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The Lenten Season begins on Ash Wednesday, 40 days before
Holy Friday, but the commemoration doesn’t start to go fervent until Palm
Sunday, which celebrates Jesus’ triumphant arrival in Jerusalem. The Capiznons would
celebrate this event by the distribution of coconut (as substitute to palm)leaves
which are usually tied in crosses , raised and blessed by the priest. Local folklore
dictates to keep these leaves because they can be used during the buok, a ceremony performed when an albularyo finds a person to be suffering
from ailments caused by evil spells. The buok
involves exposing the person to the smoke of charcoal-burned blessed palms and
other ingredients prescribed by the albularyo.
By Holy Monday, the locals would start visiting the churches for the Via Cruces (Way of the Cross), a Catholic tradition of spiritual pilgrimage, where the faithful would move from one station to another after praying and meditating.
Maundy Thursday and Holy Friday are declared official nonworking holidays, but by Holy Wednesday, most offices are observing the so-called “silent” half-day, where official transactions are “quietly” suspended by 12 noon to resume on Easter Monday.
By this time, the karos
are being prepared, refurbished and bedecked with flowers. The karos, or cart in English, are small vehicles that
carry statues of saintly images while being pushed by locals as they make their
way around the city center.
The streets are near empty starting Maundy Thursday. Commercial
and financial establishments are closed and one could only imagine how deserted
the city looks like at this time of the year. But head to the Cathedral and
there you’ll see everyone, seated on the pew or patiently standing, joining the
priests on their renewal of vows and hearing a lengthy mass from the
archbishop.
In the afternoon, another mass is held, this time for the
commemoration of the last supper. Devout locals also attend this event, as they
witness the reenactment of Jesus’ washing of the feet of His apostles.
By Holy Friday, more churchgoers head to the church. Early morning,
those who participate in the Via Crucis can be seen moving around the Stations
of the Cross. By 12 noon, the Siete
Palabras, or Seven Last Words begin. This usually lasts until 3 pm, to be
followed by the mass of the presanctified. After this, the procession begins. A
swarm of people would line right after the karo
of their choice, passing through the main thoroughfares, while candles and
saying the rosary. However, those of the younger generations aren’t really that
fervent. With teenage love at its peak, some would join the procession simply
to get the chance to go on date with their crush.
The procession would usually last for two hours after which
the faithful would proceed to the church to say their prayer and venerate the
Holy Eucharist.
No mass or church activity is held during Black Saturday. As
usual, the streets are half-empty and very few tricycle drivers would dare ply
the streets. Everyone is at home, either bonding and spending time with their respective
families, resting, or spending the day in prayer, silence and penance.
Easter is welcomed in the wee hours of the dawn, around 3
am, when a procession commemorating the resurrection of Christ is held. The
mass is livelier and the tunes more joyful as everyone celebrates in the
resurrection of our Savior. This is usually a family day, where everyone would
go to church, then head to the beach and spend the rest of the day relaxing and
bonding with one another. Businesses also start to the resume operations,
although offices and banks would delay their opening until Monday.
But take note of the party-people who usually spend the day
drinking and merrymaking until they drop drunk by the afternoon. It a usual
habit—after two or three days of repentance and abstinence resume the old habit
that too many of our brothers and sister find difficult to break.
