the ‘Sabado de Gloria’ or the Black Saturday, and the ‘Domingo it Pagkabanhaw’ or the Easter Sunday.

Lenten Season, in other parts of the world is being celebrated differently and uniquely. As an Ibayhanon myself, I would like to share with you how majority of us commemorate the Lenten Season.

Palm Sunday or ‘Bendita sa Lukay’ in our local dialect, heralds the beginning of the Holy Week. Ibayhanon observed ‘Domingo it Lukay’ with a community mass in the Parish of St. Peter the Apostle with Rev. Fr. Zaldy B. Zarandin, the Parochial Vicar, as the main celebrant. After the mass, the priests and the lay ministers at the Gavino Solidum Park bless coconut fronds with Holy Water. It is then followed by a procession passing the ‘hosanahan’ going to the church. The ‘hosanahan’ is made up of four bamboo stages, on which stood young girls dressed as angels singing sweet hosannas while showering flowers. The Parish Priest plays the role of Jesus Christ, who stops at every stage approvingly, seemingly acknowledging the sweet melody. When the procession reaches the church, the priest knocks at the front door of the church and the door is then opened. This practice signifies Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry to Jerusalem.

In our town, the young, unopened leaves of the coconut trees are used as ‘lukay’. The ‘lukay’, which are the youngest coco fronds, are braided the night before Palm Sunday because the yellow-green leaves dry easily when pried open. The ‘lukay’ are creatively made into various designs and figures, from simple zigzag and twirling designs, balls, to artistic stars, birds and much more intricate designs. After the blessing, the ‘lukay’ are brought home and hanged below windows; affixed on doors of houses or are placed in the altar, till they turn brown and aged. Blessed palms are believed to protect the house from evils, like from being blown away during typhoons, earthquakes and lightning strikes, as what old folks have been telling the young ones. After the blessing, ‘Misa Cantada’ or the High Mass followed, with Msgr. Nestor G. Nalangan, the Parish Priest as the main celebrant. The Gospel according to St. Luke 23:1-49, is designated by the Church to be read on Palm Sunday Mass. This is to remind us all, of the passion and death of Jesus Christ.

‘Lunes Santo,’ is the day of lamentation and the time when we reflect on the beginning of Christ’s sorrow. Fasting as the complete abstention from eating all or certain foods and also from drinking for a longer than usual period, is locally known as ‘Puasa’. People abstain from eating meat as penance or ‘pagpa-umod sa pagkaon it carne bilang pagpenetensya’ during the Lenten season especially on ‘Viernes Santo’. The priests emphasized that the abstinence from vices and doing bad to fellowmen are the most commendable of all. Around 6:00 in the evening of ‘Miercoles Santo’ is the procession of 13 ‘pasos’. The ‘pasos’ are images of various biblical characters that witnessed the passion of Christ and others are actually scenes depicting the story of Calvary. The ‘pasos’ are: San Pedro, Pangalaba, Korte de Pilato, Pagbunae (Scourging at the Pillar), Hesus Nazareno (Jesus Christ carrying the Cross), Simon Sereneo, Santa Veronica, Santa Martha, Santa Cleofe, Santa Salome, Santa Magdalena, San Juan, and Birhen Dolorosa. Joining the evening processionwere the 12 apostles represented by selected men from different barangays and they were: Frank Manikan, Roque M. Salido, Margarito Inguillo, Jose S. Olid, Dorotheo Baldevieso, Oscar S. Tabat, Nelson Salazar, Victor Suñer, Charles Sijera, Cyrus S. Agustin, Nestor Sabandal, and David Ong. People held lighted-candles on there hands, prayed the rosary, and sang hymn. Lit candles could also be seen on houses’ front door, windows, garden or veranda, on almost every house where the procession passes by.

It is believed that on ‘Jueves Santo’, Christ celebrated His first mass. It is at this time when the 12 apostles were served lunch at the house of Salido family. Around 4:00 pm, ‘Misa Cantada’ was celebrated to signify the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the 12 Apostles or the Passover and His last loving words. The washing of the 12 apostles’ feet by Jesus Christ was re-enacted to show that if He, the Lord, have washed the apostles feet, they likewise were expected to do the same. During the mass, the ‘Santisimo Sakramento’ or the Blessed Sacrament is transferred from the Adoration Chapel to a special altar inside the church. From 6:00 to 10:00 in the evening, devotees visited the ‘Santisimo Sakramento’ and spent the Holy Hour with their family members or in groups. The parish priest and the 12 apostles were served supper in the residence of Mrs. Francia Bordo, in remembrance of the last Supper of Jesus Christ with His 12 apostles.

The ‘Viernes Santo’ is designated as the day of Christ’s crucifixion. There was the ‘Via Cruces’, the New Way of the Cross, which started as early as 6:00 in the morning. In the afternoon, listeners at home tuned to their radios while others were inside the church to listen to the ‘Siete Palabras’ or the Seven Last Words of Christ. At around 3:00 in the afternoon, the ‘Santo Entiero’ lying down on a wooden cart, was transferred from the residence of Irisari-Villasis family to the church. ‘Santo Entiero’ represents the image of Christ who died in the cross. Another lengthy procession was due to start after worshippers kissed the ‘Santa Krus’ or the Holy Cross, is the image of a crucified Christ. The number of pasos participating in the procession increases on Holy Friday. Pasos we saw were the following: San Pedro, Pangalaba, Korte de Pilato, Pagbunae (Scourging at the Pillar), Hesus de Pacensia, Hesus Nazareno (Jesus Christ carrying the Cross), Simon Sereneo, Santa Veronica, Pag-eansang (Jesus Nailed at the Cross), Angustia, Santa Martha, Santa Cleofe, Santa Salome, Santa Magdalena, San Juan, Birhen Dolorosa, and Santo Entiero. When it was over, the priest blessed the pasos with holy water. Chaos followed after because the crowd pushed one another to grab flowers and decorations from carts carrying the images especially the ‘Santo Entiero’. These blessed decorations are believed to bring good luck and help in one’s livelihood, especially in ‘panagat’ (fishing) and ‘panguma’ (farming) and also to ‘manug bueang’ (cockfight) and ‘sugaroe’.

The ‘Sabado de Gloria’ was celebrated as the ‘Bihilya it Paskwa’, this is the last day of Lent and the day before Easter Sunday. At 8:00 in the evening, there was another short procession, the ‘Prosesyon it Soledad’. It is likened to the biblical story when they were looking for the buried body of Christ. Only the pasos of Santa Veronica, Santa Martha, Santa Cleofe, Santa Salome, Santa Magdalena, San Juan, and Birhen Dolorosa were participating at this time. At the evening mass, candles, pictures and images of Christ and the Saints, rosaries, and even water, oil, ‘binhi’ to name a few were brought into the church to be blessed with holy water. Believers by faith believed being blessed with holy water will ward off evil spirit; protects one from unforeseeable danger; brings spiritual and physical healing; gives hope to farmers for an abundant harvest.

Of all the miracles recorded in the Holy Bible, Jesus Christ’s’ resurrection is the most significant of them all. This is celebrated on ‘Domingo it Pagkabanhaw.’ At 6:00 in the morning, a “Misa Cantada’ was offered. At around 7:30, there was a re-enactment of ‘Pagkita ni Santa Maria ag Ginoong Hesukristo’. After the so-called appearance of the resurrected Christ to His biological mother, a Solemn Mass of Resurrection was offered. The importance of Christ’s resurrection for man’s salvation was made apparent in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy or Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, considered being the highest form of worship in the Roman Catholic Church. After every Eucharistic prayer in the second part of the liturgy, the priest-celebrant and the assembly of the people of God, they make affirmation in unison by reciting: “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again”. After the mass, children were invigorated because a game was about to begin. Painted Easter eggs were scattered on the ground around the church. Children were asked to look for those painted eggs. Whoever finds will receive special prizes depending on the number of eggs to be redeemed.

Although Christians celebrate Easter week around the globe, the solemnity of the occasion is never felt until we observe it in a place where we have a meaningful attachment. Personally for me there is always an invitation of observing it in the town, so close to my heart and that is no other than Ibajay.

A week celebration of Jesus entry to Jerusalem; His gospel of Salvation; His ordeal at the hands of the Romans and the unbelieving Jews; His communion with the apostles of which one betrayed Him; the physical agony He experienced; a kind of death He suffered as a one time payment for the sins of those who were destined to be saved by the Father; the victory over death He proclaimed at His resurrection is an annual event observed by Christians all over the world. It is a reminder for the believers today to remain faithful till He comes back on His glorious return.

Easter Sunday