Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May) is a Catholic festival held only in the Philippines in May. It is held in honor of the Virgin Mary. Almost all towns of the Philippines celebrate their fiesta in honor of their particular patron saint (even though it is not the liturgical feast of the saint.) This is also called the Sagala, a religious-historical beauty pageant-parade held in many cities, towns and even in small communities. Local beauties and even many movie and television personalities participate in this event. This festival was introduced by the Spaniards in the Philippines and has since become part of Filipino traditions identified with youth, love and romance. This parade remains a religious event.
The procession commemorates the search of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena (Reyna Elena) and her son, the newly converted emperor Constantine the Great. After the Holy Cross was found in Jerusalem and brought back to Rome, there was a joyful celebration for thanksgiving.
This colorful pageant parade is arranged in this order:
1. Methuselah- he is bearded, bent with age, riding a cart looking preoccupied with toasting some grains of sand in a pan over a fire. This is a reminder that all that glitters will end up as dust like that which he is toasting.
2. Reyna Banderada - a young lady dressed in a long red gown carrying a yellow triangular flag. She represents the arrival of Christianity.
3. Aetas - represents the animist Filipinos prior to the islands' conversion to Christianity by the Spanish.
4. Reyna Mora (Queen Moor) - represents the Filipinos who converted to Islam, which arrived in the Philippines two centuries before Christianity.
5. Reyna Fe (Queen Faith) - symbolizes the virtue of faith,the first of the theological virtues. She carries a cross.
6. Reyna Esperanza (Queen Hope) - symbolizes the virtue of hope, the second theological virtue. She carries an anchor.
7. Reyna Caridad (Queen Charity)- symbolizes the virtue of charity, the third theological virtue. She carries a red-coloured heart.
8. Reyna Abogada (Queen Lawyer) - the defender of the poor and the oppressed, she wears a black graduation cap and gown (toga) and carries a large book.
9. Reyna Sentenciada (Queen Convicted) - has her slim hands bound by a rope, she stands for the innocents who have been unjustly convicted. She is accompanied by two Roman soldiers.
10. Reyna Justicia (Queen Justice) - a personification of the "Mirror of Justice", she carries a weighing scale and a sword.
11. Reyna Judith (Queen Judith) - represents the biblical widow Judith of Bethulia who saved her city from the Assyrians by slaying the cruel Holofernes. She carries the head of her victim in one hand and a sword in the other.
12. Reyna Sheba (Queen Sheba) - represents the Queen of Sheba, who visited King Solomon and was overwhelmed by his wisdom, power and riches. She carries a jewelry box.
13. Reyna Esther - the Jewish queen of Persia who spared her people from death at the hands of Haman through her timely intervention with King Xerxes. She carries a scepter.
14. Samaritana (The Female Samaritan) - the woman whom Christ spoke to at the well. She carries a jug on her shoulder.
15. Veronica - the woman who wiped the face of Jesus; bears a veil imprinted with the three faces of Jesus.
16. Tres Marias(The Three Marys)- each Mary holds an attribute associated with her:
a. Mary of Magdala - a bottle of perfume;
b. The Virgin Mary - a handkerchief;
c. Mary, the mother of James - a bottle of oil.
17. Marian - each figure alludes to a title of the Virgin Mary or is associated with her.
a. A-V-E--M-A-R-I-A - eight "angels"- girls all wearing long white dresses and wings- each holding a letter to complete the word "AVE MARIA."
b. Divina Pastora (Divine Shepherdess) - a shepherdess' staff.
c. Reyna de las Estrellas (Queen of the Stars) - a wand with a star.
d. Rosa Mystica(Mystical Rose)- a bouquet of roses.
e. Reyna Paz (Queen of Peace) - the symbol of peace.
f. Reyna de las Propetas (Queen of the Prophets)- an hourglass.
g. Reyna del Cielo (Queen of Heaven)- a flower; has two little "angels" accompanying her.
h. Reyna de las Virgines (Queen of the Virgins) - a rosary; also accompanied by two little "angels".
i. Reyna de las Flores (Queen of the Flowers) - a bouquet of flowers.
18. Reyna Elena (Queen Helena) - the last member of the procession, she represents Saint Helena, legendary finder of the True Cross; this is signified by the small cross she carries in her arms. The role is usually awarded to the most beautiful girl in the procession. For the Santacruzan to be more exciting, the identity of the maiden playing Reyna Elena is kept a secret until the day of the parade.
a. Constantine - the escort of Reyna Elena, he is a young boy wearing the barong tagalog. He represents the Emperor Constantine. See sample photos by clicking here: http://www.geocities.com/santacruzan4life/index2.htm
The procession is then followed by the steady beat of the rondalla, playing and singing the Hail Mary in Spanish ("Dios Te Salve"). Usually the last at the parade is a caroza bearing the image of the Virgin Mary or of the Holy Cross while devotees walking with the procession hold lighted candles in their hands and sing the prayer as they go along.
Recently, a homosexual-transvestite celebrity Rustom Padilla now known as BB Gandanghari joined a Santacruzan of almost homosexual men parading the streets in flowing gown. This caused the bishop of the diocese of Caloocan, Most. Rev. Deogracias Iñiguez and even other bishops of the Philippines to ban this travesty of the religious festival. See this link from a fellow Filipino Catholic blogger http://kiapokspika.blogspot.com/2009/05/bunch-of-nos-for-gay-santacruzan.html
No comments:
Post a Comment