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| Pasyon, photo courtesy of Santa Barbara LGU |
The week-long
tradition of Semana Santa or Holy Week begins during Palm Sunday and leads till
Easter Sunday. For Christians, it is a time where they prepare themselves with
prayer, penitence, and sacrifice.
In many towns all
over Iloilo, there abound a number of religious destinations that offers
spiritual enlightenment to visitors. Many of these local traditions are well
known and people annually gather to pay homage to these important events.
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| the Roman Catholic Chruch of San Joaquin, photo by Bombette G. Marin |
Most popular is the
Visita Iglesia where Ilonggos visit as many as seven or more churches in day.
The most popular churches are in the southern portion of the province: the
Saint John of Sahagun Parish in Tigbauan is known to be the oldest existing
church in Panay; The Saint Nicolas of Tolentine Parish in Guimbal is known for
its yellow sandstone walls and predominantly made of adobe blocks locally known
as Igang was finished in 1774; the Saint Thomas of Villanova Parish in Miagao
is considered to be one of the most popular churches in the country because of
its unique façade of native botanical motif. It was declared as a National
Shrine in 1973 and was included in the World Heritage List under UNESCO in
1993, the only one in the Visayas and Mindanao; The Roman Catholic Church of
San Joaquin is considered as the most militaristic church in the Philippines
where its bas relief sculpture reveals the cavalry and infantry led by St.
James, the Moor-slayer, breaking the Moorish defenses under a minaret tower
against a landscape of date palms. It was declared a national shrine in 1974.
The life-sized
statues of saints and Lenten characters on beautifully-decorated and lighted
Pasos or floats are paraded on the streets every Good Friday. Many of the pasos
were created by artistic masters and were handed from one generation to the
other. The overall atmosphere is supposed to be of mourning, like a traditional
funeral procession. The towns of Leganes and Igbaras are known to have the most
number of Pasos in the province.
Passion plays are
popular Lenten treats in other communities where people watch the recreation of
the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ. Taltal in Barotac Viejo is a very
important Lenten event that is religiously celebrated every Good Friday since
in 1975. It has drawn in many visitors to this town every year to witness the
story of Christ's passion.
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| Pasyon in Santa Barbara, photo courtesy of Santa Barbara LGU |
Pasyon is another
popular Lenten activity for the people of Cabatuan and Santa Barbara.
Celebrated every Good Friday after the procession, it is a competition of
continued singing that recounts the life of Christ. The singers are of young
and old engage in a marathon of chanting while seated on little makeshift
bamboo chapels clustered in the different streets all over the poblacion.
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| Kapiya in Santa Barbara, photo courtesy of Santa Barbara LGU |
Besides Cabatuan and
Alimodian, the town of Santa Barbara is also known for its annual Kapiya
competition that beautifully displays series of sculptures made of indigenous
materials popular in the area. The characters are life-sized and are even
well-lighted during the evening.
Holy Week is
something that people should experience every year. It will not only show how our local culture
is deeply rooted to our traditions and commitments but it will also help you
discover other important attractions surrounding them.
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