These are the articles that I wrote for the coffee table book: The Procession of Faith: The Passion of Christ in the “Pasos” in the Parish of Saint Gregory the Great Cathedral Old Albay District Legazpi City. It has a spiritual and evangelistic theme which includes these elements:
A. Introduction
B. Opening Prayer
C. Opening Song
D. Scripture Reading
E. Reflection
F. Family Intercessions
G. Closing Prayer
H. Story of the Paso
Read On...
Read On...
THE PROCESSION OF FAITH: AN PAGTABANG NI SIMON CIRENEO KI JESUS SA PAGPASAN KAN KRUS, THE PASSION OF CHRIST IN THE “PASOS” IN THE PARISH OF SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT CATHEDRAL OLD ALBAY DISTRICT LEGAZPI CITY
INTRODUCTION
THE HOLY WEEK
PROCESSION IN THE
PARISH OF SAINT
GREGORY THE GREAT
Distinctive
of Catholicism in the Philippines is devotion to the images, colloquially known as “paso” of the passion and death of Jesus Christ. The
devotion is best seen in the Holy Week celebration of Filipino families in
their home provinces where they pray and reflect
the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ in union with the Catholic
Church throughout the world.
For many years, the procession of pasos on Good Friday at 6:00pm in the Parish of Saint Gregory the
Great Cathedral has been the center of affection of the Albayanos. The pasos are evident influences of the
Spanish era. Pasos is a Spanish word
which means processional platforms or stage decorated with fresh flowers and
lavish ornaments. Each paso is taken
care of by a family for several generations.
According to Reverend Jeronimo R. Sevilla, Holy Week procession is a
tradition in Seville, Spain. He further says, “When the Spaniards came to the Philippines, they noticed that
Filipinos worship anitos. This observation prompted the Spaniards to introduce
religious images to the Filipinos as a way to convert them into Christianity”.
The second is the procession of the paso, Kamunduan sa Pamitisan kan Krus entitled in English as
Solitude at the Foot of the Cross, also
known as Soledad at nine o’clock p.m
. The image is owned by Arguelles/Serrano family of Barangay 7 Old Albay
Legazpi City. “An Soledad ay ang pagsosog
ni Maria sa dalan ni Jesus”, says Reverend Sevilla.
The third is the Easter Sunday Procession of the images of Santa Maria, Agum ni Alfeo, Santa Salome,
Maria Magdalena, San Juan Apostol asin Evangelista, Santa Maria and Resureccion at four o’clock a.m for the
Easter Dawn Mass or “Salubong”. The paso, Jesus Nazareno is presented on the
first Friday of Lent or “Cuaresma” in the Saint Gregory the Great Cathedral and
leads the Station of the Cross every Friday. As written in the Semana Santa
2014 Program brochure of Saint Gregory the Great Parish, An Cuaresma iyo an 40 aldaw na pag andam asin paghorop-horop para sa
Misterio Pascual kan satong Kagurangnang: An Pagkasakit, Pagkagadan asin
Pagkabuhay Liwat ni Kristo.
“The procession in Old
Albay district started probably in the same year the Parish of Saint Gregory
the Great was established”, says Father Deogenes
Barja, the Parish Priest of Saint Gregory the Great. “There are
no records available that chronicles the exact year of the Holy Week
procession””, he added during the interview. “The procession back then was held every Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Good
Friday and Easter Dawn but now we only hold it on Good Friday and Easter Dawn.”
In an electronic mail interview with Diyosis kan Legazpi via their Facebook Page, states that “As to when Holy Week Processions started in
the Parish, it has been a long standing practice in Catholic parishes to hold
such processions – perhaps starting with simple carroza to the elaborate huge
ones we have today”.
What began years ago
with a few images, has blossomed into a host of faithful devotees of images owned
by families from different Barangays of Old Albay, Legazpi City passed from
generation to generation, today numbering to forty eight (48) pasos. The procession has become the
main religious practice every holy week that brings in local tourists and
parishioners.
The age-old “carroza” or
carriage is adorned with floral decorations. The “paso” starts to arrive and gather around the church at five
o’clock pm. The sound of “matraka” and
scent of “kamangyan” or incense
signals the start of the procession at six o’clock p.m. enroute J.B. Alegre
Street to Rizal Street. Father Deogenes
Barja explained that the “matraka” is
used in lieu of the bell because complete silence is observed by the community
after the Paschal Triduum on Holy
Thursday. The Pascal Triduum is the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Washing of the
Apostles’ Feet, Renewal of Ministries and Procession of the Blessed
Sacrament. “After the Pascal Triduum, the bell do no toll. It ends in silence and
noise must be minimized even outside the church for us to take time to reflect
on the passion and death of Christ”, says Father Barja. He further adds, “During the early years when it was time for
the procession, an acolyte or seminarian would walk to different barangays with the “matraka” to inform the parishioners
that the procession is about to start”.
The first
in the Good Friday procession are the acolytes
with hands clasped together in supplication, seminarians, priests and church
officials. A group of men dressed as the twelve apostles and children as angels
comes next before the first paso arrives. The paso is brought through the streets of various barangays in Old
Albay, with devotees reciting the Holy Rosary and carrying lighted candles
behind the carroza.
As
it passes along barangays, it halts for a biblical reading about the paso at a Kinurobong. A kinurubong, which
signifies one station of the cross, is a creative representation of Mount
Calvary made of various materials like abaca and paper mosaic. Mrs. Rhodora S. Acuña, a parishioner of Saint
Gregory the Great Parish still remembers the big kinurubong located in different places she saw when she was a
child. She said, “. The last kinurubong is in the church where the paso lines up until the last paso arrives.
Father Barja pointed
out that a biblical reading is read by Lectors and Commentators or LECOM every
time a paso passes by a kinurubong is for the evangelization of the people. It aims for an evangelized
and evangelizing community. This is explained by
Lectors and Commentators or LECOM at the
start of the procession:
Dios marhay na hapon/banggi sa saindo
gabos mga tugang.
An prosisyon kan banwaan nin
Diyos, kaiba an manlaen-laen na
pasos na nagladawan kan Mahal na Pasyon
ni Jesukristo, sarong magayon
asin makahulugan na kaugalian niato sa
lambang pag-abot kan Biernes Santo.
Ini ginigiboniato bako sanang tangani
kita magpitinensya asin makapaghorop-horop bilang mga parabaklay sana sa daga
siring man tangani na matawan
Kita nin ladawan, orog na an mga
kaakian, na makatabanag sa papasabot kan mga mensajee na boot ipaabot sa paagi
kan lambang paso.
Bilang
kasimbagan kan pangapudan kan renewed integral evangelization
An lambang paso na mahihiling nindo
ngonian ipapasabot an kahulugan ta sa siring na paagi, matabangan kita sa
paghorop-horop kan pasyon nin satong Kagurangnan Jesukristo asin masabotan an
agi-agi kan satong kaligtasan.
In
February 2014, Reverend Jeronimo Ma. Rosario R. Sevilla, whose family also owns
a paso, wrote a thesis about the pasos in Albay for his Master of Arts in
Theology Major in Dogmatic Theology entitled “A Proposed Evangelization Program
for Paso Owners of Saint Gregory the Great Catehdral Parish.” Accoding to
Reverend Sevilla, he chose it as a subject because
_____________________________________-
The life size pasos of the Apostles of Christ followed by the pasos of images that depict the
liturgical story of the passion of Christ line up in this order with their
official names:
1.San Pedro, Apostol
2. San Bartoome, Apostol
3. Santo Tomas
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12. Huring
Pamanggi
13.
14.
15.
The
solemnity of the procession every Holy Week in the Parish of Saint Gregory the
Great Cathedral has a significant place in the Catholic faith of the Albayanos.
“It is a reminder kan agi-agi ni Jesus
pasiring sa Calvary. We are called to join Him in our everyday life to Calvary.
Holy Week does not end in Good Friday. We look forward to Easter Sunday.
Makapadagos kita gabos sa paglakaw sa Easter Sunday”, says Father Barja.
Indeed, Holy Week renews
our faith in the Lord. Every Lenten experience give us a reason to keep on
believing as Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is
the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
OPENING PRAYER
In the name of the Father…
Heavenly Father,
whose most dear Son, as He walked the way of the cross, accepted the service of
Simon of Cyrene to carry his physical burden for him: grant us each the grace
gladly to bear one another’s burdens, for the love of him who said, “ As you
did it to the least of these my brethren, you did it to me”, your Son Jesus
Christ our Lord who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and forever. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READING
SIMON OF CYRENE HELPS JESUS
CARRY THE CROSS
(Mt. 27:31-32; Mk.
15:20-21; Lk. 23:26-32; Jn. 19:17)
On their way out they
met a Cyrenian named Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming
in from the fields. They put a cross beam on Simon’s shoulder for him to carry
along behind Jesus.
“Kan si
Jesus saindang ilinuwas, dinakop ninda si Simon Cireneo na nagpupuli hale sa
oma asin ipinapasan ninda saiya an krus sa hudyan ni Jesus” (Lukas 23:26)
REFLECTION
An Pagtabang ni Simon Cireneo ki Jesus sa Pagpasan kan
Krus
is the twenty-eight (28th) paso
presented during the Good Friday Procession at the Parish of Saint Gregory the
Great Parish in Old Albay, Legazpi City. The scene is the fifth station of the
traditional via crucis and the
seventh station of the new station of the cross. As it passes by a Station of the
Cross or “kinurubong”, a commentator
from LECOM reads a brief narrative in the local dialect:
Narealizar kan mga soldados na dai
kakayanon na pasanon ni Jesus
Sa saiyan pwersa sana an krus hanggang
sa Golgota, kaya kan saindang
Mahiling si Simon Cirineo, ama ni
Alejandro asin Rufo, na hale sa oma,pinirit
Ninda ining magtabang sa pagpasan kan
krus.
Simon of Cyrene is
not a Saint. He is a Pagan but is very probable that he had himself become a
Christian, though this must remain a conjecture. He was compelled to assist
Jesus in carrying His cross, and Jesus accepted his assistance. In an interview
with Father Canar, he shared that Simon of Cyrene is popularly known for
heeding prayerful intercessions for the handicapped.
FAMILY
INTERCESSIONS
Almighty
God and Father, we remember our relatives, friends, and all those who have
helped us. Draw them closer to you. Lord, hear our prayer.
That
we will willingly bear our own cross and accepts the assistance of Christ in
our life, we pray.
That
we may be humble, loving and obedient to God’s will as we carry our daily
cross, dying too, to ourselves in order to avoid sins in our quest for peace,
happiness and a joyful life here and now and for health and salvation, we pray.
CLOSING PRAYER
O Jesus! Whosoever
does not take up his cross and follow Thee is not worthy of Thee. Behold I will
accompany Thee on the way of the cross; I will carry my cross cheerfully; I
will walk in Thy bloodstained footsteps, and follow Thee, that I may be with
Thee in life eternal.
STORY OF THE PASO
A PARENT’S DREAM COME
TRUE
An Pagtabang ni Simon Cireneo ki Jesus
sa Pagpasan kan Krus is under the care of the Barba Family of
Barangay 8 Washington Drive, Legazpi City. The Barba Family is composed of two
brothers, Rolando, eldest and Jose, youngest and sister, Ma. Rosario. The children
of _______, Jocelyn, nine (9) years old and James,
ten (10) years old also help in the preparation of the carroza.
According
to Ma. Rosario, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Felix and Arlene Barba always wanted to
become a camarero of a carroza that will be part of the Good
Friday Procession at the Parish of Saint Gregory the Great in Old Albay,
Legazpi City which starts at 6:00 p.m. In 2008, the Barba siblings decided to become a camarero. They asked permission from the Parochial Vicar, Monsigñor
Ramon Tronqued and Father Niño Tuyo. Their request to be a camarero of the image of An
Pagtabang ni Simon Cireneo ki Jesus sa Pagpasan kan Krus. ki Jesus sa kan Krus was
approved in the same year.
Coincidentally,
Jose Rodel was transferred from Pag-IBIG Legazpi to its office in Laguna
because of rationalization plan in the same year. He then met the sculptor,
Mrs. Mila Pascual in Paete Laguna. She is known for creating religious images
to clients whom she only feels worth sculpting for. She began the carving from Batikulin wood in July 2008 and finished
it in September 2008. A distinct feature of the image of Simon of Cyrene and
Jesus Christ are the eyes which are made of special kind of broken glass called
“bubog”. Jesus directs his eyes
toward the devotees inviting them to walk beside Him as He helps them in
carrying their crosses in life.
The preparation of
the carroza starts with planning. A
year before the Holy Week celebration starts, the Barba family, headed by Jose
Rodel, begins to ponder on theme, style and inspiration. The siblings share
ideas within a year and as the Holy Week celebration comes close, they
brainstorm and come up with a final preparation plan.
The set up starts on
Palm Sunday. The Barba family prepares a temporary shelter for the carroza in their front yard. The shed is
made of bamboo and trapal. On Holy Wednesday, the Barba family washes the image of Simon of Cyrene and Jesus Christ with a perfume and clean
cloth. Afterwards, they dress them up with clothes. Most of the clothes are
personally designed and sewn by a devotee, Ms, Myra Ballabare of Daraga, Albay
for the past six years. With the lights and design properly working, the
Barba’s residence is transformed into a solemn observance of the passion and
death of Jesus Christ.
The Barba family holds
a pabasa for two years and mass
offerings at the Saint Gregory the Great Parish Church. But, this year, 2014, a Holy Mass was held
for the first time at the Barba’s residence on Holy Thursday, 7:00 p.m with
Father Nick Bilono as the officiating priest.
The “patanaw” is another custom and
tradition observed by the Barba Family every Holy Thursday. The image of An Pagtabang ni Simon Cireneo ki Jesus sa
Pagpasan kan Krus is displayed until evening to let the people, who have
been visiting on foot the residences of camarero
of different paso, get a glimpse
of the images and pray.
Mr.
and Mrs. Felix and Arlene Barba passed away before they saw their dream
fulfilled. Nonetheless, faith has inspired the Barba siblings to live their
late parent’s wish in their own way for six years now and will still continue
no matter what happens.
References:
Holy Bible
Family Prayer Book
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